Cincinnati Bengals running back and Indianapolis’ own Chris Evans will be playing in the Super Bowl in his first season in the NFL. He was selected in the six round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of the University of Michigan. However, his story of triumph and success hasn’t been that smooth.
Next week when the Bengals suit up for the big game, ole Chris will have a testimony to tell that every kid needs to hear. When you see No.25 standing in the end zone ready to receive the kickoff appreciate the man you’re watching.
When you see him don’t get caught up in just seeing the tip of the iceberg and just another player in the Super Bowl. What most people see today is the part of his story that’s simply sticking out of the water
In order to appreciate the man they call “Kid-N-Play” you’ve got to look under the water and appreciate the struggle and the faith he had in getting to this moment. It looks all good today but Chris showed the world how much character he really had in 2019.
Coming out of Indianapolis Ben Davis High School in 2016. He was one of the top 15 running back recruits in the country when he signed with the Michigan Wolverines. He quickly became a star playing in all 13 games as a true freshman rushing for 614 yards on just 88 carries.
He made a name for himself as a reliable back for the Wolverines over the next several years. However, in February of 2019, just before his senior season, he was suspended by the university. According to Evans, it was an academic mistake. He would be kicked out of school, off of the football team and no longer on scholarship for a year.
Most kids would have packed it up and gone home. Not Chris Evans though. He humbled himself, took the punishment like a G and never gave up on his dream to finish what he’d started.
His parents told him that he could have come home and figured it out but he chose to stay in Ann Arbor. One of the biggest stars on campus decided to get a job delivering pizzas using the salary and tips to make ends meet. He took online classes and worked out consistently.
Hold on a second…do you realize how much humility it took for the Big Man On Campus (BMOC) to deliver pizzas when everyone knew that he was suspended from both school and the team?
That in and of itself tells you everything you need to know about the character of Chris Evans. I would bet that 99.99999999999% of kids would have easily taken their parents up on the offer to come home and hide out from the shame of not being on the team at the time. He took it like a man and made it to the other side.
He was reinstated for the 2020 season and did enough to get drafted and was eventually taken by the Bengals. There’s nothing this kid won’t be able to accomplish going forward. Now look at him. He’s about to play in the Super Bowl.
This is a story that every kid needs to hear because we all make mistakes in life. However, it’s not about the mistake it’s about how to recover from it. Some of our biggest miscues in life become our biggest blessings. Chris’ testimony can inspire thousands of people all over the world.
His story is one of hard work, perseverance and resilience. That is the recipe for success in life. Big shout to his parents for raising such a great kid and instilling great character in him. Good luck lil’ homie and keep representing your family well. Stop me when I start lyin’!
