Chicago Bears: 3 things to know about Teven Jenkins
By Ryan Heckman
The Chicago Bears are getting a grateful and humble rookie in Teven Jenkins
One of the more heartwarming parts of his first interview with Bears media came when asked about the first thing he did when he received the call that the Bears were drafting him. Jenkins said he teared up when he received the call, and proceeded to hug each family member in the room.
Jenkins acknowledged that it felt incredible because of how much the Bears gave up to get him. The fact that he brought that up tells you he is tuned in. He understands how much Chicago has invested in him. Around that same time in the interview, Jenkins told the media he went into Day 1 of the draft with zero expectations.
That part probably surprised a lot of fans, especially knowing Jenkins was constantly mocked in the teens or early 20’s. He was a sure fire first-round pick, but Jenkins said he went into the first round fully ready to not hear his name called. He said that if he was drafted in the first round, “cool.” But, if he wasn’t, Jenkins was ready for Day 2.
Ego is not a word used when describing Jenkins. Clearly, he did not feel entitled to anything and is extremely grateful for Chicago selecting him in the second. His grateful, humble attitude is nothing new, though.
In a short piece published back in September by Sports Illustrated, Jenkins’ humility jumped off the page. He talked about his initial arrival at Oklahoma State.
"“When I first got here I was just taking it day by day. I wasn’t thinking about being where I am right now. I was just taking it day by day. Lucky for me I had some great coaches and a great coach like Coach Glass to push me to get to where I am right now. I’m really fortunate to have talent that I have.”"
Jenkins never anticipated his talent taking him this far, but here he is. It’s pretty wild to see a kid in his position who didn’t necessarily think he was going to become a top NFL draft pick. Jenkins attributing his success to his coaches pushing him and believing in him is also admirable.
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The Bears got a good one in Jenkins. Both on the field and off the field, he is an excellent young man. Now, it’s time to get to work. After all, he has a huge responsibility in front of him, protecting the new franchise quarterback and all.