Tyson Bagent sparks the Bears with a 97-yard opening TD to wrap preseason with win over Titans

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tyson Bagent gave the Chicago Bears just the offensive start to wrap up the preseason in winning style.

Bagent connected with Zavion Thomas for a 97-yard touchdown on Chicago's first offensive play and the Bears beat the Tennessee Titans 24-15 on Saturday night in a battle of mostly backups.

“When Tyson starts the game like that, I think he had, what? One incompletion?" Chicago coach Ben Johnson said. "He was on fire. So you felt like our offense was really rolling when that happened.”

With Caleb Williams watching from the sideline, Bagent completed his first seven passes for 155 yards helping Chicago (2-1) convert its first four fourth downs.

Thomas, the Bears' third-round pick out of LSU, also caught all five passes thrown to him for a game-high 140 yards — with his first easily his best.

“I don’t know that I’ve thrown a touchdown of that many yards, and I believe that was Zavion Thomas’s very first play in the NFL,” Bagent said of the 97-yard TD catch-and-run. “Greatest start in NFL history.”

Undrafted out of Division II, Bagent showed again why the Bears signed him to a two-year extension in August 2025 to back up Williams. Bagent was 16 of 17 for 208 yards with two TDs before leaving with a 14-9 halftime lead.

Coach Robert Saleh had talked of building reps for his starters through the preseason games for his Titans (2-1). After a joint practice against each preseason opponent, all NFC playoff teams, Saleh started essentially backups with Cam Ward watching Will Levis start in a final display before the NFL cut deadline Sunday.

“I was good with where we were at," Saleh said of sitting almost all his starters. "I think we overshot our projected reps for the entire camp by over 60 reps. So overall it just felt very productive, and that was good.”

Tennessee did start a trio of defensive regulars in end Jacob Martin, linebacker Cedric Gray and nickel cornerback Marcus Harris. Bagent had no problem beating the rest of the Titans’ backup secondary featuring Keydrain Calligan and Micah Robinson.

Martin recovered a fumble credited to Bagent off a botched handoff on the second drive, prompting a celebration joined by All-Pro tackle Jeffery Simmons, end Jermaine Johnson II and rookie end Keldric Faulk who watched from the sideline.

Levis was 14 of 22 for 143 yards with a fumble he recovered off a botched handoff. The 33rd overall pick in the 2023 draft drove the Titans to a trio of field goals, the last as the first half expired.

Case Keenum took over in the third for Chicago. Roschon Johnson ran for a 3-yard TD with Cairo Santos adding a field goal to pad the lead to 24-9. Rookie QB Miller Moss, undrafted out of Louisville, played the fourth quarter.

Hendon Hooker took over for Levis after halftime. Mitch Trubisky, signed in March to back up Ward, stayed on the sideline along.

Tennessee's lone TD came on a 9-yard run by D'Ernest Johnson late. The 2-point conversion failed.

Slye finished the preseason with 11 field goals, including becoming the first NFL player since the start of the 2017 preseason to make at least four in consecutive exhibitions. He added two more in the first half against the Bears and finished by making all five from 50 yards out or longer.

By halftime, he had 11 field goals for the most by any player in a preseason since Graham Gano had 13 in 2016 for Carolina.

Bears RB Brittain Brown didn't finish the game and was in the concussion protocol. WR Ray-Ray McCloud III and DB Jaylon Jones both left with hamstring issues.

Titans S Kendall Brooks went to the locker room from the medical tent. Saleh said CB Joshua Williams is dealing with an injured pectoral muscle that has his status for the opener “in the air.”

Bears: Open the season Sept. 13 at Carolina.

Titans: Host Saleh's old team the New York Jets on Sept. 13.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Chicago Bears wide receiver Zavion Thomas catches a touchdown pass against the Tennessee Titans during the first half of a preseason NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III looks on as teammates warm up prior to a preseason NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward, left, and running back Tony Pollard look on as teammates warm up prior to a preseason NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Khalen Saunders pauses during a moment of silence for Dolly Parton prior to a preseason NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent attempts a pass against the Tennessee Titans during the first half of a preseason NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

MIAMI (AP) — Lionel Messi scored three times in the second half to finish off his first four-goal effort in MLS play while adding an assist, and Inter Miami scored six unaswered goals in a 7-1 romp over CF Montreal on Saturday night.

Messi snapped a 1-1 tie in the 40th minute when he found the net for the 15th time, scoring off a free kick.

The reigning Golden Boot Award winner and league MVP scored for a 3-1 lead in the 52nd minute. His 17th and 18th goals of the season came in the 83rd and sixth minute of stoppage time with the final one also coming off a free kick. Messi began the day two behind Petar Musa of FC Dallas in the goals race.

Carlos Casimiro scored with a header off a corner kick by Telasco Segovia in the 20th minute to give Inter Miami a 1-0 lead. It was the first goal for the 34-year-old midfielder in his sixth league appearance and a career-best ninth assist for Segovia in his second MLS season.

Montreal tied it in the 37th minute on a goal by Fabian Herbers — his first of the campaign.

Luis Suárez scored his 11th goal with an assist from Messi — his 10th — for a 4-1 lead in the 80th minute and 18-year-old rookie Alexander Shaw made it 6-1 in the 89th with his first goal in three appearances and 37 minutes of play.

Dayne St. Clair finished with three saves for Inter Miami (12-4-6), which finished August with a 1-2-2 record after a fifth straight victory over Montreal.

Thomas Gillier saved five shots for Montreal (5-11-6).

It was Inter Miami's first victory since beating Montreal 1-0 on the road to close out July. Suárez won that one on a penalty kick in the 81st minute.

Montreal: At Philadelphia Union on Saturday.

Miami: Hosts Atlanta United on Saturday.

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) celebrates with forward German Berterame (19), and midfielder Alexander Shaw (88) after scoring his third goal of the match, his side's fifth, during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, left, scores his third goal of the match, his side's fifth, past CF Montreal goalkeeper Thomas Gillier (31) during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

CF Montreal defenders watch as a free kick by Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, not pictured, sails past them to score the side's seventh goal in stoppage time and end their MLS soccer match, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, left, battles with CF Montreal defender Brayan Vera (4) during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez scores his side's fourth goal past CF Montreal goalkeeper Thomas Gillier (31) during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)