Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills is the most important player in modern Chicago Bears history. Yes, you read that sentence correctly!
He, and Jordan Atkins, singlehandedly changed the entire landscape of the National Football League.
The butterfly effect that stems from Mills’ miraculous Hail Mary on Jan. 8, 2023 will have an impact on the next decade+ of professional football. It is truly mind-blowing when you really break it down.
Houston, at 2-13-1, trailed the Indianapolis Colts by seven with 58 seconds remaining in the literal last regular season game of the 2022/23 season. If the Texans lost, they would have earned the rights to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
They did not lose!
Mills dropped back in the pocket on 4th-and-20, rolled to his right and delivered a 43-yard bomb to the end zone. Atkins was in the right place at the right time to haul in the touchdown.
While six points were great, the Texans still needed an extra point to tie the game. Head coach Lovie Smith, who served in the same role for the Bears from 2004 through 2012, decided to go for two instead.
It was successful!
Houston went on to win its third game of the year— one more than Chicago. As a result, the Bears received the No. 1 overall pick. Not the Texans.
Here is where things get crazy…
Davis Mills is the savior of the Chicago Bears!
Instead of using the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to select Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud, general manager Ryan Poles and Chicago’s front office decided to trade out. Carolina offered them a king’s ransom, and it is already going down as one of the worst trades of all-time.
Carolina Panthers received:
- No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft — QB Bryce Young
Chicago Bears received:
- Wide receiver D.J. Moore
- No. 9 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft — OT Darnell Wright
- No. 61 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft (later traded up to No. 56) — DB Tyrique Stevenson
- 2024 first-round pick (later became the No. 1 pick) — QB Caleb Williams
- 2025 second-round pick
The only piece of the trade still outstanding is next year’s second rounder. And depending on how bad Carolina performs again this fall, it could lean up against the first round…
None of this would have happened if Davis Mills didn’t go deep!