Some Chicago Bears fans might remember Khyiris Tonga's very short one-year run with the team after they selected him in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but he ended up finding himself in Super Bowl LX with the New England Patriots as they faced the Seattle Seahawks.
Tonga played a big role for the Patriots this season, with starting defensive tackle Milton Williams missing time, leading to Tonga getting eight starts in 14 games. He racked up 24 tackles, two pass deflections, two tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits during the regular season.
On the biggest stage of the Super Bowl, though, it was more of a quiet performance for him as he got one tackle and one run stop. That was it as his team lost the Super Bowl to the Seahawks 29-13.
A quiet Super Bowl performance for Khyiris Tonga
When Tonga first arrived in Chicago in 2021, he signed a four-year deal with the team and made the final 53-man roster that season. He started in two of the 15 games he appeared in, finishing with 24 tackles, one fumble recovery, and one tackle for loss.
After the 2022 preseason, though, Tonga's run with the Bears would end as the team waived him from the roster. He would go on to play for four teams after Chicago, including now with the Patriots.
It's a disappointing way for him to end the season with the Patriots, but the Bears saw what other teams have seen in Tonga. Everyone knows he's a good role player, but not one who can contribute at a high level, which led to a quiet game when the team needed everyone to step up.
Read more: Former Bears general manager reenters the job market after latest news update
Of course, it doesn't all fall on him, as there were many, many performances on the Patriots that needed to be better. Ultimately, though, the Super Bowl slipped away from New England, and now the Bears are focused on learning from Tonga and the Patriots' mistakes and bouncing back in 2026.