Darnell Mooney sounded a little chagrined to have his five receptions for 82 yards against the Saints on Sunday described as a “breakout” game. But it’s been that kind of season for the fourth-year wide receiver.
“I just [was] doing what I’ve been doing the whole season and the ball found me,” Mooney said. “I felt normal. I didn’t feel anything outside of that, and I continue to run my routes, get open and if the ball comes, it comes. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
Mooney’s actual breakout came in 2021, when he had 81 receptions for 1,055 yards (62.1 per game) and four touchdowns. But his production has diminished in Luke Getsy’s offense — 40 receptions for 493 yards (41.1 per game) and two touchdowns in 12 games last season; and 15 receptions for 225 yards (28.1) and one touchdown this season until Sunday.
It’s been a tough go for Mooney, who is looking for a contract extension. He’s the ultimate team player, but also knows that the offense clicks when he’s getting the ball.
“No doubt. Everybody knows that,” Mooney said. “If I’m able to get the ball in my hand, I’m a playmaker — it’s no hidden thing with that. I’ve always made plays when I have the ball in my had. That’s my job and that’s what I want to do. We have to do more of that, whether it’s me, Cole [Kmet], DJ [Moore]. You get the ball in those guys’ hands and things go good with the offense. So we just need to do more of those things.”
Mooney could use a big second half, being in the final year of his contract. He’s hopeful to get a deal done with the Bears, but does not seem worried about the situation.
“Eventually, somebody’s going to pay — whether it’s here or wherever you go, somebody is going to take care of you, Mooney said. “So you’ve just got to go out and play ball. [If] it comes, it comes and you just have to take care of your job.
“Obviously I would love to be here. I love Chicago. I love the fans. I love just being here. We’ve got everything in here. We have one of the nicest facilities ever, so I would definitely love to be here. But you can’t worry about it. Somebody is going to pay, eventually.”