CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears didn’t just fix their offensive line; they anchored it with history. Joe Thuney, the veteran left guard acquired in a blockbuster offseason trade, has been named the winner of the NFL’s inaugural Protector of the Year award. The announcement caps a dominant 2025 campaign where Thuney allowed zero sacks and helped slash quarterback Caleb Williams’ sack total by nearly 66%.
Thuney’s impact on the Bears’ offense was immediate and violent. After arriving from the Kansas City Chiefs for a fourth-round pick, the four-time All-Pro stabilized a unit that had been a turnstile just a year prior. According to Pro Football Reference, Thuney played every snap without surrendering a single sack.
ESPN analytics paint an even wilder picture: Thuney led all interior linemen by holding his blocks for at least 2.5 seconds on 98% of his snaps. That extra time didn’t just keep Williams upright; it let the offense breathe. With Thuney marshaling the interior, the Bears finished 11-6 and reached the NFC Divisional Round.
The voters—a panel of legends including Andrew Whitworth and Jason Kelce—didn’t just look at the stats. They rewarded the culture shift. Thuney’s presence helped drop the Bears’ total sacks allowed from a staggering 68 in 2024 to just 24 this season.
“It’s just incredible. I’m very humbled to even be mentioned amongst guys that are on the ballot. But I’m not a one-man operation. I appreciate all the running backs that helped chip… and Caleb for making plays. Really, I’m just a cog in a huge machine.” — Joe Thuney, Bears Left Guard (via NFL Honors)
This award solidifies Bears GM Ryan Poles’ aggressive strategy to protect his franchise quarterback. Thuney isn’t going anywhere, either. He inked a two-year, $35 million extension immediately following the trade, locking him in through 2027.
While his salary cap hit jumps to $21.5 million for the 2026 season, the cost is justified. With Caleb Williams entering his crucial third year and the offensive core returning, Chicago enters the offseason not looking to fix a broken line, but to build a Super Bowl contender behind the league’s best protector.
