Former Pitt kicker Chris Blewitt joins Bears
Chris Blewitt, who is Pitt’s all-time leader in kicking points with 363, signed a free-agent contract with the Chicago Bears on Wednesday. He will compete for the job vacated when the Bears released Cody Parkey, who missed eight attempts last season, including a 43-yarder that bounced off the left upright and hit the crossbar late in a 16-15 playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Blewitt, who has no NFL experience, signed after a tryout with the Bears.
At Pitt, Blewitt converted 55 field goals. His 48-yarder on the last play of the game defeated eventual national champion Clemson, 43-42, in 2016.
The Bears also have signed kicker Redford Jones, who played at Tulsa.
“I’m excited for this opportunity and can’t wait to get to work,” Blewitt said Wednesday night.
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.