From 5th-round pick to major contributor, Bears rookie WR Darnell Mooney is keeping it 'chill'

Darnell Mooney wasn’t nervous prior to his first NFL game. He didn’t even listen to music before the season opener Sept. 13.

“I was calm,” Mooney said days later. “Kind of way too chill.”

The Bears rookie receiver has been pretty chill on the field, too. Mooney is making a case for himself to be a major contributor for the Bears in 2020 and beyond.

Through two games, he’s second on the team in receptions with six, and third in receiving yards with 74. Those are huge numbers for a player who entered training camp as the fifth or sixth option at receiver.

Mooney leapfrogged Anthony Miller, Riley Ridley, Javon Wims and Ted Ginn Jr. in terms of snap count this week. Against the New York Giants on Sunday, Mooney was second among Bears receivers in total offensive snaps with 39, behind only Allen Robinson’s 53.

“[It’s] just my mentality of coming in and doing what I want,” Mooney said. “Keeping my head down, keep pushing, working hard every day. Create my own routine just to stay focused. And praying every day.”

It’s an impressive start for a 5-foot-11, 174-pound rookie who has been overlooked every step of the way. He was a two-star recruit out of high school in Gadsden, Alabama, according to 247Sports.com. Tulane was his only Division I scholarship offer.

The Bears might have found a diamond in the rough when they selected Mooney in the fifth round of the draft (173rd overall). There’s no denying Mooney’s speed. He ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the combine.

His desire is evident, too. Mooney came in as a rookie this summer, and immediately took veteran Allen Robinson up on his offer to work out together in Florida. Robinson made the offer to all the Bears receivers. Javon Wims also joined them.

“Even working out with him over the summer, I knew that he for sure is a guy that can have a special career,” Robinson said Wednesday. “He's always trying to get better, body-wise, nutrition-wise. So again, he's one of those guys who truly wants to be the best player that he can be. Whenever you have guys like that, the sky is the limit for them and they'll always be able to find ways to have success.”

Mooney scored his first career touchdown Sunday against the Giants. During the second quarter, quarterback Mitch Trubisky couldn’t find an open receiver and scrambled out of the pocket to his right. Trubisky turned abruptly and tossed a pass left to an open Mooney, who caught it just before a defender reached him.

It could be the first of many for the rookie.

Mooney is doing it all without the benefit of a preseason. Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor was impressed with Mooney’s first career catch a week earlier at Detroit. Mooney fell to his knees to catch a ball in the middle of the field. When many rookies make the move to the NFL, they sometimes forget they’re not down in the NFL until a defender touches them. It happens all too frequently those first few preseason games.

Not Mooney. He popped right up and went for more yardage.

“The sky's the limit,” Lazor said. “I expect him to keep getting better. Early on, if you're a poised, smart guy like he is, he's coachable, I really think the guy wants to be great. I'm expecting him to get better.”

Mooney, 22, grew up about two hours from Atlanta, where the Bears will play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

He said his family had this game circled months ago, long before they knew how persistent the coronavirus pandemic would be. The Falcons will not have fans in the stands this week.

“I was expecting the whole city to be there, but I mean, it's fine,” Mooney said. “I’m not too worried about it. Hopefully, I can just go out there and continue to just play my game.”

So far, he has.