Chicago Bears edge rusher Montez Sweat is officially suspended without pay by the NFL for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy. The league announced his suspension on Tuesday, October 13, and he’s eligible for reinstatement on Friday, October 23. Here’s the kicker: his first game back from this suspension is the Monday night trip to Seattle on November 2, when the Bears face our reigning Super Bowl-champion Seahawks.
Two Games Missed, Then Straight To Our Emerald City
Sweat will miss two key matchups during his time away. First up is Sunday’s road game against the Atlanta Falcons, followed by the Week 7 “Thursday Night Football” clash with the New England Patriots. Think about that: two games off, then he’s right back into the fire against *us* on Monday Night Football. The timing is wild, and it means our offensive line, anchored by Sam Darnold at QB, needs to be ready for him to come out swinging, even if he’s been out of action for a bit.
Slow Start, But Still a Monster on the Edge
Even with the suspension, Sweat is vital for that Bears defensive front, which is already thin on the edge. This season hasn’t exactly been his best through the first five games of 2026. He’s logged seven tackles and two sacks, with those two sacks ranking third on his team. His 8.8% quarterback pressure rate is lower than any of his season-long marks from 2019 to 2025. Plus, his time to sack of 7.18 seconds is a career worst by nearly two full seconds. But don’t let those numbers fool you. Last season, he led the Bears in sacks, tackles for loss, and quarterback hits. He also paced the squad in sacks for the two years before that. In 2023, he even snagged a Pro Bowl selection. His six turnovers caused by pressure in 2025 were a career best and ranked second in the entire NFL. So, yeah, he’s a force when he’s on, and the Bears need him.
The Bears will be without one of their key defensive pieces for a couple of weeks, but all eyes in Seattle should be on Monday, November 2. That’s when Sweat steps back onto the field, at Lumen Field, ready to face our Super Bowl champions. Our Hawks need to be prepared for a guy looking to make a statement in his return. It’s going to be a prime-time showdown, and our 12s will be there, loud and proud, ready to welcome him back to the NFL.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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