One wouldn’t think an offensive lineman could be surrounded by so many fun background stories. Darnell Wright is proving to be an exception. There is the infamous workout he had with the Chicago Bears before the draft, which he jokingly described as attempted murder. Then there’s his memorable showdown with star Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson. The one that Wright dominated. Last but certainly not least comes his encounter with an OnlyFans model who DM’d several linemen in the 2023 draft class looking for a potential partner. He responded by calling her a “stankin b**ch.”
The guy hasn’t even played a snap for the Bears yet and he’s already been so entertaining. Yet the stories continue to filter out. Perhaps the best one came from his offensive line coach at Tennessee, Glen Elarbe. He told Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune about what separates Wright from normal players these days. One common trend among college athletes is a tendency to not play late in their final seasons to avoid injury before entering the draft. Elarbe half expected Wright to do the same.
He was proven wrong almost immediately.
At a time when a lot of guys, especially as talented as Darnell, may not have competed in that bowl game, he wanted in. I said, “Hey, ‘Nell, man, you going to play in the bowl game?” And he was like, “Why wouldn’t I play in the bowl game?” He almost looked at me like I was crazy for asking.
And then one of my favorite memories was when we were playing Vanderbilt in the last game of the year. It was a blowout and he had already been pulled. But then we ran into some injuries. And it hurt my heart to go grab him to put him back in. And I just looked at him and before I could even get the words out of my mouth, he nodded at me and said, “I got you. Let’s go ride.” He’s a total team guy, just wants to be there with the guys, and he’s there for you, especially if he believes in you and he trusts you.
That is likely a big reason the Bears love Darnell Wright.
Being a talented player is important, obviously. Being a team player is something else entirely. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus wanted guys that are unselfish. Their focus isn’t on personal gain but the overall success of the team. That means having a willingness to make sacrifices. Wright put his future on the line when he played in that bowl game and went back in against Vanderbilt. Yet he never thought twice about it. His only concern was doing what was best for Tennessee.
It is hard not to cheer for somebody like that. That kind of person deserves all the success in the NFL. Darnell Wright is already lined up to start at right tackle for the Bears. His ability speaks for itself. If he can refine his technique in the coming months, his ceiling is almost limitless. Chicago is certainly overdue to land a truly elite offensive lineman after years of disappointment. One can only hope his run of good fortune in the healthy department will hold in the pros.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
