Did Prince Amukamara Hint at What Roquan Smith's Personal Issue Was?

One thing about the Chicago Bears locker room these days? It's about as tight-knit as any can get. Especially on the defensive side. The number of leaders GM Ryan Pace has assembled on this team is impressive. One of the most unsung is cornerback Prince Amukamara. Aside from being a good player, he's proven to be a steadying voice in the locker room. A guiding presence for the younger guys. It's curious to wonder if that leadership was on display recently.

Anybody who has followed the Bears over the past week must've heard about the bizarre Roquan Smith situation. Despite practicing every day before the Bears' big divisional game against the Minnesota Vikings, the second-year linebacker was suddenly deactivated from the lineup. The only reason given both then and every time the team was asked afterward? That it was a personal matter. Nothing else was offered despite frequent questions.

Then, almost by magic, Smith began practicing in full again and is already declared a lock to play in London against the Oakland Raiders. While this is good news for the Bears defense, it leaves his mysterious one-week hiatus unresolved. That's when, right around the time the questions were at a fever pitch, Amukamara posted this on his Instagram.

Prince Amukamara may be subtly telling people to ease off

Now there's no definitive proof this was connected to Smith in any way. That being said, the timing of it is interesting. Reports from Adam Schefter and Dan Graziano indicated that Smith "wasn't acting like himself" the week leading up to the game. While the money and the bright lights are great for professional athletes, few people understand it also comes with an incredible amount of stress.

Anybody who has dealt with high amounts of stress inevitably encounters anxiety. Some can cope with it better than others. Either way, it's a difficult condition to handle. Even for big, strong men like Smith.

It would make sense if this were the case. If Smith were dealing with anxiety issues, that would explain why Smith wasn't acting like himself. It also reveals why the Bears were steadfast in their methods for blocking the media probes. The last thing a young man needs is having his personal demons broadcast to the nation. Again, it's hard to say whether this is the case but Amukamara would be the sort of person to do something like that. He always has the back of his teammates. Something to think about.