Getty New Chicago Bears QB Nick Foles has made an excellent first impression on his teammates.
It was a subtle comment, but it held some weight. When Chicago Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan met with the media via Zoom call Wednesday afternoon, he discussed the team’s response to the killing of George Floyd and the subsequent national unrest that has occurred, along with the way the team is handling it all.
Trevathan talked about the team’s two-hour meeting Monday, in which Chicago gave its players an opportunity and a forum to voice their thoughts about and share their experiences with racism. When Trevathan was asked about his teammates and how they have addressed the topics of racism and police brutality, the Bears’ starting linebacker singled out new QB Nick Foles as someone whose response moved him a great deal.
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Danny Trevathan: ‘I’d Go to War for Nick Foles’
Trevathan spoke about Foles first, and while he did not say much, what he did say was quite telling.
“I’ve yet to meet Nick Foles,” Trevathan said. “But just to see his aspect of speaking up made me feel like: ‘This is a guy I’d go to war for. This is a guy I’d fight for.'” Trevathan said, before also noting that several of his white teammates have also spoken out in solidarity with the black community.
“We had plenty of people speak up. Mitch (Trubisky). Cody (Whitehair). Pat O’Donnell.” Trevathan also shared why it was so important to him that his caucasian teammates voiced their support.
“They have a different voice than the voice I have. It’s reaching different areas. We have a team that fights together, that really not just talks about that stuff. Not just talk about it but really does something about it. They care for one another, and it makes you want to fight for those guys a lot harder.”
Nick Foles Released Statement Before Bears Had Team Meeting About Race
The Bears held their two-hour team meeting Monday, and multiple coaches and players have called it “powerful.” Before that happened, however, Foles took the lead and was one of the first white players on the team to address the murder of George Floyd.
Here is part of Foles’ statement that Trevathan was referencing:
“Sports show us what is possible when we stop looking at the difference in skin color and look at the heart of an individual,” Foles wrote. “Christ tells us to love our neighbor. No matter how they look or what their color of skin is we are to genuinely love one another. Football shows us that this is possible and it is truly a beautiful thing when it is from the heart. To all my brother and sisters in the black and brown communities, Tori and I dearly love y’all and we are here to walk alongside y’all and to listen.”
Foles’ post certainly moved Trevathan, and it was something a strong leader would do. Whether Foles beats Mitch Trubisky out for the starting job is still a question mark, but the Super Bowl MVP is certainly winning the locker room over.
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