Bears rookie Luther Burden III explains explosive mindset with the ball in his hands

Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III is on the fast track to NFL superstardom.

Despite a slow start to his rookie season, Burden, one of the Bears’ three second-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, has quickly evolved into one of the league’s top young playmaking wideouts.

A threat every time he touches the ball, Burden credits another phase of his football career for why he’s such a dynamic player in the open field.

“I was running back. That was my first position ever playing football,” Burden said on Thursday. “I know how to not get tackled. When I get the ball, I’m trying to score. Whatever I’ve got to do to get in that box, I’m going to do that.”

NFL scouts are always on the quest to find wide receivers who turn into running backs after the catch, and Burden is tracking to be one of the next great ones.

Luther Burden is quickly becoming an elite NFL playmaker

Coach Ben Johnson experienced what it’s like calling plays for a guy like that in Detroit when he showcased Amon-Ra St. Brown’s elite after-the-catch ability.

Now, he has another weapon just like that in Burden.

“Every time the ball comes to me, I’m trying to make them count,” Burden said. “I want to make the coach give me the ball more and more. I’m just trying to make the most of my opportunity.”

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Burden set career highs in catches (8) and yards (138) in the Bears’ loss to the 49ers in Week 17 and has emerged as Caleb Williams’ favorite target while Rome Odunze continues to be sidelined with a foot injury.

“As he said before, it’s a problem for our opponents when you get the ball in his hands,” Williams said. “Just giving him a shot, letting him go make plays, give him the best runner ball that I can so that he can go and be explosive and be the player that he is.”

It remains to be seen what the pass-catching pecking order will be once Odunze returns to action, but there’s no doubt Burden will remain a focal point of the offense.

It still doesn’t make sense how Luther Burden slipped out of the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Bears fans certainly aren’t complaining.

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