Our Founder & Billings Find-A-Way Foundation

Andrew Billings is a defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears and a proud native of Waco, Texas. A standout at Waco High School, Andrew earned Texas All-State and Academic All-State honors in football, while also making headlines in powerlifting by breaking the Texas state record previously held by Olympian Mark Henry.

Andrew went on to play at Baylor University, where he made an immediate impact as a true freshman. Known for his exceptional strength—earning the title “College Football’s Strongest Player” by NFL.com in 2016—he became one of the nation’s top defensive linemen. During his junior season, he was named a First-Team All-American (AP), Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year. He declared for the NFL Draft after three seasons and was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Drafted in the fourth round in 2016 by the Cincinnati Bengals, Billings overcame a season-ending injury in his rookie year to go on become a reliable NFL starter with stops in Cleveland, Las Vegas, and Chicago.

Since joining the Chicago Bears in 2023, Billings has started in all 25 of his appearances through 2024. In 2023, he started all 17 games, finishing with 27 tackles, including three tackles for loss and two quarterback hits. In 2024, he recorded 13 tackles, one sack, and a forced fumble before a season‑ending pectoral injury in Week 9. Additional career totals include 160 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 22 tackles for loss, and 20 quarterback hits across eight NFL seasons.

Off the field, Billings was chosen as the Bears’ nominee for the 2024 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, honoring his strong community work through his Billings Family Find‑A‑Way Foundation. His foundation supports youth football camps, classroom mini-grants, mentoring programs, and literacy initiatives like his Bikes & Books drive.

In addition to his athletic success, Andrew earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Baylor University and remains deeply committed to supporting education and youth in his community.