The Chicago Bears didn't need to wait to long for a return on their investment after signing D'Andre Swift to a big contract extension. The 27-year-old running back rushed for 124 yards and three touchdowns across 18 carries during the Bears' blowout victory over the Carolina Panthers.
For his hard work that went beyond everybody's expectations, Swift has been named NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
.@DAndreSwift's starting off HOT 🔥
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 16, 2026
Swift is a respected veteran on the Bears roster, and his combination with second year back Kyle Monangai has created an excellent two-punch system that supported a lot of the success enjoyed by the Bears last season.
There were rumors of a Swift contract extension all offseason long given that at the time he was entering into the final season of his contract. But now, having inked a new three-year, $33.7 million deal, Swift is locked down through the 2029 season.
Swift immediately rewarded the Bears’ confidence
2025 saw Swift perform at the top of his career, logging his second season of over 1,000 rushing yards. Swift also scored more touchdowns than he ever had before, but he notably did so without a single carry of over 25 yards.
"The only thing I was missing last year that I need to do a better job of is I need more explosive runs, longer runs. I need to showcase that. I didn't have a lot of those last year. I think we can go out there and improve that."D'Andre Swift
Swift collected two separate runs that met that mark on Sunday, with a 32-yard breakaway in the first quarter, and a 28-yard touchdown to bring his total on the day to three. It was a step in the right direction for Swift, but this isn't his first day in the NFL. He's well aware that most NFL defenses aren't going to allow over 500 yards of offense to steamroll by them.
The Bears held one of the best rushing games in 2025, and with Swift and Monangai largely responsible for the efforts that got them there, this season is off to an excellent start. Swift getting awarded the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award is merely the cherry on top of the success that Chicago enjoyed after Week 1.
But the NFL is a lot more than just one game of football. One excellent performance from Swift doesn't validate his entire three-year contract, but it does show quality signs that this was the right decision. Still, Swift could hardly have provided a better first return on Chicago's investment.
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