Clinton-Dix, 27, was fresh off a difficult 2018 season in which he was traded by the Packers -- the team that drafted him in the first round in 2014 -- before becoming a free agent who was left wondering what was next. Other teams had interest in giving Clinton-Dix a multi-year contract, but he felt Chicago offered the best chance to showcase himself as a top-tier safety.
On Sunday, Clinton-Dix will return to Lambeau Field for the first time since he was traded by the Packers in October 2018, joining the rival Bears as they look to make a statement. The stakes are clear for the Bears, who need a victory to keep their bleak playoff hopes alive.
But what will this mean personally for Clinton-Dix as he faces the Packers?
"Not a damn thing," Clinton-Dix said. "No, I'm just kidding. It means a lot. Just to be able to back and play with the guys that I've been with the last five years, to compete against your friends, it makes the game more fun."
For Clinton-Dix, playing in Green Bay again is about proving a point, which is what his entire season has been about. He joined the Bears with the vision that he could hit the free-agent market again this March as a more coveted player.
This Sunday will surely mean more on a personal level for Clinton-Dix. Bears coach Matt Nagy still can recall a story from his playing career in 2007 when he faced the the Georgia Force in a playoff game months after the team traded him to the Columbus Destroyers. The quarterback Nagy threw for five touchdowns in a 66-56 playoff win
"We dominated them," Nagy said with a smile. "I'll never forget that game."
The Packers selected the Alabama product Clinton-Dix at No. 21 overall in the 2014 draft -- seven picks after the Bears chose cornerback Kyle Fuller -- believing they had a mainstay in their secondary. He earned Pro Bowl recognition in 2016 after recording a career-best five interceptions. But Green Bay wasn't satisfied paying a steep price for Clinton-Dix to stay long term given how he was producing.
Clinton-Dix has played a more versatile safety position with the Bears, both dropping back into coverage and also playing more in the box. His impact has gone beyond the stat sheet too, as he has provided steadiness.
With three games remaining the regular season, it's too soon to get a read on whether Clinton-Dix will be back with the Bears in 2020. He declined to speculate beyond this stretch run.
"I know who I am as an individual," he said. "There's things I've done the past five years that put me in this situation. I had a chance to correct it. I've been doing it throughout the year. I'm just excited about this opportunity.
"Turn the tape on."