After recently signing with the Chicago Bears, former Green Bay Packer Robert Tonyan addressed his emotions after joining his new team. The Illinois native is excited to finally play for the Bears after watching them all of his life. Now, after four NFL seasons with the Packers, Tonyan will play out a one-year contract with the Bears after a difficult 2022 season.
Former Green Bay Packer Tonyan Now “At Home” With Bears
This off-season the Green Bay Packers were informed by the talented tight end Robert Tonyan that he would be moving on from the organization. Despite the differences in opinion, there is no bad blood between Tonyan and the franchise. Rather, the Packers have expressed gratitude for the success and memories Tonyan brought the franchise. In his first meeting after signing a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears, Tonyan expressed his emotions upon joining the team he grew up a fan of.
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While Tonyan may be an Illinois native and lifelong Bears fan, the move to the NFC North rival was rather surprising for Packers fans. For those who are not close with Tonyan, the move seemed to spurn the Packers, but the motivation for it was just the opposite. Tonyan never expected to get the chance to play for the team he grew up a fan of. Once the tight end realized he had a chance to do so, he immediately accepted their one-year offer to make a dream come true.
When asked by reporters what his emotions were like after joining his former team’s rival, Tonyan kept his answer simple.
Did I think I’d be a tight end for the Bears? No. But did I think I’d play for the Bears? Yeah, absolutely. In my brain, I was playing for the Bears my whole life. I’m just super pumped to be here – Robert Tonyan via Chicago Tribune’s Colleen Kane
In the mind of Robert Tonyan, playing in the NFL was the real dream come true for him. Tonyan expressed his joy for playing in the NFL, and while playing for the Bears was a lifelong goal, being in the league was a bigger accomplishment. Now in his fifth season, Tonyan will look to continue his success from the Packers with his new team.
In 2020, Tonyan burst onto the scene for the Packers with 586 yards and 11 touchdowns. Out of the 52 receptions Tonyan had, 33 of them were for first downs. Quickly, the young tight end emerged as a premier target for Aaron Rodgers, but the last two years have not been the same for Tonyan. In 2021, the tight end played in eight games and had 18 receptions before injuring his knee and missing significant time.
The 2022 season saw Tonyan begin to climb back as he racked up 470 yards on a career high 53 receptions. However, the touchdowns were not there for Tonyan this year as he continued to battle through nagging injuries. Now after joining the Chicago Bears alongside D’Onta Foreman and DJ Moore, the new Chicago offense could be a serious threat across the league. Justin Fields will have all sorts of weapons for this upcoming season, but the question of whether or not he is ready to lead the franchise will remain.
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