(670 The Score) When veteran linebacker Danny Trevathan joined the Bears in early 2016, he had just won a Super Bowl with Denver and was fascinated by Chicago's history at his position.
Trevathan hoped his future with the Bears would include another championship ring and the chance for him to become one of the franchise's great players. Those same goals were also what led him back to Chicago for a new contract this offseason.
"I want to be remembered," Trevathan said Friday. "Legacy lives on forever.
"You always want to leave behind something that can be remembered of yourself."
Trevathan, 30, was in line to be coveted player on the open market this past March, but he didn't waste any time with his decision. He signed with the Bears on a three-year deal worth north of $21 million days before free agency began.
Trevathan admitted he faced a difficult decision of whether to play amid the coronavirus pandemic this season. His fiancee has chronic asthma, and he has young children in the household. Those were factors Trevathan took into consideration, but he felt comfortable enough with the Bears' health protocols to play.
For the Bears, bringing Trevathan back means a great deal. He's not just a key player on the field but also an important presence in the locker room.
"How I feel about Danny off the field is just as strong as how I feel about him on the field," Bears inside linebackers coach Mark DeLeone told reporters Thursday. "I think it means a lot to Danny to finish his career as a Chicago Bear and bring a Super Bowl to this city and win for this city and go down as one of the great Bear linebackers.
"There's no place in the NFL that has linebacker tradition like the Chicago Bears. And I think that really means something to Danny to go down in history as one of the great Bears linebackers."
Trevathan has played in 46 games over his four seasons with the Bears, recording 327 total tackles. He and Roquan Smith have created a rock-solid tandem at the inside linebacker position.
Back with the Bears for another run, Trevathan is ready to create a winning legacy.
"I want to leave that out there because this is such a great tradition of linebackers the Bears have," Trevathan said. "I want to be up there in there. And to do that, I have to make plays. A Super Bowl would definitely put a stamp on that.
"I have one Super Bowl, but that's definitely not with the team that I'm with. But I feel like we're so close right now and to do would add to that legacy."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
