A pair of fourth-quarter interceptions by linebacker Tremaine Edmunds — which occurred on back-to-back Dallas possessions — helped seal the Bears' 31-14 victory over the Cowboys at Soldier Field.
However, for a brief moment in the second quarter, the thought of the veteran linebacker making crucial plays like the ones he made late in the game seemed improbable. With 10:31 remaining in the first half, Edmunds went down with an apparent injury following a tackle he and cornerback Nahshon Wright made on Cowboys receiver KaVonte Turpin.
But Edmunds returned to the Bears defense after missing just one play and went on to register a team-high 15 tackles and record the first two-interception game of his NFL career.
"Nothing was gonna keep me off of that field," Edmunds told ChicagoBears.com. "I just wanted to be out there, give my team all that I had and just figure out a way to make a play. I just appreciate the guys around me, because it was ups and downs of that game, but nobody flinched.
"We figured out ways to make plays when we needed to, and that's what it's all about."
Edmunds' first interception occurred on a first-and-10 play from the Chicago 36 on Dallas' first drive of the fourth quarter. Cowboys quarterback threw a short pass to receiver George Pickens, who tipped the ball up into the air, allowing Edmunds to make a great diving catch just before it hit the ground.
On Dallas' ensuing possession, they faced fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Even the Bears defense had been on the field for 15 plays at that point, they refused to break. As Prescott dropped back, defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. got pressure on the Cowboys QB, who threw toward receiver Jalen Tolbert in the end zone. But Edmunds jumped the route and recorded his second interception.
In typical Edmunds fashion, he did not boast about his performance. Instead, he credited his teammates as well as defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's play calling for setting up his takeaways.
"Without everybody doing their job, I wouldn't have been in a position to make the plays," Edmunds said. "We had good coverage on the receiver, put myself in a position, but just the tight coverage, I was able to do it.
"Even on the goal line play, the pass rush and everybody doing their job, I was able to come away with the play. But those plays don't happen, man, unless the other 10 guys on the field are doing their job."
Responsible for two of the Bears' four takeaways — all of which occurred when the Cowboys were in Chicago territory — Edmunds brought his career interception total to 12. He now is the leader among NFL linebackers with seven INTs since 2023, his first year with the Bears.
Edmunds is also the first NFL player this season to register multiple interceptions in a single game, the first NFL linebacker to do so since 2023 (Robert Spillane) and the first Bears defender to do so since cornerback Tyrique Stevenson in Week 17 of 2023.
For the eighth-year pro, all of the "firsts" that came from his performance are understandably overshadowed by the Bears earning their first win of the season and Ben Johnson's first win as a head coach.
"I feel good, man," Edmunds said. "I think I'm more excited that we were able to get the win, but it hasn't sunk in here just as far as the first [two interception game] for me. Just as far as the win, I mean, it feels amazing. We put a lot of work into it. Obviously, we had a nasty taste in our mouth, so to just come in and smile, and just enjoy, that's the biggest thing."
Johnson, however, recognized Edmunds' successes, telling reporters the linebacker "was all over the football … and really came through for us in a big way."
In the Bears' postgame locker room celebration, Johnson also gifted Edmunds one of two game balls, along with quarterback Caleb Williams. The players then flipped the script and delivered Johnson a game ball to commemorate his first win.
Moments like those are why Edmunds will always acknowledge and celebrate team success over personal wins.
"Anytime you can get a win in the league, man, it's a confidence builder because it's hard to win," Edmunds said. "We put a lot of work in week in, week out. We never got down on ourselves. We just put trust in each other, put our head down and we work. It's expected. I'm not going to act like we're surprised because we put the work in. We've got a good football team, good coaching staff and it was a representation of the work that we put in.
"I'm just glad just to come in here and see smiles on everybody's faces because we put a lot of time into it, and this is what it should feel like."
