After missing the final five games last year with a groin injury, Sherrick McManis is fired up about returning for a ninth season with the Bears.
The special-teams standout and reserve defensive back signed a one-year contract with the team on Thursday.
"Ending the year on IR last season, it was frustrating not finishing the year out with my teammates," McManis told ChicagoBears.com. "Because of that, it made me hungrier to rehab and get healthy. Now that I'm healthy, I'm ready to roll and focus on ball."
With NFL team facilities closed due to the coronavirus, it's impossible to predict when McManis and his teammates will return to Halas Hall. But dealing with a different world due to the pandemic has changed McManis' perspective on life.
"I've had plenty of time to reflect on who's in my corner and who I play this game for," McManis said. "I play the game for my family and God, and this opportunity presented itself and I took it. I'm grateful for another opportunity to play for a great city in Chicago."
Acquired in a 2012 trade with the Texans, McManis is the longest tenured player on the Bears roster. Since arriving in Chicago, he has appeared in 108 games, the most by any Bears player over the last decade from 2010-19.
McManis has recorded 124 tackles, one interception, six pass breakups, one sack and two tackles-for-loss. On special teams, he has registered 74 tackles, one blocked punt that was returned by Corey Wootton for a touchdown, one blocked field goal, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries.
Last season the Northwestern product tied for the Bears' lead with eight special-teams tackles despite being limited to nine games.
McManis played sparingly on defense after being moved from cornerback to safety in 2019, but he generated one of the most impressive takeaways of the season when he punched the ball out of Raiders receiver Trevor Davis' hands inside the Bears' 1-yard line in a Week 5 loss to Oakland in London.
When players are permitted to return to Halas Hall, McManis will approach the 2020 season like every other one throughout his career—with something to prove.
"I'm glad to be back with my teammates and play for the great city of Chicago," he said. "My entire career I focused on taking it a day at a time and beginning every year as if the previous was non-existent, besides retaining information from previous years of course. This, in my opinion, is the key to my success."
ChicagoBears.com lists the 10 players who appeared in the most games for the Bears during the 2010s.
10. Robert Garza, offensive line (74)
The versatile Garza was a key member of the Bears offensive line for 10 seasons from 2005-14, first at guard and then at center.
9. Kyle Long, offensive line (77)
Selected by the Bears with the 20th pick in the first round of the 2013 draft out of Oregon, Long was voted to the Pro Bowl in each of his first three NFL seasons.
8. Tim Jennings, cornerback (78)
Jennings was voted to two Pro Bowls during five seasons with the Bears from 2010-14. His league-leading nine interceptions in 2012 remain the most by any NFL player over the past eight seasons.
7. Kyle Fuller, cornerback (80)
Chosen by the Bears with the 14th pick in the first round of the 2014 draft out of Virginia Tech, Fuller tied for the NFL lead with seven interceptions in 2018 and has been voted to each of the last two Pro Bowls.
5. Charles Leno, Jr., tackle (86)
Selected by the Bears in the seventh round of the 2014 draft out of Boise State, Leno has started all 16 games at left tackle each of the last four seasons and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2018.
5. Jay Cutler, quarterback (86)
Cutler played eight seasons with the Bears from 2009-16, becoming the franchise's all-time leading passer in attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns.
4. Matt Forte, running back (88)
Forte spent his first eight NFL seasons with the Bears from 2008-15 and remains the franchise's second all-time leading rusher behind Walter Payton.
3. Robbie Gould, kicker (89)
Gould spent 11 seasons with the Bears, exiting prior to the 2016 campaign as the franchise's all-time leading scorer with 1,207 points.
2. Pat O'Donnell, punter (95)
O'Donnell was chosen by the Bears in the sixth round of the 2014 draft out of Miami. Last season he set a team punting record with a 40.7-yard net average.
1. Sherrick McManis, defensive back (108)
A special-teams standout and valuable reserve defensive back, McManis was acquired in a 2012 trade with the Texans and returns for a ninth season in 2020.
