'You just have to go and play ball' — Former Pro Bowl safety has a blunt take on Jaquan Brisker’s concussion comeback
When the Chicago Bears lost starting safety Jaquan Brisker in Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season due to a concussion, a noticeable void was missing in the secondary.Over the course of three seasons, Brisker has become one of the key components of the Bears' defense as the player who brings a high level of […]
When the Chicago Bears lost starting safety Jaquan Brisker in Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season due to a concussion, a noticeable void was missing in the secondary.
Over the course of three seasons, Brisker has become one of the key components of the Bears' defense as the player who brings a high level of energy and someone who isn't afraid to fly in and make the big play.
That style of play, however, has haunted Brisker since being drafted in the second-round by Chicago in 2022.
Brisker's concussion suffered against the Carolina Panthers forced him to miss the remaining 12 games of the season. Most concussions don't typically last that long, but for Brisker it was his third such injury in three seasons and this time he was forced to basically re-train his nervous system in order to clear protocol.
Unfortunately, concussions are part of the game. Brisker is far from the first player to experience such a serious one, and far from the first to go through multiple.
Going into the 2025 season, Brisker has a choice between returning as the same player on the field or altering his style of play to be more safe on the field. Former Pro Bowl defensive back Antrel Rolle offered some blunt advice for the Bears' young standout.
"The hardest thing to do is break habits. If you’ve been playing a certain way your whole life, that’s hard to break," Rolle explained. "Can you alter it, yeah, but would that have an effect on your game? Absolutely that would. Now you’re not being and playing as your 100% authentic self."
"Concussions are a serious deal we have to worry about, and in his case, I’m not quite sure you can prevent that. I think I had two. One time I jumped up for a ball, came down the wrong way and hit the back of my head. The next time, I was going to tackle Reggie Bush, and when I went to make the tackle, his knee hit the side of my temple. Those were my two concussions, and I don’t think I could have prevented either one of those. So altering his game, I don’t think that’s a realistic thing. You just have to go and play ball, man. The rest you leave up to God."
– via Kyle Odegard of Gambling Industry News
Rolle is correct. As much as Brisker would ideally want to avoid having another concussion and the Bears would want to have him on the field, changing his game wouldn't allow him to play at his top level and it would be a disservice to the defense.
Earlier in the offseason, Brisker returned to the field during organized team activities and spoke to the media for the first time since his injury. After going into detail on how the recovery process went, Brisker expressed a similar feeling.
"I’m not curious. I want to hit right now," Brisker said. "I’m going to play at full speed. I’m going to be a play maker. Nothing really changes, it’s just [that] I’m gonna be stronger, I’m gonna be a lot more mentally focused. My mind is really like probably like five or six years new or whatever the doctor said. I did so much work. I’m really past it, like I’m really moving on."
With such a freak injury, you never know if something like that can happen again. You can't play afraid on defense and at the safety position, you can't hesitate before coming in to make a tackle.
If Brisker is on the field, he needs to play 100% and play the game that he knows best. Doing so while staying healthy will be the key if he hopes to land a second contract in Chicago after the 2025 season.
Latest offseason workout video ahead of training camp brings forth an interesting question regarding the Bears’ starting secondary
Can this talented trio stay healthy?
