Between changes throughout the Bears‘ coaching staff, at quarterback, in the secondary, and elsewhere on the roster, it can be easy to lose sight of what remains.
Here’s a courtesy reminder that Khalil Mack is (1) still a member of the Chicago Bears and (2) a very bad man:
Khalil Mack: the NFL's best edge defender 😤🥇 pic.twitter.com/RnxVbWrNYz
— PFF (@PFF) May 25, 2021
Khalil Mack was the NFL’s best pass rusher last year. And to that I say: “Well, duh!”
Do you remember when he did this?
Khalil Mack with a Ric Flair-level hip toss to close this play. pic.twitter.com/nHyiLTbaFu
— Adam Rank (@adamrank) October 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/bleacherreport/status/1328523555324063744?s=21
Khalil Mack with the jab ole.@fiftydeuce sets the OL up with the jab step then flashes the hands before reducing his hitting surface. The OL bites on the jab & falls forward when he shoots his hands & Mack isn't there anymore. Mack finishes with the arm over #passrush #bears pic.twitter.com/3wDi9OoZQE
— DLineVids (@dlinevids1) October 27, 2020
🚨 KHALIL MACK SAFETY 🚨
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/qOnec90KXA
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 13, 2020
Khalil Mack strips it away! #DaBears @FiftyDeuce
📺: #HOUvsCHI on CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/tvMsTDEOAi pic.twitter.com/5OAftNLjeM— NFL (@NFL) December 13, 2020
Happy 30th birthday to 6x Pro Bowler Khalil Mack!@FiftyDeuce | @ChicagoBears pic.twitter.com/zrjWB2Pcv4
— NFL (@NFL) February 22, 2021
Mack had a superlative year in 2020. He came away with 9 sacks, 11 tackles-for-loss, 13 quarterback hits, 3 forced fumbles, 2 recoveries, and an interception. In the end, it all added up to another Pro Bowl nomination, first-team All-Pro honors from PFF and the Pro Football Writers of America, as well as second-team All-Pro from the Associated Press.
Altogether, Mack’s Bears career has been nothing short of sparkling. In three years, he has 30 sacks, 29 tackles for loss, 45 quarterback hits, 14 forced fumbles, 5 recoveries, 2 interceptions, and a defensive touchdown. That is the type of production one comes to expect when a team trades a boatload in draft capital for a player and extends his contract to make him the highest-paid defender in the game. Despite the short-comings on the other side of the ball, the juice has been worth the squeeze. And every so often, we need to be poked and reminded of Mack’s awesomeness.
There will be time later to discuss how the Bears handle Mack as he enters his 30s. Mack’s snap share went from 86 percent in 2019 to 84 percent in 2020. Load management will be important moving forward. But perhaps the arrival of Justin Fields will spark new life in the offense, as well as rejuvenate players on the other side of the ball who have been carrying more than their fair share of the freight in recent years. Time will tell. But in the meantime, take a moment to appreciate Mack’s masterful work.