Dolphins, Bears finish in 24-24 tie in the preseason
By GENE CHAMBERLAIN Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP)
— Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had an efficient start to the preseason yesterday and the Miami Dolphins and the Bears finished in a 24-24 tie in Ben Johnson’s Chicagocoachingdebut.
Playing in a preseason opener for the first time since2021,Tagovailoacompleted 5 of 6 for 27 yards in a 15-play drive against Bears backups, but the Dolphins failed to score on their first drive because of a Bearsgoal-linestand.
Running back Jaylen WrightwasstuffedbyBears linebacker Noah Sewell on fourth-and-goal from the 1. He later scored on a 7-yard runlateinthefirsthalf.
Miami backup quarterbacks Zach Wilson and Quinn Ewers directed three touchdown drives and Jason Sanders made a 56-yard field goal in the fourthquarter.
Sanders’ kick with 6:22 remaining tied the game at 24 and the Dolphins defence turned back a late Bears scoring drive at the Miami41.
Ewers, who went 5 of 18 for 91 yards, completed a 21-yard pass to Alexander Mattison on an eight-play, 41-yard drive in the fourth quarter, leading to a 1-yard TD score by rookie running back Ollie Gordon with 11:48 remaining for a 21-17 Miamilead.
Wilson replaced Tagovailoa after the goal-line stand and completed 5 of 9 for 96 yards. He hit a 35-yard pass to Nick Westbrook-Ikhineandsetupthe Dolphins first score, then a 34-yard completion to Tahj Washington to set up the secondTD.
Wilson, signed as a free agent after three seasons with the Jets and one in Denver, is looking to revive a career that started when he was the second overall pickofthe2021draft.
Ben Johnson’s debut
Johnson, the AP NFL AssistantCoachoftheYear as Detroit’s offensive coordinator last season, decided to sit quarterback Caleb Williams and all the other starters except left tackle Braxton Jones. Jones is in a starting competition with rookieOzzyTrapilo.
Johnson is attempting to help turn around a franchise with a long history of poor quarterback play and strugglingoffence.
However,itwashisteam’s defence that stood out in his first preseason game as they sacked Miami’s Wilson andEwerssixtimes,including three by defensive end Austin Booker. One was a strip-sack at the 3-yard line to set up Case Keenum’s third-quarter TD pass to rookie Deion Hankins for a 17-14Chicagolead.
Kicking game Bears kicker Cairo Santos has roster competition from former Michigan State kicker Jonathan Kim.
However, it was Santos connecting from long distance in this game as he hit a 57-yarder to close the first half and draw the Bears within14-10. Santos’ career long in the regular season is 55 yards, madein2020.
Injuries
Miami running back Alexander Mattison left the game with a knee injury after being tackled on a 21-yard pass play and did notreturn.
Hedidn’treturn.
Bears rookie safety Major Burns suffered a knee injury and left the gameinthefirsthalf.
Up next
Running back Travis Homer (calf) and linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga (shoulder) also left the game and did not return.
Dolphins: Travel to Detroit for two joint practices and a preseason game August 16 game against the Lions.
Bears: Hold a joint practice with Buffalo before hostingtheBillsonSunday.
ONE PASS, ONE TD: MAHOMES, CHIEFS GET OFF TO GOOD START IN 20-17 PRESEASON LOSS TO CARDS
By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer
GLENDALE,Ariz.(AP)
— Quarterback Patrick
Mahomes spent some time beforeSaturday’spreseason game running up and down theKansasCityChiefssideline, yelling, jumping and psyching himself up for his first game action since last season’sSuperBowl.
Hewasready—forall48 secondsofit.
Mahomes, a three-time Super Bowl champ entering his ninth season, took advantage of a short field after the Arizona Cardinals fumbled the opening kickoff, hitting Jason Brownlee for a 1-yard touchdown and an early 7-0 lead less than oneminuteintothegame.
Arizona rallied for a 20-17 win over Kansas City in the preseason opener for bothteams.
Mahomes said coach Andy Reid told him before the game that he’d play just one series, but it was an even shorter night than he imagined.
“One series turned into one throw,” Mahomes said, grinning.
The TD pass was Mahomes’ only completion of the game, ending a brief, effective outing.
Backup Gardner Minshew took over on the next series and ran for a 2-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
Harrison Butker made a 58-yardfieldgoal.
Mahomes’ final line: 1-for-1 passing for 1 yard and one touchdown. The three-time defending AFC champions were playing for the first time since losing last season’s Super Bowl 40-22 to the Philadelphia Eagles.
“There were some good things,” Reid said. “I thought the (starters) played well when they were in, they were sharp. After that, we were too sloppy. Too many penalties, going backward.”
WhileKansasCitygotoff to a good start, Arizona did not.
The Cardinals fumbled their first two kickoff returns, though they recovered the second one. Kyler Murray — playing in his first preseason game since 2021 — was intercepted on the offence’s opening drive on a pass intended for second-year receiver Marvin HarrisonJr.
Murray’s second drive was hindered when tight end Tip Reiman was called for a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness. The miscue was part of the reason the Cardinals had to settle for a 33-yard field goalbyChadRyland.
Murray chose to remain positive about the outing, saying that even with the mistakes, it was good to get on the field and play at gamespeed.
“You can’t replicate it in practice, moving around
with the speed that you’re moving, going left to right, lateral, bodies moving. I had fun. I had a lot of fun outthere,”Murraysaid.
Murray played two drives, completing 7 of 8 passes for 96 yards and the interception.TightendTrey
McBride caught one pass for 21 yards and Harrison hadacatchfor15yards. TheCardinalstrailed14-3 earlybutEmariDemercado caught a 43-yard touchdownpasstocutthemargin to 14-10. Xavier Weaver caught a 1-yard touchdown
passthatgavetheCardinals a17-14leadathalftime. Both touchdowns were thrown by Arizona’s new backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who completed 5 of8passesfor81yards.The Cardinals outgained the Chiefs355yardsto249.
CardinalscoachJonathan Gannon echoed Murray’s positive outlook, even after theearlymistakes.
“The team — not just Kyler — understood why we’re doing what we’re doing tonight,” Gannon said. “They were excited to get under the lights. That’s the AFC champs coming in here. Andy Reid — Hall of Fame coach. They were excitedtoplayareallygood team, get lathered up and bang a little on someone otherthanthemselves.
“It was good to see our guysreadytoroll.”
The Cardinals — who are trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021 — finished last season with an 8-9 record, which was a four-win improvement over the previous season. Arizona revamped its defensive front during the offseason, adding Josh Sweat, Dalvin Tomlinson andCalaisCampbell.
Injuries
Chiefs: Cornerback Jaylen Watson (concussion protocol) left the game in the first half. Safety Deon Bush (Achilles tendon) was carted off the field in the secondquarter.
Cardinals: Gannon said postgame that offensive lineman Christian Jones hadakneeinjury.
Up next Chiefs:visittheSeahawks onFriday,Aug.15.
Cardinals: visit the BroncosonSaturday,Aug.16.
MIAMI Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa looks to pass during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025, in Chicago.
(AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
KANSAS City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) yells prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday, August 9, 2025, in Glendale. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
