The Chicago Bears brought in some veteran cornerback help with the addition of former Steelers corner Artie Burns.
The Bears signed Burns to a one-year prove-it deal, which is similar to what they did with safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix last season. The only difference is, Clinton-Dix’s resume was much more impressive than Burns’.
Burns will compete with Kevin Toliver and Tre Roberson for the starting cornerback spot opposite Kyle Fuller.
Let’s get to know the Bears’ newest cornerback:
1. Burns has played four seasons in NFL and is just 24 years old
When the Bears signed Burns to a one-year prove-it deal, they were getting an NFL veteran at a relatively young age. Burns has played four seasons in the league, but he’s just 24 years old.
While Burns hasn’t had the best start to his NFL career, the fact he’s only 24 years old and joining a Bears defense ripe with talent will only serve to help him.
2. Burns hasn’t lived up to his first-round draft status
Burns has something in common with departed Bears outside linebacker Leonard Floyd. Not only were they both drafted in the first round in the 2016 NFL Draft, but both haven’t lived up to their draft stock. Now, they’re getting a fresh start elsewhere.
Burns started off as a promising talent with the Steelers, but it was during the 2018 season when the Steelers began to lose faith in him. Burns lost his starting job in 2019, and it was clear that he didn’t have a future in Pittsburgh. No doubt the same concerns that surrounded Burns follows him to Chicago.
Remember Buster Skrine? People had plenty of criticism for him, but he had a decent year with the Bears last season Perhaps a second chance is what Burns needs. He certainly has a great defensive staff and team around him to perhaps salvage something good. Burns has one year to prove himself.
3. Burns was teammates with Deon Bush at Miami
With Burns’ arrival in Chicago, he’ll be reunited with former Miami Hurricanes teammate safety Deon Bush. Both played college ball together from 2013-15 and were both drafted in 2016. Burns was selected with the 25th pick in the first round while Bush was pick No. 124 in the fourth round.
Interestingly enough, both Burns and Bush will be competing for a starting job in the defensive backfield this season. Perhaps we could see the former college teammates starting again with the Bears.
4. Burns has been raising his brothers since 2015
Burns has stepped up when it comes to raising his two teenage brothers, Thomas and Jordan, after his mother died of a heart attack in 2015. Their father, who has been gone since 2006, has been serving a 25-year sentence in South Carolina for trafficking cocaine.
So Burns had to grow up pretty fast after he had just turned 21. During his senior year at Miami, Burns was raising two teenage boys and his own 19-month-old baby, A.J. It’s that kind of responsibility that led to Burns winning the Steelers’ Ed Block Courage Award back in 2017.
“This is a [24-year-old] guy who’s parenting teenagers,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said in 2017. “I have teenagers. I’m (47). We share conversation about the parenting of these teenagers. This is a guy who embraces this responsibility.”
5. Burns was a track star in high school and college
Before he was a first-round NFL draft pick, Burns was a track star during high school and college, where he specialized in hurdles. At the 2011 USA Youth outdoor track and field championships, Burns won the 110-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles. The following year, Burns broke records in the 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles at the 2012 Bob Hayes Invitational.
At one time in 2012, Burns had the No. 1 time in the USA and No. 5 time the World among athletes under 20 years old.
During his time at Miami, Burns also ran track. It was there he specialized in 60-meter hurdles. In 2014, Burns broke the American junior record in the indoor 60-meter hurdles, a record which had stood for 38 years.
