Former Michigan State Spartan DL Looks to Top Pro-Bowl Season
Former Michigan State defensive end Montez Sweat is entering an exciting NFL season in what will be his first full year with the Chicago Bears.
Sweat, who was traded from the Washington Commanders to Chicago last October, went on to turn in his first Pro-Bowl season last year. He finished the 2023 season with 57 tackles, 14 for loss, 25 quarterback hits, 12.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and four passes defensed while starting 17 games.
As Sweat approaches his sixth season, the goal is, of course, to continue to improve.
"[I want to] just be better than I was last year," Sweat told reporters at Chicago's minicamp this week. "Obviously, I set goals for myself and my team and plan on achieving them."
Not only will the 2024 season be big for Sweat, but there's a lot of anticipation surrounding his team as a whole, as the Bears are essentially starting from scratch with the best prospect in this year's draft, quarterback Caleb Williams, and a dangerous wide receiver duo in Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze. The team is even going to be featured on HBO's "Hard Knocks" this year.
"It's definitely exciting, but I mean, we really can't get caught up on what's on paper," Sweat said. "Football is played on the field, and you got to go out there and execute the Xs and Os, so we can't get caught up in any of that stuff that's going on outside of here, but just stick to what we know, and that's playing football."
Sweat spent two seasons with the Spartans but only appeared in four games. He transferred to Mississippi State, where his collegiate career took off.
In his first season with the Bulldogs, Sweat led the SEC in tackles for loss (16) and sacks (10.5). After one more season at Mississippi State, Sweat entered his name in the NFL Draft and was selected by Washington with the 26th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. He started three full seasons while with Washington.
Sweat wasn't much of a impact player at Michigan State, but as they say: "Once a Spartan, always a Spartan."
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