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Blackwell's 94-Yard Trick Punt Return, Mirroring 2011 Play, Gives Bears Lead Over Packers

Jan 5, 2025, 06:24 PM

On January 5, 2025, at Lambeau Field, the Chicago Bears executed a trick punt return, resulting in a 94-yard touchdown by Josh Blackwell against the Green Bay Packers. Using a misdirection strategy, the Bears had two returners back, with DJ Moore acting as a decoy on one side while Blackwell received the punt on the opposite side and ran it back for a score. Orchestrated by Special Teams Coordinator Richard Hightower, the play mirrored a similar attempt in 2011 involving Johnny Knox and Devin Hester that was nullified due to a phantom holding call. The touchdown tied with Dennis McKinnon (1987) for the third-longest punt-return touchdown in franchise history and marked the Bears' first punt-return touchdown since Jakeem Grant's in 2021 at Lambeau Field. It also gave the Bears their first first-quarter touchdown since November 24 and their first lead since Week 12, putting them ahead 7-0. The successful play highlighted Hightower's innovative coaching.