“God Got You Covered” – Bears Rookie Ian Wheeler’s Mom Consoles Him After Torn ACL In Heart-Wrenching ‘Hard Knocks’ Clip

Better get your tissues ready for this one. A cruel reminder of how harsh the injury-plagued reality of the NFL can be, and the personal toll it takes on the players and their families. It was quite something for Ian Wheeler just to register on the Chicago Bears' radar in the first place. All due respect to Howard University, they aren't exactly a powerhouse college football program that consistently produces NFL players. Wheeler faced an uphill battle upon arrival to the Windy City as it was, competing with the likes of D'Andre Swift, Khalil Herbert and other proven running backs for a spot on the new-look, Caleb Williams-led Bears offense . Unfortunately for Wheeler, who made a splash a couple weeks ago with four carries, 52 yards and two TDs in a preseason game against the Bills, he suffered a torn ACL and will be out for the season. Thanks to HBO's Hard Knocks series, we got a look behind the scenes of Wheeler and his mother once they found out the ominous news. https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1828839646878478357 Wheeler's mom agreed with him that everything is happening as it's fated to, based on God's timing. Clearly faith means a lot to them, and really, any way you can find a silver lining amid such a devastating situation is a big win no matter how you look at it. Running back is already quite a volatile position with a shorter shelf life than others simply because of how physically taxing it is. What a bad hand to be dealt right out of the gates for Wheeler as he continues to chase down his NFL dream. The Bears did place him on injured reserve, which keeps him in the fold for the time being. Somebody on Chicago's scouting staff is digging deep in all corners of the college level for prospects. It took me a not-inconsiderable amount of time to track down Wheeler's stats from last season. No clue if he was injured or not, but he was Howard's third-leading rusher . Imagine finding Howard's third-leading rusher and watching him be productive in any preseason NFL context. What a thrill that must be as a talent evaluator. Kudos to whoever that was. Ian Wheeler highlights to play you out, and all the best to him and his mother as they navigate what will hopefully be a quick, full recovery. https://twitter.com/HUBisonSports/status/1822385367732867531