With two seconds remaining the Washington Commanders, down 15-12, had one hope. Needing 52 yards for a touchdown to beat the Chicago Bears on Sunday, they had to hope Jayden Daniels could buy time, a receiver could get under is deep heave, and luck would be on their side.
In the end, they got all three when Noah Brown settled under the Hail Mary in the end zone to grab the most improbable win in the NFL through eight weeks of the 2024 season.
Of course, there was another person who played a starring role in the jubilation for Washington and the misery for Chicago: Bears second-year cornerback Tyrique Stevenson.
Stevenson had an eventful Sunday through the game's first 59 minutes, 58 seconds. He had nine tackles (seven solo), was a constant antagonist of Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin and it cost him a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty at the end of the third quarter.
But on that fateful play, Stevenson guarding the deep right side of the field was seen pointing, waving and facing the fans when the ball was snapped and did not turn around to face the play until the three Washington receivers on his side of the field had reached the 25-yard line.
"That kinda explains his attitude throughout the whole game," Commanders running back Brian Robinson said during his weekly appearance Tuesday with 106.7 The Fan's The Sports Junkies, which is presented exclusively by our partners at MainStreet Bank — Cheer Local. Bank Local. Put Our Team in Your Office. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
"Those four seconds," Robinson continued referencing the time Stevenson jumped around waving at the crowd, "gave a great explanation of who he was as a player and as a teammate."
From that point on Stevenson was switched on to the danger and ranged over to leap and tip the ball, but managed to knock it toward danger and into the arms of Brown for the game-winning score. Chicago head coach Matt Eberflus said that the plan was to have some defenders box receivers out like in basketball and have one player jump to tip the ball away from the pile. Stevenson's job was not to jump, but to box out Brown.
“Tyrique’s got to do a good job of putting his body on 85 [Brown] and boxing him out,” Eberflus said on Monday. “We know he’s got to do a good job of that.”
Of course, Stevenson tweeted later on Sunday night an apology for his actions.
"To Chicago and teammates my apologies for lack of awareness and focus," Stevenson tweeted. "The game ain’t over until zeros hit the clock. Can’t take anything for granted. Notes taken, improvement will happen."
“I apologized to the boys for letting them down,” he said on Monday. “I let the moment get too big and it’s something that can never happen again and won’t ever happen again.”