Dennis McKinnon Gives Marian Football Players Life Advice

Coming off the field at Marian Catholic, the varsity football team had a surprise waiting for them inside the leadership center. Besides the annual Thursday night practice dinner, there was a special person who joined the menu, Dennis McKinnon from the 1985 Super Bowl Champion Chicago Bears team.

“Today I had an opportunity to come out and fellowship and talk to the players about the world we live in “explains McKinnon. “This is more than just sports, it’s about life. There is so much going on in the world right now that’s not really good. The more you talk, the more you communicate, today I have an opportunity to touch kid’s lives.”

McKinnon had run into his niece, Erin Mueller who is a teacher at Marian Catholic, during his book signing in Naperville. He recently came out with a new book titled Silky D Bears All. Mueller encouraged the former Bear now business owner and author to visit with the varsity football team.

“I told Erin I go around the state and speak to students,” said McKinnon. “I have a great Christian spiritual foundation for everything that I do and wanted to share some of that with the players” he added.

As players sat around tables, McKinnon spoke of life lessons that Marian Catholic varsity football players could take with them. It was his first time being at Marian Catholic in Chicago Heights.

“I’m old school” McKinnon told them. “At a time when privacy meant something there was no social media, there was no internet. Everyone who you spoke to, you knew. I’m in a world of love, not likes.”

McKinnon asked the players to raise their hands if they’re on social media. Every hand in the leadership center went up.

“Do you know all your followers” McKinnon asks the players. A lot of no’s went across the room. “Do all of you accept people because they give you a like? If I don’t know you, you don’t have direct contact with me” explains McKinnon. “If you’re in my life you already passed the test, I allowed you in.”

As McKinnon leaned forward in his chair, his voice got serious. You could feel his compassion for the students listening.

“Racism has no color unless you talk about it” McKinnon tells the players. “Everybody here believes in God?” All hands went up again. “That is our foundation” he adds. McKinnon tells them he doesn’t drink, smoke or do drugs. He has never been arrested or ever had to experience being handcuffed.

He tells he players that their legacy is tied to their family, where they’re from and their last name.

“It has history” explains McKinnon. “It goes back decades, it goes back centuries. Everything you do is tied to your legacy. How people remember you is tied to your legacy” he continues.

McKinnon encourages all ages with his advice. “The most important thing is learn how to be safe, surround yourself with good people, never lose faith and create your own voice. God doesn’t make mistakes, everybody is a special child. You have to learn how to be patient. Sometimes the gift that God gives you takes awhile to show. Don’t abandon when things are lost or seem lost, always fall back on your faith.”

Before McKinnon leaves he speaks about his life and his survival in later years. “I came from a family that didn’t have a whole lot of money. We had love and we had faith, those things kept me on a narrow path most of my life” explains McKinnon. “I’ve gone through life, it’s up’s and down’s. I found out what love, friendship, betrayal and jealousy is. All those things are part of life. If you haven’t experienced hurt, disappointment and lawsuits you haven’t lived.”

One of his best memories was meeting former President Obama and visiting him in the white house. “I’m forever proud, that is a reflection of all the possibilities for us, regardless of the boundaries and the obstacles set in front of us. You can still achieve. That is a benchmark in what greatness can be.”