Bears Reward Cairo Santos

Franchise's most accurate kicker of all time receives a contract extension reportedly worth $16 million over four years in a season when he's 27 of 29 on field goals.

The Bears probably never appreciated Cairo Santos more than when he backed up after a Cody Whitehair false start against Caroloina Nov. 9 and simply kicked a 54-yard field goal after he had made one from 49 yards.

"You just, from the outside in, you don’t know how much," Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower said about the team's appreciation for Santos. "Because people just think of those guys as kickers, you don't know how much that gains credibility in the locker room when one leader of our team has a mistake or a mishap, we have to move back, and then another leader in his area picks him."

The Bears showed how much they appreciate Santos Saturday by giving him a four-year contract extension for what Brad Biggs of the Tribune reported as $16 million with $9.5 million guaranteed. Santos could have become a free agent after this season.

Santos is the most accurate kicker in franchise history for field goals with 90.5% converted (105 of 116). This season he has made 27 of 29 (93.1%) and made all six attempts from 50 yards or longer, a personal best. 

Santos is tied with Wil Lutz for seventh in field goal percentage this season. Only Dustin Hopkins (8-for-8) and Brandon Aubrey (7-for-7) have made more than Santos  from 50 yards or longer this season without missing.

In the last two seasons, Santos has hit 10 of his last 11 field goals from 50 yards or longer. The lone miss came from 56 yards off the crossbar in 2022 against Atlanta.

This is his fourth season in Chicago, although he did also try two field goals for them in 2017 when they had him in for a short stint as they searched for a dependable kicker a year after they cut Robbie Gould.

The lone problem area Santos has had is extra points, where he has nine misses with the Bears.

Santos' deal averaging $4 million doesn't quite get him into the top 10 for kickers but the $9.5 million in guaranteed money is big in an occupation where you could be only a double-doink away from being released.

Bears Field Goal Percentages

Minimum 35 attempts

1. Cairo Santos 90.5% (105 of 116)

2. Robbie Gould 85.4% (276 of 323)

3. Jeff Jaeger 75.9% (63 of 83)

4. Paul Edinger 75.3% (110 of 146)

5. Connor Barth 74.4% (29 of 39)

6. Kevin Butler 73.2% (243 of 332)

7. Bob Thomas 62.4% (128 of 205)

8. Mac Percival 54.4% (99 of 182)

9. Roger LeClerc 51.4% (75 of 146)

10. George Blanda 43.8% (88 of 201)

Bears Kickers from 50 Yards+`

Minimum 4 made

1. Robbie Gould 74.2% (23 of 31) 2005-2015

2. Cairo Santos 70.5% (12 of 17) 2017, 2020-2023

3. Paul Edinger 68.4% (13 of 19) 2000-2004

4. Kevin Butler 38.1% (16 of 42) 1985-1995

5. Bob Thomas 20% (4 of 20) 1975-1984

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven