Last season, rookies played a major role in the Chicago Bears offense. This year, the tables have turned and now the Bears’ rookies have played a crucial role on defense with safety Dillon Thieneman and cornerback Malik Muhammad both recording an interception in the first three games. They are the first Bears rookie duo to have interceptions in the first three weeks of the season.
Leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft, not many projections had Thieneman being available for the Bears at No. 25 overall. Even Bears general manager Ryan Poles implied that Chicago did not think he would be available at that spot. But the draft shook out in such a way that Thieneman ended up falling all the way down to Chicago at No. 25.
The expectation going into training
camp was that Thieneman would be starting alongside veteran and Super Bowl champion, Coby Bryant. However, after Bryant’s injury that will keep him out for the regular season, it was up to Thieneman to take over as Chicago’s No. 1 safety, and he has delivered so far in the first three games of the season.
“He’s becoming the guy that we thought he would be when we evaluated him in college,” defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said. “Anytime you have a guy that’s got the speed and range back there, they kind of become an eraser. They eliminate explosive plays.”
In Chicago’s first three games, Thieneman has only allowed four completions for 50 yards, no touchdowns and an interception with an average quarterback rating of 13.4. Those are elite numbers for any safety in the NFL, especially a rookie playing in his first three games.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Dennis Allen sounds off on Bears rookie Dillon Thieneman's play
