Preseason Star DeMarquis Gates' Crazy Story Of Almost Missing Bears Tryout

DeMarquis Gates has had a wild football career. After going undrafted in 2018 out of Ole Miss, he began an odyssey that carried him from the NFL to the AAF, the XFL, the CFL, the USFL, and finally back to the NFL. During that time, he emerged as the best linebacker in two different spring leagues (XFL and USFL), winning a championship in the latter. That performance drew the Chicago Bears' interest as training camp kicked off. They brought him in for a tryout, and he impressed, earning a new contract—a relatively straightforward story on the surface. It turns out there are some pretty insane details behind it. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, Gates' tryout was scheduled for August 5th. Things got dicey the night before when his flight was canceled. If that weren't bad enough, the next available one was overbooked the following morning. It looked like what could be his last NFL opportunity had vanished just like that.

“I was about to (leave the Atlanta airport),” Gates said. “I was just tired and you’re disappointed because those opportunities come seldomly. But something just told me to stick it out.” At the last minute, Gates’ name was called and he was the last person to board the flight, which arrived at O’Hare at 11 a.m. “I got off the plane and didn’t even grab my suitcase (at baggage claim),” he said. “I had my carry-on with my cleats and gloves in it and went straight to the car and had a sandwich during the ride because I wasn’t able to eat that morning. Got (to Halas Hall), changed real quick.”

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DeMarquis Gates hasn't wasted his opportunity.

That is the mark of a man determined upon his mission. It's not like he is independently wealthy. Gates didn't get paid big money during his various stops in the AAF, XFL, or USFL. Throwing away a perfectly good suitcase of valuable likely set him back a considerable amount of money. All for maybe a 50/50 chance of getting an invite to training camp. That is how much he wants to play in the NFL. Stories like him are easy to root for. The best part is the sacrifice wasn't in vain. Not only did DeMarquis Gates nail the tryout, but he also has played well in both of his preseason appearances. He has nine tackles in total, including three for a loss. His instincts and toughness stand out consistently on tape. Combine that with the mounting list of injuries at linebacker, and it looks like there is a real chance he can achieve his years-long dream of making an NFL roster. Considering what he had to go through to get this far, he's more than earned it.