January 6, 2019. It’s a date burned into the collective psyche of Chicago. You can’t mention the name Cody Parkey in a North Side bar without someone wincing or reaching for a shot of Malört. It was supposed to be the arrival of a new era—the "Monsters of the Midway" were back, the defense was terrifying, and Soldier Field was shaking.
Then came the sound.
Clank. Followed by another clank.
The "double doink" wasn't just a missed field goal. It was a physics-defying tragedy that effectively ended a franchise’s momentum. If you’re a football fan, you’ve seen the replay a thousand times. The ball leaves Parkey’s foot, hits the left upright, drops down, hits the crossbar, and bounces back into the end zone like a cruel joke.
But there’s a lot more to the bears double doink kicker story than just a bad kick. Most people remember Parkey as the villain, the guy who "shanked" it. The reality? The NFL officially changed the ruling the very next day. It wasn't just a miss; it was a block.
The Physics of the Double Doink
Let’s talk about Treyvon Hester. Honestly, he’s the ghost in this machine. Hester was a defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles, and in the final seconds of that NFC Wild Card game, he got a finger on the ball.
Just a finger.
That tiny tip changed the trajectory of the 43-yard attempt. If Hester doesn't touch that ball, it likely clears the upright by a few inches. Instead, it became the most famous "no-good" in NFL history. When you watch the frame-by-frame—the "Zapruder film" of Chicago sports—you can see the ball's rotation change the moment it passes Hester's hand.
📖 Related: What Really Happened With Paige Bueckers Leaked Pics (Scams and Truths)
Cris Collinsworth, calling the game for NBC, coined the phrase "double doink" live on air. He didn't invent the word "doink"—that was the legendary John Madden—but the "double" part perfectly captured the rhythmic, two-step heartbreak.
Why the Hate Was So Intense
Chicago fans weren't just mad about the miss. They were exhausted. Cody Parkey had been hitting uprights all year long. Earlier in the season, in a game against the Detroit Lions, he hit the goalposts four times. Four. In one game.
By the time the playoffs rolled around, every time Parkey stepped on the field, the city held its breath. It felt like "Parkey Roulette." When the Eagles called a timeout to "ice" him, Parkey actually made the practice kick. The whistles had blown, but he put it through the pipes. The crowd cheered, thinking, Okay, he’s got the range. Then came the real snap.
The silence that followed the second "doink" was deafening. 62,462 people in the stands, and you could hear a pin drop, except for the Eagles players celebrating on the logo.
The Today Show Blunder and the Fallout
If Parkey had just stayed quiet, he might have survived the offseason. But five days after the game, he appeared on NBC’s Today show.
Bad move.
He didn't clear it with the Bears' front office. He sat there and talked about "putting things in perspective" and how he’d just keep his "best foot forward." To a city that lives and dies by the scoreboard, it felt like he wasn't taking the loss hard enough. Coach Matt Nagy was visibly annoyed, telling the media later that it wasn't a "we" thing, but a "me" thing.
The Bears released him two months later, despite owing him $3.5 million in guaranteed money.
The Kicker Curse
What followed was a literal circus. The Bears brought in nine different kickers for a "kicker competition" over the summer. They were obsessed. They even made the kickers practice 43-yard field goals in front of the whole team to simulate the pressure.
It was weird.
Actually, it was borderline traumatic for the fans. The franchise spent years trying to find another Robbie Gould—the reliable kicker they had cut in 2015. Many argue that cutting Gould was the original sin that led to the bears double doink kicker disaster in the first place.
Breaking Down the Game Beyond the Kick
It’s easy to blame one guy. It’s also kinda lazy. The 2018 Bears were 12-4. They had the #1 scoring defense in the league. They shouldn't have been in a position where a 43-yarder decided their fate against a 6th-seeded Eagles team.
- The Offense: Mitchell Trubisky actually played a decent game, throwing for 303 yards. But the offense went 5-for-16 on third downs.
- The Defense: They let Nick Foles (the ultimate playoff magician) lead a 12-play, 60-yard touchdown drive in the final minutes.
- The Two-Point Conversion: The Eagles missed their two-point try after that touchdown, which kept the score at 16-15. If they’d made it, Parkey’s kick would have only tied the game.
When you look at it that way, the whole team shared the weight. But special teams is a lonely island. When you miss, you’re the guy on the poster.
Actionable Insights for Football Fans
Understanding the "Double Doink" helps you see how slim the margins are in professional sports. If you’re looking to analyze similar high-pressure moments, here’s what to watch for:
- Check the Line Surge: Don't just watch the kicker. Look at the interior defensive line. Hester’s block happened because he got a "great jump" on the snap.
- Trajectory Matters: Notice how low the kick was. Former NFL kickers like Jay Feely pointed out that even with the tip, Parkey kicked the ball too low for a 43-yarder. That’s what allowed a 6'2" lineman to reach it.
- The Icing Effect: Statistics are mixed on whether "icing the kicker" actually works, but in this case, the mental shift between the "practice" make and the "real" miss was undeniable.
The bears double doink kicker saga ended Cody Parkey's time in Chicago, but he didn't disappear. He went on to play for the Titans, Browns, and Saints. He even had a perfect season in Tennessee (3-for-3, albeit a short stint). But in the eyes of the NFL world, he’ll always be the man who hit the poles twice in one second.
For the Bears, it was a turning point. The "Club Dub" celebrations of 2018 evaporated, and the team entered a period of searching—for a quarterback, for a coach, and for a kicker who could finally make the city forget that sound.
The sound of leather hitting metal. Twice.
To understand the full impact of the play, you have to look at the "All-22" coaching tape. It shows the hand of Treyvon Hester clearly depressing the top of the ball. It’s the difference between a trip to New Orleans for the next round and a flight home to Florida. In Chicago, they don't call it a block. They don't call it a tip. They just call it the end.