The Chicago Bears have big expectations in the first year under Ben Johnson. But the quickest way those expectations can go down the drain is if someone gets hurt.
Training camp is always an exciting time but it can be dangerous. Teams with intentions of competing can quickly scramble when a player goes down and it can be devastating for those who joined the team with hopes of a fresh start.
That scenario has played out for one former Chicago cornerback and his tenure with his new team may now be over before it even began.
Former Bears CB Artie Burns Tears ACL During Dolphins Training Camp
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, former Bears cornerback Artie Burns underwent an MRI that confirmed that he tore his ACL during one of his first practices with the Miami Dolphins this week. The injury will sideline him for the entire 2025 season and represent another challenge in the former first-round pick’s career.
An MRI confirmed an ACL tear for Dolphins CB Artie Burns, who now is expected to miss the 2025 season, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 24, 2025
Burns began his career as a first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2016 NFL Draft and spent four seasons in the Steel City before coming to Chicago. His first season with the Bears was wiped out by a torn ACL during training camp but Burns returned the following season to appear in 11 games, making six starts with 23 total tackles and six pass deflections.
The 30-year-old left Chicago after the 2021 season to spend three years with the Seattle Seahawks, but he had trouble staying on the field, missing a total of 30 games and signing with his hometown Dolphins this season. After Jalen Ramsey was traded to Pittsburgh, Burns had a shot at a big role in Miami’s defense but the injury squandered that opportunity.
It’s something the Bears hope they won’t have to deal with during camp. Already trying to figure out the intricacies of Johnson’s offense, Chicago has plenty of work to do and staying healthy will be the first key to contention in 2025.