Theo Benedet Bio
Theo Benedet (born October 12, 2001) is a Canadian professional football offensive tackle for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighing around 138 kilograms, he plays a premium position along the offensive line. Before turning professional, he starred at the University of British Columbia, where he earned a reputation as one of the top Canadian university linemen of his era. He is widely known by the nickname the “Canadian Eagle.”
Early Life and Background
Theo Benedet was born in Toronto, Ontario, and grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia. He attended Handsworth Secondary School in North Vancouver, where he first gained attention as a promising young football player. Although he grew up cheering for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League, he did not take up the sport seriously until he reached the tenth grade.
Once he committed to the game, Benedet developed quickly and became a top prospect on the British Columbia high school scene. His size, athleticism, and technique made him an attractive recruit for university programs. He eventually chose to remain in his home province, accepting an opportunity to play for the UBC Thunderbirds of U Sports. He has continued to make Vancouver his off-season home.
Path to American Football
Benedet’s journey toward a professional career in football began at the University of British Columbia, where he enrolled in 2019. He immediately cracked the starting lineup as a freshman, an unusual feat for any offensive lineman. The 2020 U Sports season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which limited his early development but did not slow his overall progression.
He returned to action in 2021, appearing in seven games for the Thunderbirds and continuing to refine his technique at offensive tackle. By 2022, he had emerged as one of the premier linemen in U Sports, helping power one of the league’s most productive rushing attacks. He was recognized as a first-team All-Canadian and won the J. P. Metras Trophy as the nation’s best lineman. In 2023, he repeated both honours and became the first offensive lineman to win the Metras Trophy in back-to-back seasons, while also leading UBC back to the Vanier Cup for the first time since 2015.
Theo Benedet Career
Early Career (2019–2023)
Benedet’s earliest football résumé was built during his time at Handsworth Secondary School and the UBC Thunderbirds. He stepped into a starting role on the Thunderbirds’ offensive line from his very first year, a sign of the trust his coaches placed in him. The cancelled 2020 season interrupted what might have been a quicker rise, but Benedet continued to log key snaps once competition resumed.
Across his five seasons at UBC, he built a résumé that few Canadian university linemen could match. He collected two J. P. Metras Trophies, two first-team All-Canadian selections, and a Vanier Cup appearance. He was also the only U Sports player invited to the 2023 East–West Shrine Bowl, an all-star showcase that gave him a chance to test himself against top college talent south of the border.
Chicago Bears Era (2024–Present)
Although widely projected as a potential selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, Benedet went unselected. Shortly after the draft, he signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent, beginning his professional career in the NFL. He was also selected in the second round, 15th overall, by the BC Lions in the 2024 CFL Draft, but he remained focused on his opportunity in Chicago.
After brief movement between the Bears’ active roster and practice squad late in his first season, Benedet signed a reserve/future contract with the team on January 6, 2025. He entered the 2025 offseason competing with Braxton Jones, Kiran Amegadjie, and Ozzy Trapilo for the starting left tackle role. Although Jones initially won the job, Benedet took over at left tackle in Week 4 and held the role for most of the season. A quad injury in November forced him to the sideline, but he returned to serve as the Bears’ swing tackle down the stretch.
Driving Style and Strengths
On the field, Benedet combines the size and length expected of an NFL offensive tackle with the mobility and technical polish he developed in U Sports. He is comfortable in both pass protection and run blocking, and his versatility has allowed the Bears to deploy him at both left and right tackle. His ability to step in mid-game and maintain a high level of play has been one of his most valued traits in Chicago.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his most memorable moments is his two-time capture of the J. P. Metras Trophy, becoming the first offensive lineman to win the award in consecutive years. He also earned a selection to the 2023 East–West Shrine Bowl and went on to make an NFL roster as an undrafted free agent. A lighter highlight came in a Week 14 game against the Green Bay Packers, when he reported as an eligible receiver on a trick play and was clipped by a defender, forcing the Bears to redirect the play for a touchdown pass.
Theo Benedet Career Wins
Theo Benedet’s trophy case is anchored by his two J. P. Metras Trophy wins and his back-to-back first-team All-Canadian honours from 2022 and 2023. He also added a Vanier Cup appearance with UBC and a selection to the 2023 East–West Shrine Bowl.
UBC Thunderbirds Highlights
Benedet played a central role in helping the UBC Thunderbirds return to championship contention. In 2022, he helped the program reach the Hardy Cup for the first time in four years. In 2023, he pushed the Thunderbirds all the way to the Vanier Cup, the first appearance for the program since 2015. His individual play during that stretch earned him repeated national recognition.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his hardware at UBC, Benedet earned an invitation to the College Gridiron Showcase and the 2023 East–West Shrine Bowl, the latter as the sole U Sports participant. He was also a top selection of the BC Lions in the 2024 CFL Draft, giving him a professional foothold in both the NFL and CFL.
Theo Benedet Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Theo Benedet’s immediate family remains limited. He was born in Toronto and raised in Vancouver, and he has spoken about growing up as a BC Lions fan before his own football journey took shape.
Personal Life
Benedet is not publicly known to be married and no children are mentioned in available sources. He has made Vancouver, British Columbia, his home base while building his NFL career with the Chicago Bears.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked Theo Benedet’s first full year on the Chicago Bears’ roster, and he made the most of his opportunity. After entering training camp in a competition for the starting left tackle job, he was initially listed as the backup and swing tackle. A midseason shift in Week 4 against the Las Vegas Raiders opened the door, and Benedet stepped into the starting role at left tackle for an extended stretch.
He started at multiple positions along the offensive line throughout the year, including right tackle duty after an injury to Darnell Wright. A quad injury in November briefly paused his progress, after which Ozzy Trapilo took over as the starter. Upon returning to health, Benedet resumed his role as a versatile swing tackle, a position that has become increasingly valuable to the Bears’ offensive scheme.
Looking ahead, Benedet’s combination of size, experience, and positional flexibility should keep him firmly in the Bears’ plans. With continued development in pass protection and run blocking, he has the chance to lock down a starting role in Chicago while remaining one of the most accomplished Canadian offensive linemen of his generation.