Chicago Bears Players, Chairman Discuss Wearing 1936 Jerseys Ahead Of Sunday

Bears 1936 classic uniforms
Photo credit Chicago Bears

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Chicago Bears are set to wear this season's throwback uniforms Sunday when they take on the Vikings at Soldier Field. It will be the first time the classic jerseys have been worn since 1936.

The team released a video Tuesday night to address the controversy around wearing jerseys from a time when the NFL was segregated. Tight end Trey Burton, defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, linebacker Danny Trevathan, and quarterbacks Mitchell Trubisky and Chase Daniel - the five players who lead the team’s social justice committee - joined Bears chairman George H. McCaskey to discuss lessons learned from the past and how they can be applied to future growth and inclusion.

Although the NFL was integrated in its early days, there was a period from 1934-45 when there were no African-American players in the league.

For our NFC North showdown this Sunday at Soldier Field we'll be wearing our classic jerseys for the first time since 1936.Here’s an important message from our players and Chairman, looking ahead to Sunday. pic.twitter.com/SPbraNMFvL

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 25, 2019

“This Sunday against the Vikings our players will wear the 1936 classic jersey,” McCaskey said in the video. “That was from a time when unfortunately African-Americans were not included on the Bears or other NFL rosters. Integration of the NFL and the Bears was too long in coming. But we’re proud that this year’s Bears will be the first African-Americans to wear these jerseys.”

Hicks is honored to be among the first African-Americans to wear the 1936 uniforms.

“The importance of wearing this jersey goes way beyond this moment,” Hicks said in the video. “Wearing this jersey is a sign, a symbol for the people who came before us that weren’t allowed to wear this jersey. And now on our shoulders is the opportunity to represent not only our culture but our city and our team by wearing this jersey and being the first African-Americans to do so.”

“Join us in the celebration on Sunday as we take on the Vikings,” Daniel said in the video, “we learn from our past and use it to push forward for more growth in the next 100 years.”

According to the team, the Bears formed their social justice committee in 2018 after the NFL announced a social justice initiative. Last fall the Bears became the first NFL team to maximize the new league social justice initiative by announcing that five recipients would receive a total of $813,850 that was donated primarily by players, with matching grants from the Bears, Bears Care and the NFL Foundation.

“We assembled this committee last season to address the important social issues within our community,” Trubisky said in the video. “And together with the club we raised over $800,000 to give back to our community here in Chicago. We’re proud of this work, but we still have a long way to go.”