LAKE FOREST, Ill., Oct. 16 (UPI) -- The Chicago Bears re-signed veteran quarterback Shane Matthews Tuesday.
The Bears released Matthews before Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals to make room for Ryan Benjamin, who filled in for injured long snapper Patrick Mannelly. The move was made with the intention of re-signing Matthews sometime during the week.
Jim Miller replaced Matthews as the Bears' starting quarterback two weeks ago. Matthews is the backup with Danny Wuerffel listed as third string.
Matthews completed 28-of-49 passes for just 171 yards with two interceptions in Chicago's first two games of the season. Miller came off the bench and threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to lead the Bears to a 17-10 win over Minnesota in Week Two and was named as the starter by coach Dick Jauron the following week.
The 31-year-old Matthews has started 14 games over the last three seasons with the Bears. He threw for a career-best 1,645 yards in 1999 and 964 yards last season.
Matthews served mostly as a third-string quarterback in his first five NFL seasons, with Chicago (1993-96) and Carolina (1997-98), before returning to the Bears in 1999.
