North Myrtle Beach's Ryan Quigley is getting his opportunity to stick on the Chicago Bears roster. Quigley will be the starting punter for the Bears preseason game against the New York Giants on Friday night. Bears starting punter Adam Podlesh suffered a hip flexor injury while chasing down a returner in last week's game against the Washington Redskins. Podlesh is expected to miss the remainder of the exhibition season.
"I didn't see this one coming, but it's here," Quigley told WLS-TV in Chicago. "There will definitelty be some butterflies, but once I'm out there, it's just like everybody else out there - it's home. It's where you're supposed to be. It will be good."
Quigley, who punted at Boston College, came in after Podlesh's injury and had two punts of 44 and 39 yards against Washington. He also was the holder for Robbie Gould, who connected on a 57 yard field goal in a 33-31 Bears win over the Skins. After being undrafted, he was given a three day tryout with Chicago earning a free agent deal and an invite to Bears training camp. Quigley is one of eight players with local ties who are currently in NFL training camps trying to make a September roster. Quigley made WPDE's All-Zone team in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
