Chicago Bears news: Kevin White has John Fox’s confidence
Even though he played in just four games in his first two NFL seasons, Chicago Bears wide receiver Kevin White has one important person behind him — head coach John Fox.
Expectations ran high when the Chicago Bears drafted wide receiver Kevin White with the 7th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Teaming him up with Alshon Jeffery would give the Bears one of the most athletic wide receiver duos in the league. After breaking records with Jeffery and Brandon Marshall just a couple of years earlier, fans and coaches alike were excited to see what this combination could do.
Instead of breaking records, White broke his leg. He had a stress fracture of his tibia during training camp in 2015 and missed out on the entire season. In 2016, he came back, and while he struggled early on, things finally started to fall together and he was playing well. Then the injury bug hit again. He suffered a spiral fracture of his fibula in his fourth game and, again, he missed the rest of the season.
So, after two seasons, White’s stat line looks like this — 4 games (out of a possible 32), 19 catches for 187 yards, and no touchdowns.
With the injuries, some now have questions about White’s future. Jeffery is now gone, so if White does have a future, the future is now. He needs to step up and be the number one receiver the Bears feel he is.
Despite the concerns some have, White does have one very important person behind him — head coach John Fox. He spoke about White during the owners meeting
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"I’m sure it’s been frustrating,” Fox said. “Anytime anyone is injured it’s frustrating for everybody — fans, coaches, the organization, the player himself. But I think he’s a very resilient guy. One of the big reasons why we drafted him … I think his makeup will prevail."
Fox and the Chicago Bears know how resilient White is. This is not the first time he faced adversity. He received no offers from the big schools when he came out of high school and went to a junior college. He dealt with a shoulder injury and redshirted a season. When he came back his second season, trouble with financial aid papers cost him another season. When he finally played, he performed well. He showed tapes to every major college in the nation, and West Virginia accepted him.
In his senior season, he had 109 receptions for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns. Still, he wasn’t among the top prospects in the draft. That was, of course, until the NFL Combine. A 4.35 40-yard dash at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds opened eyes.
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Now after dealing with two leg injuries, White again needs to prove himself. He showed in the past that he performs well with his back against the wall. At least the Chicago Bears and John Fox feel he can do it again.