Bears CB Jaylon Johnson likely to sit out the rest of 2025 NFL season

The Chicago Bears could be without star cornerback Jaylon Johnson for the remainder of the 2025 season with a groin injury that will need surgery, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. 

Earlier reports from ESPN's Adam Schefter and Courtney Cronin had described his status as "out indefinitely," with the team still determining whether surgery will be required and how long his recovery might take.

Johnson, 26, left in the second quarter of Chicago's heavy 52-21 defeat to the Lions after making a diving breakup. He stayed down in visible discomfort, received attention from trainers, and then walked gingerly to the sideline before heading into the locker room. What initially looked like a recurrence of the same groin issue that plagued him all summer was later clarified by head coach Ben Johnson, who said Monday that the corner is now dealing with a fresh injury.

The setback is a major blow considering Johnson had already battled through a grueling offseason. He previously revealed on The Pivot podcast that he tore an adductor off the pelvic bone while training, an injury that landed him on the non-football injury list in late July and kept him out of the preseason and Week 1. Now, with his long-term outlook clouded, Chicago’s secondary faces yet another uphill climb.

The timing couldn't be worse for the winless Bears, who now head into a Week 3 showdown against the Dallas Cowboys and their star-studded receiving corps featuring CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. Losing Jaylon Johnson is a crushing setback for a defense that's already been gashed, conceding 27 points to rookie J.J. McCarthy in the opener and a staggering 52 against Detroit last weekend.

Johnson, 26, has been one of Chicago's most dependable defenders in recent years. A two-time Pro Bowler, he’s piled up seven interceptions, 49 pass breakups, four forced fumbles, and a recovery across 71 career appearances. His absence leaves a massive void in the secondary at a time when the Bears desperately need stability on the back end.

To make matters worse, T.J. Edwards also went down with a hamstring issue in the loss to the Lions — the same injury that sidelined him for Week 1. With two key starters now banged up, Chicago’s defense, already under siege through the first two weeks, faces an even steeper climb heading into a critical divisional stretch.