One common myth about pro sports is that whenever you pair a veteran with a rookie, the veteran will automatically become a mentor to the younger player. That is far from the case. There are many instances when the older player treats his younger teammate with scorn and distrust. This comes from a place of fear, knowing the younger player is a threat to take their spot on the roster. Look at the relationship between Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers for an example. Don’t bother telling that to Grady Jarrett.
The two-time Pro Bowler joined the Chicago Bears last year, already in his 30s. He didn’t play overly well, hampered by a knee injury for much of the first two months. So you might understand if he were a little prickly about the Bears adding lots of depth at defensive tackle this offseason, headlined by 6th round pick Jordan Van Den Berg.
That isn’t who Jarrett is, though. He’s always been a team-first guy. When the rookie from Georgia Tech arrived in April, the 33-year-old made it his mission to get him ready. We’ve already seen the early results as Van Den Berg creates havoc in the preseason. The Bears have monitored their relationship, providing footage via 1920 Football Drive.
Grady Jarrett is walking a perfect line between motivation and instruction.
That video is less than a minute long, but it manages to convey Jarrett’s approach perfectly. When Van Den Berg talks to him, the veteran is animated and encouraging. Then, at another point between drives, he is giving the rookie detailed instructions on what the offense is doing to block him and how to counter it. Van Den Berg is clearly taking those words to heart and applying them on the field. That is why he is constantly finding ways into the backfield through a series of different moves.
🔥 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 isn’t a coincidence that Grady Jarrett was the one Van Den Berg was compared to coming out of college. Both have similar body types and athletic profiles. They also went in a similar range of the draft. Jarrett had plenty of people questioning his size, length, and power when he got drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the 5th round. He figured out early on that if he was going to be successful, he’d have to maximize his strengths by mastering the mental side of the game. Few are better educated about football than he is.
Van Den Berg must follow the same path.
The crazy part is that he might be a better athlete and more powerful than Jarrett was. He’s already demonstrated an ability to throw blockers aside with a hump move and chase down running backs. The key for him, and Jarrett knows this, is learning to play under control. There are still too many instances of Van Den Berg losing his balance or running himself out of position. That isn’t surprising. Rookies tend to do that a lot. The trick is staying on them about it at all times. Jarrett is clearly doing that.
People can criticize the amount of money Chicago paid to sign him. He probably wasn’t worth that much. However, nobody can say the Bears aren’t doing everything they can to make full use of his remaining ability and leadership. If Jarrett can help mold Van Den Berg into the player he’s capable of becoming, it will all have been worth it. Just seeing them operate like mentor and student is so encouraging for the team’s future.
