Lou and Cassie join and react to the Bears' walk-off win | After the Whistle
Nahshon Wright had a key play in Sunday's win, and immediately the emotion struck him.
Late in the first half, Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy took a shot at the end zone. The Bears' starting cornerback, who was guarding Vikings' receiver Jordan Addison, turned and tracked the underthrown ball.
Interception.
In that moment, Wright fell to one knee. His teammates surrounded him. Wright paid homage to his late father figure, John Beam.
Beam was tragically killed last week in a shooting authorities said was a "targeted" shooting. Wright played with a heavy heart. He played the game Beam mentored him in on Sunday.
"He meant the world to me," Wright said.
Big picture view:
Beam was a coach at Laney College, and gained fame on the popular 2020 Netflix show, "Last Chance U." Wright attended Laney College in 2018, and Wright's younger brother, Rejzohn, was featured in the 2020 season of the series "Last Chance U."
Like Nahshon, Rejzohn currently plays in the NFL. He's a cornerback for the New Orleans Saints.
Authorities investigating the case described it cryptically as a "targeted" shooting. Beam had retired from Laney as head football coach in 2024, and was hired back as the community college's athletic director.
Wright said Sunday that Beam was instrumental in helping him process the death of his father in 2017, and became more than just a football coach.
"When my dad was killed, he came and got me out the bed," Wright said. "Someone I can confide in, someone that I love dearly. Beam stepped in, stepped in as a father role."
Wright's teammates had his back during the week, supporting him in his loss.
They watched with delight as Wright came down with an interception late in the first half, defending Jordan Addison.
"He looked like lob city, the way he got up there," Bears safety Kevin Byard said. "He was playing with a heavy heart today."
The interception Wright recorded wasn't just a big play, it was pivotal in the Bears' win. It kept points off the board in a 19-17 win. Had Minnesota even scored a field goal, it would have meant the Bears were playing for overtime at the end of regulation instead of winning the game.
Wright's teammates told him he would have his moment Sunday against the Vikings, the team that traded for Wright before the 2024 season.
"I told him earlier this week he was going to get one," Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson said. "It came true, in the place where he came from."
What's next:
Wright is mourning his former coach and father figure, and he's going to dedicate his performance on Sunday vs. the Vikings to him.
After the game, Wright said he was going to give the ball he intercepted to Beam's family. It was a way of showing the family how much Beam meant to him in his football career.
Sunday, Wright played with a heavy heart on his sleeve.
Wright said he knows Beam will be with him the rest of his football career.
"He's been there every step of the way, and it won't stop," Wright said. "I gained an angel."
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