Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Zavion Thomas battled through a minor knee injury in preseason and training camp, but made it clear he was back to full health in the Bears' win over the Tennessee Titans on Saturday night.
On the first offensive play of the game, Thomas electrified the game with a 97-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Tyson Bagent, where he also set a NFL-high mark with his on-field speed.
Thomas was drafted out of LSU by the Bears in the third round this year, particularly because of his speed, which he showcased at the NFL combine with a 4.28 40-yard dash, and on the field against the Titans when he hit 21.99 MPH on his touchdown catch. The MPH speed from Thomas was the fastest across the NFL throughout the entire preseason,
which should make head coach Ben Johnson excited for what he can do with the rookie receiver.
ZAVION THOMAS 97-YARD TD‼️
— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) August 29, 2026
The former @LSUfootball WR hit a max speed of 21.99 MPH, the fastest by a ball carrier this preseason, per @NextGenStats 🤯
CHIvsTEN on @NFLNetwork
Stream on #NFLPluspic.twitter.com/sw6j1fIGK5
Thomas closed out the preseason finale catching all five of his targets, going for 140 yards, 97 of which came on his one touchdown in the game. While he'll likely start the season behind Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and Kalif Raymond, the ability for Thomas to take the top off of defenses with his speed should force him to get on the field early in his first season.
Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears rookie WR Zavion Thomas hit the fastest speed in preseason
