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After suffering a season-ending injury in his rookie season, former Howard University star Ian Wheeler is inching closer to recovery. A standout prospect in the 2024 preseason for the Chicago Bears, Wheeler's promising start was cut short.
In the Bears' 33-6 preseason win over the Buffalo Bills in August 2024, Wheeler had a breakout performance, finishing the game with two touchdowns and 43 rushing yards on five carries. He quickly became a fan favorite and was featured prominently on HBO's Hard Knocks. Wheeler's rookie season was ultimately derailed after he suffered an ACL injury during a preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The emotional moments following the injury were captured on Hard Knocks, where he was met in the locker room by his mother. She greeted him with comforting words, saying, “God's got you covered. It's not gonna be as bad as they think. I'm so proud of you.”
In a heartfelt discussion with Bears’ General Manager Ryan Poles, Wheeler shared his gratitude for staying connected with the team. Poles offered encouraging words, highlighting the strong sense of community within the Bears’ locker room.
“I'm proud of you. And I can't wait to see what your ceiling's gonna be. You have a lot of talent and you had the entire staff rooting for you. Everyone was extremely excited with your progress and where you were headed. Let's continue to stay positive because I think the only dangerous part about being on IR is, obviously, you miss being on the field but then if you become stagnant mentally, then you kinda start to lose your way. And I don't want that to happen.
He continued. “My door is always open, alright? My phone is always on. If you want to talk, if you want to cry, whatever you need to do, I'm here for you. You're a part of the team. We'll see how your journey is gonna continue on.”
In June, Wheeler gave an update on his recovery in a feature on the Howard University athletics website authored by Rob Knox. He spoke about the challenge of suffering an injury at such a pivotal point in his career.
“It was bittersweet,” Wheeler said. “You work hard and sometimes stuff does not go your way. But being placed on IR turned out to be a blessing. It gave me a chance to slow down, learn the game better, focus on my rehab and become the best version of myself for this coming season.”
He spoke about awareness of the tremendous opportunity in front of him, especially as a former HBCU athlete. After suffering the injury, he stayed on the team as injury reserve and still has the opportunity to see the field once again for Chicago.
“I am just extremely grateful,” Wheeler said. “A lot of people work hard and never get the chance to step inside of an NFL facility. The fact that I am here, still putting my best foot forward and still playing at the highest level — that is a blessing I will never take for granted.”
He also provided an update on his recovery journey as he looks to return to the gridiron for the Bears this season.
“Recovery is going great. Every week I'm getting better. No setbacks, just steady progress. I will be cleared in the coming weeks. And I am excited — it feels like we have the right guys in place to do something special.”
