Rick Telander
Longtime sportswriter Rick Telander was a Senior Writer at Sports Illustrated from 1981 to 1995 and then a featured columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times from 1995 to 2025. He has written ten books, one of which, Heaven Is a Playground, has been named one of the best sports books of all time. His work has been collected in over two dozen anthologies.
A native of Peoria, Ill., he attended Northwestern University on a football scholarship, earning All-Big Ten honors as a cornerback and twice being named to the All-Big Ten Academic first team. His junior year he was also the team’s punter. He has won many writing awards, including Illinois Sportswriter of the Year (eight times), the Dan Jenkins Award for Excellence in Sportswriting from the University of Texas, the Sigma Delta Chi Award for Distinguished Service from the Society of Professional Journalists, and his work has been nominated three times for a Pulitzer Prize.
He was an original member of the seminal ``The Sports Writers on TV’’ show. In 2022, he was inducted into the National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame in Winston-Salem, NC.
The latest from Rick Telander
Why Ben Johnson may be the Bears’ best move in decades: Telander
Fox Chicago Sports contributing columnist Rick Telander breaks down how Ben Johnson’s innovative coaching, key veteran additions, and a dominant run game have turned the 9-3 Chicago Bears into surprise NFC contenders after their 24-15 win over the Eagles.
The Cardiac Bears win by small margins & beat injured squads. Get used to it | Telander
The Bears have become masters of winning games by less than a field goal. That's stressful, sure, but that’s how this 2025 season is going to be, folks. Strap yourself in, writes Rick Telander.
Why the Chicago Bears’ wild wins are exactly what Paul Tagliabue envisioned for the NFL | Telander
The Chicago Bears have turned into the NFL’s most exciting team, with quarterback Caleb Williams leading a string of dramatic fourth-quarter comebacks that reflect the thrilling, parity-driven vision of late commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
Caleb Williams runs wild as Bears beat Giants — but how long can he keep it up? | Telander
Caleb Williams’ fearless scrambling led the Chicago Bears to a 24–20 win over the Giants, but his high-risk running style could eventually come at a high price.
Welcome back, college basketball. You're a completely different sport now than before | Telander
These are brand new times. This is not college sport as we knew it since the late 1800s. Amateurs? Nope, writes FOX 32 sports columnist Rick Telander.
Ben Johnson’s ‘clean it up’ promise gives Bears fans déjà vu: Telander
After another disappointing loss, Fox 32 contributing sports columnist Rick Telander says the Chicago Bears are repeating an all-too-familiar message about fixing mistakes — raising questions about whether the team is truly improving.
The Bears keep winning, but Caleb Williams still raises questions: Telander
Fox Chicago Sports contributing columnist Rick Telander questions whether Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams can overcome his accuracy and decision-making issues despite the team’s fourth straight win over the New Orleans Saints.
Don't downplay how the Chicago Bears win, but enjoy they're winning | Telander
My misgivings about kickers aside is that the Bears are learning how to win close games. They’re 3-2, and have won their last two by a total of two points. Can’t get closer than that, Rick Telander writes.
Finding a reprieve from football - and the world - with a fishing rod | Telander
Since the Bears were off and the world was too much with me, a dear friend and I went fishing in Michigan. Everything was serene. For some reason, I started thinking about Tyrique Stevenson.
A win’s a win, but Bears still have plenty to prove: Telander
A win’s a win, as they say. But the Chicago Bears' 25-24 victory over the Raiders Sunday in Las Vegas had the odor of defeat until, well, abruptly, it didn’t.