PITTSBURGH - Duquesne University wide receiver Cyrus Holder (Uniondale, N.Y.) has signed a free agent contract with the NFL Chicago Bears it was announced Sunday.

The 6-4, 205-pounder earned All-Northeast Conference honors in each of his two seasons at Duquesne following his transfer from Saint Francis University.

Holder, who played three seasons for the Red Flash and two with the Dukes - including the COVID-shortened 2020-21 spring season  - finished his career with 122 receptions for 2,270 yards and 22 touchdowns in 40 career games (25 at Saint Francis U and 15 at Duquesne).

His 18.6 career yards per catch average ranked 11th on all NCAA levels and sixth among FCS-only schools.

Holder, who led the NEC in receiving yards in 2020-21 and 2021, had 37 caches for 629 yards and eight TD's last season, including 100-yard games vs. Bryant (7-103-1), vs. CCSU (5-114-1) and at Wagner (6-125-2).

Holder, who totaled 60 catches for 1,120 yards and 13 touchdowns in two seasons at Duquesne (15 games), caught 47 passes for 692 yards and five TDs in his final season at SFU (2018).

In 2003, Duquesne saw two former players make NFL rosters when free agents Leigh Bodden (cornerback) and Josh Rue (practice squad running back) earned spots on the Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals respectively. Bodden, who last played for the New England Patriots in 2011, had a nine-year NFL career.

Forty-five Dukes have played in the NFL, with a total of 35 suiting up for the Pittsburgh Steelers between 1937 and 1951. Bodden, who played for the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions and New England Patriots, was the first Duquesne player to take the field for an NFL game since Al Demao played for the Washington Redskins from 1945-53.

Demao was named one of the 70 greatest Redskins of all-time in the fall of 2002.

Holder joins 2022 teammate Jake Dixon - who signed a free agent deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday - in attempting to join Christian Kuntz, a three-time All-American linebacker for the Dukes (2012-16), on an active NFL roster.

Kuntz made his NFL debut as a free agent long snapper for the Steelers in 2021.