After a Bears practice, players begin to filter into the locker room at Halas Hall. There still are meetings to attend, weights to lift and treatment left on the schedule.

Two players typically never are in the locker room once practice immediately concludes. Rookie tight end Colston Loveland and undrafted free agent wide receiver JP Richardson still can be found on the practice fields, catching passes on the jugs machine, challenging each other after a demanding practice.

“We’ll do, call it 100 balls and then get a bucket or two contested, where you know he is fighting through my hands, I’m fighting through his, and, yeah, just bank reps,” Loveland told Marquee Sports Network. “You can never get too many of them.”

Since the Bears selected Loveland No. 10 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, he has used all his resources around him. He constantly watches how veteran tight ends such as Cole Kmet and Durham Smythe move in space and asks them questions.

To the left of Loveland’s locker are DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. Even though Loveland is 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, he’s a smooth route runner. He always finds himself asking his receiver teammates for advice, too.

“Obviously got a ton of good receivers in the room as well, and they’re really good at what they do,” Loveland said. “So much good around here that it makes it easy for me to come and learn and just get better every day.”

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During training camp, Loveland recalls a time when learning Bears head coach Ben Johnson’s playbook was overwhelming, especially since the entire offense was installed during the summer. Now, though, the offense is more game-specific and easier to grasp.

Loveland is pleased with all the reps he has banked in his memory and feels good about his knowledge of the offense.

And to start his rookie season, he was asked to become more of a blocker than a primary pass catcher. He had just three catches on six targets for 43 yards in the first three games, and he didn’t finish the Week 3 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys because of a hip injury, which forced him to miss the following contest against the Las Vegas Raiders. 

But in Loveland’s return for the “Monday Night Football” matchup with the Washington Commanders, he made a play in a critical moment, as the Bears trailed 24-22 with two minutes remaining in the game. On third-and-5, Loveland caught a 6-yard pass that eventually helped the Bears to kick the game-deciding field goal. 

The next week against the New Orleans Saints, the Bears faced a fourth-and-3 with a 26-14 lead and two minutes remaining in the game. Loveland found open space between the right hash marks and numbers, and secured the first down, allowing the Bears to run out the clock. 

Johnson didn’t hesitate to make Loveland the primary read in crucial moments.

“It means a lot,” Loveland said. “I always want to be able to, you know, wherever the coach needs me to do, you need to make this catch, make this block, in any situation, I want to be able to be that guy. Just to do what I’m asked. That’s why I’m here, so I need to make those plays, but definitely feels good to have their trust, my teammates’ trust. Still got to continue to build that, obviously.”

Loveland said those words on the Friday leading up to the Week 9 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. It became a game that Loveland will remember for his entire football career.

He caught his first career touchdown pass on the Bears’ opening drive in the third quarter, using his size to overpower Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt.

The Bears led by 14 with 4:53 remaining in the fourth quarter, but they found themselves down by one point after the Bengals scored two quick touchdowns with the help of an onside kick recovery. With just 25 seconds left in the game, Loveland caught Caleb Williams’ pass in the middle of the field, bounced off a tackle and outran everyone to the end zone to score the decisive TD in a 47-42 road win.

Loveland was the primary read on the play and came up clutch when his team needed him. He set career highs with his six catches for 118 yards and two scores.

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After the game, Williams was asked about that final play, and ended his answer by saying, “That’s why he’s here.”

And Loveland likely wouldn’t be where he is today without staying after practice to catch footballs, constantly asking questions and having the belief that he’s capable of being a game-changing player for this Bears team.