Roquan Smith had one of the best games of his career on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. It included eight tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup. The biggest play though came when he intercepted Joe Burrow and returned it for a touchdown. It was a jubilant moment that encapsulated everything great about the young linebacker.
First was his awareness, drifting in the direction Burrow was looking to throw. His athleticism to cover enough ground in the necessary time. Strong enough hands to make the interception and then the patience to wait for blocking so he could rumble down the sideline for a critical touchdown. This is why the Bears would be wise to work faster on a contract extension. His price tag is only going up.
It was also a moment of great significance for Smith.
That happened to be the first touchdown he’d scored since high school. He never managed to get one in college at Georgia. His only regret? Not having the presence of mind to keep the football. As the video above shows, he flipped it to an ecstatic Bears fan after the score before celebrating with teammates. Given how big of a moment it was, it would’ve been nice to keep the ball. That said, he won’t go out of his way to get it back.
This is where the story gets really cool. It seems that Bears fan quickly caught wind of Smith’s comment. Just hours after the game was over, he posted on Twitter with a message for the linebacker. The moment itself was more than enough. He was ready and willing to return the football to Smith. A wonderful gesture and a reminder that Bears fans are a loyal bunch.
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Yes, @RoquanSmith1 @ChicagoBears you made my year. It was great to be home. Let’s connect so I can be the second to return your first NFL TD. #Bears pic.twitter.com/VySOk0k8ls
— Courtney Fong (@courtfong) September 19, 2021
Roquan Smith deserves to have that memento
The fan, Courtney Fong, is a Chief Legal Officer for the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). He has no reason to give the football back. Smith gave it to him and that could be the end of it. For Fong to reach out so quickly with a desire to return it? That is some faith in humanity restored kind of stuff. It also couldn’t happen to a better player on this team.
Roquan Smith doesn’t talk a lot. He just plays consistently excellent football and has for the past two years. He should’ve been an All-Pro last season but couldn’t even get a Pro Bowl invitation. So one can safely say he came into 2021 with a chip on his shoulder. Through two games he’s already been the best player on the field. All the while he hasn’t acted self-entitled or arrogant. He is just focused on playing well.
That is why the Bears need to reward him with a new deal.
There is time. They picked up his 5th year option this offseason. That means Smith is under contract through 2022. With no current agent, negotiating an extension is somewhat challenging. The linebacker continues to complicate matters further by how great he’s playing. Either way, this is one of those feel-good stories Bears fans deserve to hear every season.