Tight end Mercedes Lewis just can’t quit the NFL. Or he doesn’t want to. And if a team is willing to sign him, why should he?
Lewis, 40, officially re-signed with the Chicago Bears on Monday and will play his 19th season in the league. The signing was first reported by Fox’s Jay Glazer on Sunday.
The Bears made the move official by posting a photo of Lewis inking his contract on social media. Financial terms of the one-year deal were not announced.
Lewis played in all 17 games for the Bears last season, starting four of them. He caught only four passes for 29 yards and one touchdown. But he’s still viewed as an excellent run blocker, which makes him a good fit with fellow tight ends Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett, who are more known for their receiving skills.
This Bears team will have a different look with No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams at quarterback and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron now calling plays. Lewis’ long NFL career could also potentially make for a compelling storyline on HBO’s docuseries “Hard Knocks,” which will feature the Bears in training camp this summer.
A first-round pick (No. 28 overall) in the 2006 NFL Draft out of UCLA, Lewis played 12 seasons for the Jacksonville Jaguars, five for the Green Bay Packers and is entering his second campaign with the Bears.
Lewis could also set a record this season. If he appears in four games, which seems likely, Lewis will pass Jason Witten for the most career games played by a tight end. Jason Witten currently holds the record at 271 games, Lewis is third at 268 (behind Tony Gonzalez at 270).
Source Agencies
