Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Bears bench Caleb Hanie, Josh McCown will start

Seattle Seahawks v Chicago Bears

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 18: Josh McCown #15 of the Chicago Bears passes against the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field on December18, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The Seahawks defeated the Bears 38-14. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Caleb Hanie is no longer the Bears’ starting quarterback. Unfortunately for Bears fans, that’s not because Jay Cutler is healthy.

Bears coach Lovie Smith has decided to bench Hanie and replace him with Josh McCown.

It’s easy to see why Hanie has been benched: He’s been terrible since taking over for the injured Cutler, and the Bears have gone from looking like the best NFC wild card team to losing every game with Hanie as the starter.

Unfortunately for the Bears, they’ll have to win at Green Bay on Christmas night and then beat the Vikings in Week 17 just to have a chance to make the playoffs, and even then they’ll need plenty of help. So no matter what McCown can do, it’s likely too little, too late.

Sunday against the Packers will be McCown’s first start since he started nine games for the Raiders in 2007.