Jeffery’s five-year tenure with Chicago established him as one of the league’s premier jump-ball threats. He posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2013 and 2014, earned a Pro Bowl, and became a defining deep threat for the Bears during that era.
In 2017, Jeffery signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent, delivering 20 total touchdowns across four seasons in Philadelphia. While productive, his performance with the Eagles never quite matched the peak he showed in Chicago.
Authorities charged Jeffery with insurance fraud, a felony carrying a potential maximum sentence of five years in prison and possible fines. He was booked earlier this week and subsequently released, with the case proceeding through the legal system.
Jeffery’s representatives have publicly denied the allegations, stating the incident stemmed from a minor freeway fender-bender and emphasizing that he has not been convicted of any offense. They maintain the matter will be resolved through due process and that the facts will show it is a misunderstanding.
Drafted 45th overall in the 2012 NFL draft out of South Carolina, Jeffery burst onto the scene with the Bears after a quiet rookie year. He followed with a breakout 2013 campaign of 1,421 receiving yards, then 1,133 yards in 2014, before posting two more productive seasons of around 800 yards. He left Chicago after 2016, signed a one-year, $14 million deal with the Eagles, and earned a four-year extension before retiring after the 2020 season.
