Da Windy City
Fansided

Bears Make Huge Andrew Billings Announcement Ahead of Week 14 Clash vs. 49ers

The Bears nominated the veteran defensive lineman for the 2024 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

By Jovan Alford

Nov 3, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Chicago Bears defensive tackle Andrew Billings (97) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.
Nov 3, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Chicago Bears defensive tackle Andrew Billings (97) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
facebooktwitterreddit

The 2024 season has not gone to plan for the Chicago Bears. After making several moves in the offseason to hopefully get the team back into the playoffs, Chicago has failed to live up to that preseason hype and currently sits in the basement of the NFC North (4-8).

The Bears will try to snap their six-game losing streak on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, but that won’t be easy as the Niners are trying to bounce back from a humiliating road loss last week to the Buffalo Bills.

However, it’s not all bad for Chicago as there have been some good things to highlight recently. One of those good things is veteran defensive lineman Andrew Billings getting selected as the Bears’ nominee for the 2024 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

The award named famously after Pro Football Hall of Famer and Bears legend Walter Payton is awarded to the player who makes the largest impact on and off the field. 

The veteran defensive lineman has spent the last two seasons with the Bears after signing a two-year, $8.5 million contract extension in 2023. Billings only played in eight games this season after being placed on injured reserve early last month.

Even though Billings will miss the rest of the 2024 season because of a torn pectoral, it hasn’t stopped him from changing lives off the field. 

The veteran defender has a foundation called the Billings Family Find-A-Way Foundation, where he gives back to his hometown of Waco, TX. Billings went to college at Baylor University, which is located in Waco. 

The Bears defensive lineman started the foundation in 2017 and has a terrific bikes and books initiative, where his foundation gives out bikes, helmets, and books to students who missed less than two days of school. 

Billings also hosts youth football camps and speaks to male youth. Based on everything he does off the field, it’s not a surprise to see why the Bears nominated him this year. Last year, Chicago nominated defensive tackle Justin Jones for the 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

More Bears news and analysis:

feed

Home/Chicago Bears