Cairo Santos has been missing time primarily because of a right thigh/quadriceps injury that flared up during the 2025 season, leading the Chicago Bears to turn to Jake Moody as a replacement in at least one prime- time game.

Quick Scoop: Why Cairo Santos Is Not Playing

  • The Bears’ kicker Cairo Santos has been dealing with a right thigh/quadriceps issue, which has caused him to be ruled out of at least one game and limited or questionable for others.
  • In his absence, the Bears have used Jake Moody, who was called up and handled kicking duties when Santos could not go.
  • The situation developed around mid-October 2025, with reports noting the injury “flared up” over a weekend and forced the team to sit him for a Monday night matchup.

Latest News And Status

  • Reports from October 2025 describe Santos as ruled out against Washington and then listed as questionable against the Ravens due to the same thigh problem, underscoring that this is an ongoing soft-tissue injury rather than a one‑off rest decision.
  • There has also been discussion in Chicago media and fan circles about whether the Bears might eventually move on from Santos, especially after Moody’s solid performances and concerns about Santos’ leg strength on longer kicks, but the core reason he is not playing in those specific games remains the injury designation.

In short, if you’re asking “why is Cairo Santos not playing” for recent Bears games, the answer is: he has been sidelined or limited by a right thigh/quadriceps injury, with Jake Moody stepping in as the temporary kicker.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.