Entering Sunday's game, Chicago Bears rookie offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo had played 72 offensive snaps in his career. A big chunk of those had been as an extra offensive lineman, with 40 snaps at right tackle in Week 4 when Darnell Wright was out and Theo Benedet moved to the left side to replace the benched Braxton Jones.
With Benedet inactive on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a quad injury, Trapilo stepped in to make his first NFL start at left tackle. With Steelers edge rushers T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig on the opposite side, it was going to be a huge test.
With Caleb Williams sacked just once by the Steelers and hit only once, the good work Trapilo did was clear. And the numbers fully back it up.
LT for Chicago has been a weak spot along a rebuilt front five this fall… but not today.
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) November 23, 2025
Heck of an afternoon for rookie Ozzy Trapilo against a veteran Steelers front (41 pass pro snaps):
• 1 pressure
• 0 sacks
• 0 QB hits
~ 88.4 pass pro effectiveness grade
#Bears rookie Ozzy Trapilo, in his start at LT today per PFF:
— Alex NFL (@ajjnfl) November 23, 2025
➖ 1 pressure
➖ 87.4 pass-block grade
➖ 80.9 true-pass-set grade
He looks like a potential long-term starter for them. pic.twitter.com/9jLA9wDavE
Ozzie Trapilo brushes off first NFL start as business as usual
Trapilo was of course someone reporters wanted to talk to in the postgame locker room. He was asked about preparing to start.
"There's always a thought during the week, you never really know until right before", Trapilo said. "The preparation is all the same, you gotta prepare like you're gonna be out there no matter what."
Trapilo was then asked at what point did he felt like he had settled in to the game.
"Going there were definitely nerves, for my first start", Trapilo said. "But those kinda go away right after the first snap is done. At that point you're just kinda playing football, something I've done for a long time."
Trapilo started at left tackle in one of his seasons as a starter at Boston College, before moving to right tackle for his last two collegiate seasons. He was in the Bears' training camp competition at left tackle for a short time, with it eventually acknowledged he was more comfortable on the right side.
Trapilo was asked how much of a full-circle moment Sunday was, and how he has progressed since starting training camp at left tackle.
"Like you said, it's come full circle", Trapilo said. "I've had a lot more time to work at left (tackle) during practice. I felt good out there."
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It's easy to overreact to one good game. But Trapilo looked good at left tackle in his first NFL start, against a tough Steelers' defensive front. He has absolutely earned (at least) one more start when the Bears play the Philadelphia Eagles on Black Friday. Over the rest of the season, he should now have the opportunity to put himself in the conversation to be the left tackle in 2026.