Jalen Reeves-Maybin has always found unique ways to make an impact on the field and it’s earned him another opportunity for a team currently in the NFL playoffs.

The former Detroit Lions special teams star and current president of the NFL Players Association has turned a stint with the Chicago Bears practice squad to a contract with the active roster heading into their NFC Divisional Round matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

The Bears announced a flurry of roster moves on Tuesday, which included placing linebacker T.J. Edwards on injured reserve. In a corresponding move, Reeves-Maybin — a natural linebacker — was signed to the active roster.

He reunited with former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson — now Chicago’s head coach — on Nov. 18, joining the Bears’ practice squad at the time. He played a frequent special teams role in Weeks 13-15 but remained with the practice squad for the final three games of the regular season.

Reeves-Maybin, 30, was elevated for the team’s Wild Card game against the Green Bay Packers and played a season-high 28 snaps, including eight on defense. He had a highlight tackle in the second quarter, breaking up a run play on third-and-one for no gain.

Some strong play and a need at linebacker opens the door for Reeves-Maybin to try and make more of an impact on Sunday when the Bears host the Rams for a spot in the NFC Championship game.

Reeves-Maybin spent seven of his first eight NFL seasons in Detroit after being selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft out of Tennessee. He played five seasons before joining the Houston Texans in 2022.

After one season, he was released and went right back to Detroit where his career as a special teams ace flourished. Reeves-Maybin not only played a career-high 426 snaps on the year, but earned All-Pro Second-Team honors and a spot in the Pro Bowl.

He became a go-to option for trick plays on special teams, converting multiple highlights like a 31-yard fake punt pass during the season.

The Lions would release Reeves-Maybin in March 2025 in order to clear up approximately $2 million in cap space. In total Reeves-Maybin played 97 games with 206 total tackles for the Lions and served as a team captain in 2024 before his release.