Chicago Bears Sign Orland Park Native, Sandburg Star Schofield

ORLAND PARK, IL — The Chicago Bears have turned to a familiar face to Orland Park residents to help provide more protection up front for quarterback Justin Fields for the upcoming season.

Michael Schofield, who has made 81 starts as an NFL offensive lineman over the past seven seasons, has signed with the Bears just as training camp is set to begin, the team said on Monday. Terms of the deal were not announced by the Bears, who start training camp on Tuesday.

The Orland Park native, who has spent time at both right and left guard during his career, participated in a workout with the Bears on Sunday and could be part of the Bears' plans heading into coach Matt Eberflus’ first season.

Schofield spent last season with the Los Angeles Chargers with whom he played in 15 games, starting 12. Last year marked Schofield’s second stint with the Chargers, with whom he spent three seasons before playing one year with the Carolina Panthers.

Schofield spent his first two seasons in the league with the Denver Broncos, who drafted the former Carl Sandburg star in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Schofield was a starter on the Broncos’ Super Bowl championship team before he departed for the West Coast.

Schofield, who also played defensive tackle at Sandburg, led the team with 83 tackles his senior year when he also registered four sacks as a senior. He then was a mainstay on the offensive line at Michigan, where he made 36 career starts at right tackle and left guard.

Schofield is the husband of Olympic hockey gold medalist Kendall Coyne, who now works for the Chicago Blackhawks as a player development specialist. Coyne, a native of Palos Heights, served as the captain of the 2022 women's U.S. Olympic hockey team that won the silver medal in Beijing.

The Bears have not yet made the signing official, but Schofield provides immediate help up front in protecting Fields, who was sacked 36 times last season during his rookie year. Schofield fills a need at right guard after Dakota Dozier tore his anterior cruciate ligament during off-season workouts.