He has two passions in life: football and infectious disease. Where are you at now in terms of your post-football career? ): 0 (17337th overall since 1960) High School: Forest Park ( IN ) 84 82 SUMMARY Career G 47 AV 0 Rec 13 Yds 142 Y/R 10.9 TD 1 FantPt 20.2 Ben Braunecker Overview Game Logs Career Postseason 2016 2017 Braunecker sat out a second straight practice after suffering a concussion during Week 12's win over the Giants, and coach Matt Nagy said "it'd be a stretch" for the fourth-year tight end to suit up Thursday against the Lions, according to Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times. In 2016, the assembled media at Halas Hall met Ben Braunecker, an undrafted rookie tight end out of Harvard. Everybody seems to have an opinion about this so I pretty much try to avoid talking about it. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. One camp underestimated the harm that this new coronavirus could do and the other camp overestimated. Initially, I think I was guilty in underestimating how infectious and how easily transmissible this was. The Chicago Bears made their first of what will become many cuts today when they released this tight end. Former NFL player and ESPN radio host Mike Golic has had himself quite a year so far in 2020. It kind of wants me to get the ball rolling with all this but in due time. When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. With the COVID-19 pandemic gripping the world, Braunecker has been fielding plenty of calls and texts from people in the NFL wanting to get his take. Braunecker caught two passes for 24 yards in the Bears' 16-14 victory over the Broncos on Sunday. When 100%, Burton is the . Braunecker had 13 receptions for 142. Mostly its been the offseason. They were dating for quite some time before getting engaged in 2020, and they are now happily married. Braunecker put up career numbers with the Bears last season, logging six catches for 59 yards and his first touchdown across 11 games. You cant really go to any gym and lift weights. Owen and his business partner join Sarah for an . However, the CBS reporter . Educated to be a writer at the prestigious Columbia College in Chicago, Erik has spent the past 10 years covering the Bears. Its just a guess. [3], Braunecker majored in molecular and cell biology. Braunecker has earned his keep as a special teams player and blocker over his three years with the Bears, but he's logged just seven receptions for 83 yards across that stretch. Its not too often where something comes around thats as infectious and as easily transmissible as this is so it creates a pandemic that the flatten the curve knowledge is that useful or prevalent. Furniture. Braunecker was placed on injured reserve last Dec. 14 due to a concussion he sustained Nov. 24 in a victory over the New York Giants. Are you teaching yourself or re-learning how to do certain activities to stay in shape? I follow the Bears and I hadnt ever heard of him before today. Braunecker (concussion) was listed as a non-participant in Tuesday's practice. After Braunecker, J.P. Holtz (24 percent) and Bradley Sowell (three percent) played much smaller roles. What sort of blackmail material does he have that keeps him on this roster? They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. The opportunity arose due to Adam Shaheen's (foot) absence and Trey Burton's (calf) presence on IR, but Braunecker now joins Shaheen on the injury report. Maybe not this fast though. With Chicago running many formations of multiple tight ends, Braunecker saw three targets while Trey Burton was eased back into the lineup as he recovers from offseason groin surgery. Nothing will be easy for Braunecker, but he is definitely up for the challenge. It all makes sense and its something that we need to do so we dont overwhelm the healthcare system. The Chicago Bears have begun thinning out their roster, and they have just released veteran tight end Ben Braunecker, who has been with the team since 2016. Current Bears TEs: Graham, Kmet, Harris, Horsted, Holtz, Saubert, Shaheen, Clark, Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) July 23, 2020. Braunecker talked about that fit (also according to Mayer): "I think a nice, strong, reliable Y tight end is what the Bears are looking for right now, so Im just very thankful to be given the opportunity as an undrafted free agent to come into a system and to work with coach Frank Smith, whos great in my first impression at giving me the tools and the opportunity to be able to step in and hopefully make the roster.". February 26, 2023 12:30 pm ET. Braunecker, a core special-teams player who's entering his fifth season with the Bears, has also made two appearances on WSCR 670 AM radio shows this week to share his knowledge. The Bears placed Braunecker (concussion) on injured reserve Saturday. These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. July 23, 2020. With no Chicago tight end posting more than 24 yards in a game all season, even if Braunecker continues to start he'll be a low-upside fantasy option. His absence leaves Jesper Horsted and J.P. Holtz as the top tight ends in Chicago. Simmons has missed 20 out of a possible 62 games this season because of various ailments related to his knees and back. [12], On September 3, 2017, Braunecker was waived by the Bears and was signed to the practice squad the next day. Braunecker started 11 games for the Bears last season, and was one of nine tight ends in a crowded tight ends room. (Laughs). Hes hard-working and has that never-give-up attitude that comes in handy in a league as competitive as the NFL. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. With no noticeable progress to date through the protocol, he has no timetable for a return to action. Braunecker is the third Bears tight end to land on IR this season. Braunecker hasn't taken the first step (on-field work) in his journey through the concussion protocol, let alone progress enough to be considered for an evaluation in front of an independent neurologist. Braunecker will find it difficult to get through the concussion protocol and play Thursday in Detroit, so the Bears may be down to J.P. Holtz, Jesper Horsted and Bradley Sowell at tight end Week 13. Braunecker is definitely a rookie for Bears fans to keep an eye on during the preseason this year, and there is a very good chance you will see him on the active roster at some point during the 2016 season, but if for whatever reason Braunecker doesnt spend his Sundays solving NFL defenses, hell spend it solving smallpox instead. A post shared by Sydney Golic (@sydgolic). It seems like every year bigger and bigger names keep making these career-transforming moves at an accelerated rate, so its interesting every year. I knew about it, but Ive never witnessed it in practice, especially on this scale. Getty Ill ask you a question that I know you dont know the answer to, and thats OK: Do you have any sense of when football will be able to resume? Guard James Daniels was a biology major at Iowa with aspirations to get into the medical field. When youre in-season, do guys ever ask you questions because of your unique interests? Shaheen doesnt fit anywhere into that picture. The 6-foot-4 Braunecker made three starts for the Bears last season, including the playoff loss to Philadelphia . It does instill a little bit of a greater sense of purpose. The offseason is the time to do that. @oneoftenk. Were waiting on Harvard shirts as a group. Most people were just curious. section: | slug: | sport: football | route: player_profile_home | Veterans Jimmy Graham and Demetrius Harris, second-round draft pick Cole Kmet, former second-round pick Adam Shaheen, J.P. Holtz, Jesper Horsted, Eric Saubert and the undrafted Darion Clark are now the remaining tight ends. He played college football at Harvard. [11] He made his first NFL start against the Green Bay Packers on October 20. What do you think we should be doing? He did score his only touchdown in 2019 though, against the Detroit Lions in week 10. The previous two Ive taken online classes one in exercise physiology, one in immunology and one in stem cell regenerative biology. How has this impacted your day-to-day routine for whatever youd normally be doing workout-wise in March? It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Despite having showcased a step forward in his development, offseason additions Cole Kmet, Jimmy Graham and Demetrius Harris have now made . He was a core special teams performer for them. 1 tight end since both Trey Burton (calf) and Adam Shaheen are on IR, but J.P. Holtz, Jesper Horstead and Bradley Sowell figure to lead the way until then. NFLDraftScout.com ranked him the sixth best tight end out of the 102 available. The Bears on Thursday released veteran tight end Ben Braunecker. Anything you can try. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. He played tied end for the Chicago Bears for four years after graduating from Harvard in 2016. Sydney Golic, just like her dad and siblings, is a graduate of Notre Dame, class of 2016, where she majored in film, television and theatre, and competed in the backstroke and breaststroke for the Fighting Irish swim team. [2], In his senior year, Braunecker was named a consensus All-American as he was selected to the AP FCS All-America first-team, the Walter Camp FCS All-America team, the STATS FCS All-America first-team, AFCA FCS Coaches' All-America team and the College Sporting News Fabulous Fifty FCS All-America team. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: profiles | Sometimes I guess Im seen as the resident scientist on the Bears. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 26 years old? Adam Shaheen (foot) will also be on the shelf, so J.P. Holtz, Jesper Horsted and Bradley Sowell will round out Chicago's tight-end corps. As someone who knows the biology behind it, is it something youre more cognizant of than others? #Bears released veteran TE Ben Braunecker. Of the four (offseasons) that Ive had, two of them Ive worked in a lab at the Harvard School of Public Health. I can only handle one social media platform at a time. Braunecker, who caught his first NFL touchdown last November before a concussion ended his season, talked to The Athletic from Arizona and offered his perspective on the new coronavirus. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2e1f111c532f50 10 subscribers [x] 20 subscribers [x] 30 . However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Chelsea can re-sign former player for 71m in the next transfer window. Would love your thoughts, please comment. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. Braunecker's season will come to a close with six receptions for 59 yards and one touchdown. Ben Hull is in tonight's Coronation Street, playing a business associate of Sarah Barlow called Owen. Like Mike Golic, Ben Braunecker is a former NFL player. A post shared by Sydney Golic (@sydgolic) on Jul 20, 2020 at 4:48pm PDT. Before settling down at BroBible, Douglas Charles, a graduate of the University of Iowa (Go Hawks), owned and operated a wide assortment of websites. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Thats kinda the perk of having the brainiac with us.. The 26-year-old Braunecker, who played his college ball at Harvard, has been with the Chicago Bears since signing with the team as a undrafted free agent in 2016. ", "Ben Braunecker's first career touchdown gives Bears much-needed spark", "Ben Braunecker, DS #6 TE, Harvard: 2016 NFL Draft", "NFL Events: Combine Player Profiles Ben Braunecker", "Get to know the Bears' undrafted free-agent signings", "Bears elevate tight end Ben Braunecker to active roster", "Bears sign Paulsen, claim 2 off waivers", "Bears sign Jenkins, nine to practice squad", "Bears promote Ben Braunecker, put Zach Miller on injured reserve", "Roster moves: Hicks activated, Braunecker to IR", "Roster Move: Bears release Ben Braunecker", "Mike Golic's Daughter Sydney Announces Engagement To NFL Player", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ben_Braunecker&oldid=1141233146, Players of American football from Indiana, Short description is different from Wikidata, NFL player missing current team parameter, Infobox NFL biography articles missing alt text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 01:19. So stay tuned! Teammates have taken a liking to him. Ben Braunecker - While the Bears have used Braunecker in-line at times, he's best suited at the U. Darion Clark - Clark hasn't played football since he was a high school quarterback, but at. [5], Braunecker went undrafted in the 2016 NFL Draft and was signed by the Chicago Bears after the draft. I tell them all the time, I can give you my unprofessional, non-medical opinion, but really, seek info from the experts. Yeah, its been quite shocking, actually. If youve never heard of Ben Braunecker, youre probably not alone. Best Mnday ever. This does save nearly $1.5M of cap space. How have you read about coronavirus or consumed the news about it? Its always interesting the first week of classes and trying to read primary research again is just like, wow. So basically hes just eating up money and a roster spot that could be put to better use elsewhere. Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) July 23, 2020. Hes just the type of player that Pace and John Fox want on the roster. A lot of running. Meanwhile, Trey Burton (calf) was placed on IR last Saturday, leaving TE reps up for grabs. 210.65.88.143 Were not shy. Braunecker talked about his frustrations at Bears minicamp (according to Larry Mayer): "Projections had me anywhere from [Rounds] 4-to-6 and I sat there on draft day for about seven hours on my couch with an ESPN camera in my face watching every pick go by, and that definitely puts a chip on my shoulder.I want to make this team. I dont think this virus is going anywhere for a while, or at least a couple months. Youre really just trying anything. What kind of objects have you found to be helpful? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Sports Mockery, Inc. 2022 | All rights reserved. Well, its all over the place right now. The Bears were disappointed with their tight-end production last season, so they brought in new talent this offseason, drafting Cole Kmet in the second round while signing Jimmy Graham and Demetrius Harris. Braunecker isnt the only one with this interest on the Bears linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe was pre-med at Western Kentucky and his father is an associate professor of public health at California State University San Marcos. Braunecker was pegged by most draft experts to go in the fourth or fifth round of the NFL draft. Browse our online application for MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, EPL, or MLS player contracts, salaries, transactions, and more. 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It might bring some people joy or relief from everything thats going on to see the NFL still operating pretty rapidly. Despite having showcased a step forward in his development, offseason additions Cole Kmet, Jimmy Graham and Demetrius Harris have now made Braunecker the odd man out in Chicago's crowded tight end room. Ben Braunecker. Thankfully the lethality rate isnt higher, but still, I was shocked and I was one of those people whose minds had to be changed. The Bears on Friday placed CBs Jaylon Johnson and Kindle Vildor on injured reserve, activated RB Khalil Herbert and added CB Breon Borders, WR Nsima Webster and TE Chase Allen to the active roster. Braunecker is expected to be the Bears' primary tight end Sunday against the Giants in the absence of Adam Shaheen (foot). But it seems like every conversation between people that know what Im interested in and know my background, this comes up. He caught six passes for 59 yards and a touchdown last year. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Braunecker (concussion) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Packers, Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune reports. With something like this happening does it make you want to pursue it even more? As a super-connected society as we are today, were very susceptible to transmissible or super-infectious pathogens. Youve just gotta find any way to stay in shape. His absence leaves Jesper Horsted and J.P. Holtz as the top tight ends in Chicago. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. [3] He was projected by many analysts to be a fourth to sixth round draft selection. That culminated in Feb. 2016, when offensive lineman Cole Toner and tight end Ben Braunecker, two prospects out of Harvard, were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. [17] On November 10, 2019, he scored his first career NFL touchdown on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Mitchell Trubisky against the Detroit Lions. Its not a surprise that a Harvard graduate can use his brain to fallback on, but the Molecular and Cellular Biology major has taken that to another level. Braunecker (concussion) has been ruled out for Thursday's game versus the Cowboys. His release may be a slight blow after the recent good news in his personal life, but the odds of Braunecker landing on another teams roster are good; the Harvard grad is smart and hard-working, and his four years of experience with the Bears wont hurt. Just getting really creative with workouts to stay in shape and keep your strength up. The gyms here are closed as well as they are in Illinois. 1 role. [7], He entered training camp battling for a backup tight end position with Khari Lee, Tony Moeaki, Rob Housler, and Greg Scruggs. The Bears on Saturday added running back Darrynton Evans, quarterback Nathan Peterman and linebacker DeMarquis Gates to their active roster in advance of Sunday's road game against the Jets. Ben Braunecker contract and salary cap details, including signing bonus, guaranteed salary, dead money, roster bonuses, and contract history. If NFL Season is Cancelled, Bears Could Snag Top QB Prospect in 2021. Ben's a familiar face to soap fans! Your IP: Hes playing football and hes working on his doctor stuff. How in the world is Adam Shaheen still employed? ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. Holtz and Horsted are the best pass catchers of the trio, but neither makes for a reliable fantasy option this week. A healthy scratch Week 10, Shaheen has been tending to a foot injury in the interim that is forcing a second consecutive DNP this weekend. Ben Braunecker (born February 7, 1994) is a former American football tight end. The Bears on Saturday elevated safety Adrian Colbert and cornerback Greg Stroman Jr. from the practice squad to the active roster in advance of Sunday's season finale against the Vikings. The Bears cut Braunecker on Thursday. It has become a running joke in the league to comment on the ber-crowded tight ends room in Chicago, but the room is getting less and less crowded by the minute. Chicago likely released him to save money, and the addition of rookie Kmet had to play a factor, as well. Since arriving in Chicago as an undrafted free agent from Harvard in 2016, Braunecker has appeared in 47 games with seven starts over four seasons, catching 13 passes for 142 yards and one touchdown while also regularly contributing on special teams. READ NEXT: If NFL Season is Cancelled, Bears Could Snag Top QB Prospect in 2021. Hes working while hes not working. [18], Braunecker was released by the Bears on July 23, 2020. Shaheens window passed the moment the Bears handed $16 million to Jimmy Graham and spent a 2nd round pick on Cole Kmet. The Bears released TE Ben Braunecker. The team announced today that they've released the veteran tight end. I know I want to get into medicine and do research more than clinical work. That is the only explanation that makes sense anymore. Look how the world has kind of screeched to a halt over a new virus. Braunecker (concussion) remains in the mix among the nine tight ends on Chicago's roster heading into training camp, Mike McGraw of the Chicago Daily Herald reports. Yeah, occasionally. If he doesnt make the roster, it wont be from a lack of effort, just that the transition to the NFL level proved to be too much, but dont count Braunecker out. [8] He was released on September 3,[9] but was signed to the practice squad the following day. He fought his way onto the roster as an undrafted free agent. But, thats completely unofficial, nobodys told me anything. Bears Begin Roster Cuts, Release Tight End Ben Braunecker, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Bill Zimmerman is an editor and featured writer for FanSideds BearGogglesOn. Braunecker got a spot start this past Sunday against the Giants, earning 71 percent of the offensive snaps and turning them into two catches (on four targets) for nine yards. Ben Braunecker has more value than Shaheen at this point This can only be called pure favoritism on the part of GM Ryan Pace. Ben Braunecker contract and salary cap details, full contract breakdowns, salaries, signing bonus, roster bonus, dead money, and valuations. He sat there all weekend waiting for his name to get called, and when it didnt, it really got under his skin. With Ben Braunecker's touchdown catch, the Bears tight ends now have 1 for the season. Also, by disabling these cookies you will also disable banner ads served by Google Adsense on this website.. For more information about these items, view our complete privacy policy.Read More, To see the rest of the Ben Braunecker's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. [1], He was also a IHSAA State Finalist in the discus and shot put. Doing a lot of yoga, a lot of body-weight exercise right now. Parsons thinks the 26-year-old will eventually be bought out and spend the rest of his career making the league minimum. Just stay healthy and people will see. People ask me my take on anything in medicine or science. Infectiousdiseaseguy. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. Braunecker chose to stand on his combine numbers for his 3-cone drill, short shuttle, and bench press. Itll always be a yes for you. Get the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about tight end Ben Braunecker on ESPN. I ask because we could be entering a new normal where everyone is extra-focused on being clean. The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. The thing is Pace is way past delusional. I like infectious disease, but things can change especially when you go into a four-year commitment like medical school, more training after that like residency. Yeah, a little bit. Braunecker couldn't recover from the head injury on the short week after sustaining the concussion in Sunday's win over the Giants. This website is not directly or indirectly affiliated, associated, or connected in any way to Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League or the National Hockey League. I ask because its been a weird week where everything is shut down, except for the NFL. Jesper Horstead and J.P. Holtz now figure to handle most of the responsibilities at that position going forward, with the former presumably in line for the No. According to the Count's analysis of which prospects fared best, tight end Ben Braunecker was the standout performer. Braunecker wouldve been cut too, but he deserved to go after Shaheen. Braunecker has a bit of an uphill battle to make the final 53-man roster as an undrafted player from an FCS program, but he is fortunate to be joining a team with a lot of question marks at his . And why not how many football players spend their offseasons working in a Harvard research lab or taking an immunology class simply to stay mentally fresh? But that didnt stop Bears GM Ryan Pace who quickly picked up the phone at the conclusion of the draft and invited Braunecker to camp. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. Braunecker (concussion) won't play in Thursday's game against the Lions. The TD came last Nov. 10 when Braunecker dove to catch an 18-yard pass from Mitchell Trubisky in a 20-13 win over the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field. Braunecker's departure leaves eight tight ends on the Bears roster: Veteran free-agent acquisitions Jimmy Graham and Demetrius Harris; rookie second-round draft pick Cole Kmet; returnees Adam Shaheen, J.P. Holtz, Jesper Horsted and Eric Saubert; and undrafted rookie Darion Clark. In addition to part-time duty on offense, he became a solid contributor on special teams. He caught eight passes for 87 yards and a score, but Holtz could have the edge, as he played in 14 games and started seven. All rights reserved. Ben Braunecker 's tenure with the Bears has come to an end. On October 1, 2016, he was promoted to the active roster and was officially named the Bears' third tight end on their depth chart behind veterans Miller and Paulsen. Braunecker struggled with a severe ankle injury during the 2016 offseason and missed the entire preseason. But you bring up an interesting point whether or not this will change peoples thinking moving forward. Braunecker, who majored in molecular and cellular biology, would like to become a doctor specializing in infectious diseases when his football career is over. Braunecker is still in the concussion protocol and didn't practice Monday, Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Itll always be a yes for you. The 26-year-old Braunecker, who played his college ball at Harvard, has been with the Chicago Bears since signing with the team as a undrafted free agent in 2016. More News With the Bears having such a stocked roster (they were carrying 90 players and will have to whittle that number down to 80), cuts were inevitable and expected, but Braunecker was thought to have a better chance than, say, Saubert, Horstead or Holtz. He'll miss his second consecutive contest as a result, leaving J.P. Holtz, Jesper Horsted, Bradley Sowell and Eric Saubert as the Bears' available tight ends. I guess pretty much the same. The Chicago Bears have begun thinning out their roster, and they have just released veteran tight end Ben Braunecker, who has been with the team since 2016. Braunecker put up career numbers with the Bears last season, logging six catches for 59 yards and his first touchdown across 11 games. "It's been interesting and troubling for me as well," Braunecker said Monday morning on the Mully & Haugh Show. On the plus side, hes still signed to play in 2020 for Chicago despite the fact that hes not even listed as one of the top four tight ends on the teams depth chart. Its the brainiac, former Bears tight end Zach Miller said that spring. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. Last year Braunecker played in 11 games with three starts, recording six receptions for 59 yards and his first NFL touchdown. With only one legitimate tight end on the roster in Zach Miller (and all his previous injuries in tow), the Bears give Braunecker not only a great chance to make the team, but a chance to contribute as well.