Darnell Mooney is the Chicago Bears’ number one wide receiver and one of their best offensive weapons. At 5 ’11 and 160 pounds, Mooney was drafted out of Tulane University with the 173rd overall pick in the 5th round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
College Career – Tulane University:
Mooney played at Tulane, a member of the American Athletic Conference (AAC), from 2016 to 2019. Mooney played in 12 games including 8 starts his freshman year, recording 267 receiving yards and two touchdowns. After starting all 12 games his sophomore year, Mooney showed great improvement with 599 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Mooney had his breakout season during junior year, recording single season highs for receptions (47), receiving yards (993), and touchdowns (8). He was named Second-Team All-AAC. During his senior season in 2019, Mooney had 713 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
Professional Career – Chicago Bears:
Mooney was drafted under General Manager Ryan Pace during the 5th round of the 2020 NFL Draft, a pick that many consider to be a steal for the Bears. Despite having frequent drops while at Tulane, Mooney proved to be limber, agile, and explosive both off the line and coming out of a catch. He signed a four year rookie deal after the draft. During the 2020 season, Mooney played 16 games, and quickly took over the number 2 receiver spot from Anthony Miller. He recorded 631 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Mooney also was named the rookie winner of the Brian Piccolo Award, annually given to a rookie who shows the best courage and teamwork each season. Mooney broke out during 2021. With Robinson facing injury throughout the season, Mooney’s stats soared. He recorded 1,055 receiving yards, four touchdowns, and played all 17 games. In March of 2022, Allen Robinson signed with the Los Angeles Rams during free agency, making Mooney the number 1 receiver in Chicago. Mooney started the first 12 games before injuring his ankle in week 12. He was placed on injured reserve at the end of November. Mooney’s production decreased in 2022, but he still recorded 493 receiving yards and two touchdowns before injury.
The Future:
Mooney is set to come back from injury, and hopefully have another big season. Mooney will once again be the number 1 pass catcher in the Bears’ offense. With Justin Fields’ continued development and likely an entire new offensive line, Mooney’s numbers and leadership can only improve.
