Tight end Adam Shaheen and safety Eddie Jackson are two of the newest members to Chicago football. So it will take some time before they begin to understand the depths of the Bears and Packers rivalry. They’re young. It takes time for the history and tradition to sink in. After all, if they’d had a true knowledge of it they wouldn’t have so willingly given thanks to two players who currently suit up for the Bears’ arch nemesis.
Oh they sure did. Not to worry though. Neither was in the context of them praising the actual organization. As it turns out Shaheen and Jackson credit two particular Packers players for giving them huge boosts to their football careers. The stories behind each are rather interesting and perhaps a window into the promising future for both.
The Shaheen Bears Packers connection
#Bears TE Adam Shaheen says watching ex-Wisconsin WR Jared Abbrederis in a game vs. Ohio St made him want to switch from hoops to football.
— Zach Zaidman (@ZachZaidman) May 13, 2017
Shaheen stated earlier before he was drafted that it was watching a Wisconsin-Ohio State game that caused him to make a momentous career decision. One that took him from the hard court of basketball to the football field. Turns out there was a specific player involved in Abbrederis. A young wide receiver who was later drafted by his home state Packers. He had 207 yards and a touchdown in that game.
🔥 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel to hear Chicago legends tell stories you’ve never seen in headlines — real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.
It was an impressive performance. Shaheen took it to heart, trying to emulate that same playmaking style when he became a tight end at Ashland. Safe to say its been working, now a second round pick of Chicago.
The Jackson Bears Packers connection
#Bears rookie Eddie Jackson hoping to develop like recent `bama safeties. HaHa Clinton-Dix encouraging him to dive into playbook #BearsTalk
— Chris Boden (@CSNBoden) May 13, 2017
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is currently a Pro Bowl safety for the Packers. Something several Bears fans are still annoyed about after former GM Phil Emery passed on him back in 2014. He’s also a former Alabama safety. So he has a lot in common with Jackson. Though the fact he plays for Green Bay is a sensitive spot, anything Jackson could take from Clinton-Dix and apply to his own game is only a good thing.
Shaheen and Jackson are both expected to become key part of the roster moving forward. They certainly have the talent to excel in the pros. It’s about applying the right work ethic and doing everything they can to get better. One must hope they keep their fraternization with the enemy up north to a minimum moving forward though.
