New Chicago Bears Safety Jordan Lucas "110 Percent" Will Take a Knee
Jordan Lucas hasn't been a Chicago Bear for long but he already is making his presence known.
Lucas became the first Bears player to say during an interview he will kneel during the Star Spangled Banner. Several others last week had expressed support for kneeling but wouldn't say they would do it.
"One hundred and ten percent, I plan to kneel," Lucas said. "In 2016, my rookie year, as many of you can probably guess, I was scared to kneel. I didn't want to lose my position on the team. I didn't want to be looked at differently, just by the front office or the coaches just because I didn't have a name. I didn't really have a spot on the team. I didn't want to lose anything. I just got there.
"But I think a lot of people are seeing now that it's much bigger than the flag and disrespecting the flag. We're not disrespecting the flag, nor the military. I think people are really starting to understand that now."
Lucas said he and his wife have been aware of the movement against police violence and supported it, but will take it to another level now.
"My wife is a very vocal person on social media about all the issues that are going on across the world, about George Floyd and all the other innocent black people that have been killed and have not been brought to justice yet," Lucas said. "As far as I go, I use my platform to spread news that I wasn't even aware of, because it's all about learning and educating other.
"I have to educate myself. My wife has been educating herself throughout this process. Her friends have. My friends have. My friends have been to protests. We're all on group messages and everything just talking about what's going on in this world and how we can change in the situation we're in right now. I have a family and a son, so I have a lot more to worry about as far as the family aspect goes."
They will put their money where their mouths are, so to speak.
"So I'm not on the front line protesting, but what I am doing is donating money to different foundations, helping people get out of jail as well—donating for protestors that have been thrown in jail for peacefully protesting, things like that," Lucas said. "And it's just going to keep on growing. The things that I do, the things that my family does, is just gonna keep on growing. This is just the start."
Lucas doesn't think the entire team has to decide whether to stand or kneel together.
"It should definitely be left up to the individual," Lucas said. "As far as the team goes, I feel that if you take a stand, take a certain stand, then stand on it. Stand for something. At the end of the day, stand for something."
Lucas signed as a free agent after being a backup for Kansas City and winning a Super Bowl ring. He's competing in a deep safety field for a starting and/or roster spot. Tashaun Gipson, Deon Bush, DeAndre Houston-Carson, Sherrick McManis and Kentrell Brice are all involved in that competition.
"Top-five defense, that's all I think of when I think of the Bears defense," Lucas said. "That is all I thought the last two years just watching you guys, top five defense no question."
Lucas was a gunner on the Chiefs' punt team and worked under former Bears special teams coordinator Dave Toub. When the Chiefs played the Bears, he was part of the group trying to stop or contain return man Cordarrelle Patterson.
"Our special teams coach, coach Toub in Kansas City, he calls (Patterson) Crazy Horse," Lucas said.
Patterson has left an impression everywhere.
"We didn't want him running all over us because we know his capabilities, so we want to put him in as many tough positions as we can."
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