Giving back is not something Bears defensive tackle Justin Jones thinks about much; rather, it’s something that’s always been there in him.
Jones grew up in a single-parent home and recalls feeling compelled to help his mother, who “worked hard for us.” Jones’ first priority was making sure his mother had everything she needed, and eventually helping out his brother, teammates, or friends became second priority. “I’ve always been the helper,” Jones said. “I’ve always felt really good about just making people feel good, making people happy, seeing smiles. Stuff like that makes me happy.”
Therefore, even if it’s simply words of encouragement or making sure you have something for Christmas or food for Thanksgiving, it’s still nice to be able to help someone else.
Little things like that make me happy because I’m not asking for anything for Christmas. Nothing at all for my birthday, please. Seeing to it that everyone else is content is my goal. That describes me in some ways.
The Bears’ nomination for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award is Justin Jones.
Jones has spread that giving spirit and selfless mindset throughout the Chicagoland community since joining the Bears in March 2022. A few examples of how he has done this include supporting the Bears Care Galas, becoming a regular on Tuesday community visits, and providing financial assistance to a single mother and her family during the holidays.
In addition to his seasoned leadership in the locker room as a reliable defensive line starter, Jones’ commitment to giving back to the community and his use of his platform to promote positivism earned him the Bears’ nomination for the Nationwide 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
The NFL’s highest distinction is given to players who not only perform well on the field but also show a strong desire to make a good, long-lasting difference in their communities off the field.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles stated, “This award probably means more to this club than any other club in the National Football League.” We’re searching for guys who have the same values as Walter Payton, a Chicago Bear, in terms of how they’re transforming the community, particularly in this city of Chicago.
“Justin Jones is a man who spends a lot of time in the community. He has had a great impact on this city, mentoring young guys in Chicago and sponsoring women’s flag football, among other things.”
A video from the Payton family stunned Jones with the nomination at a team meeting in November. Although Jones said he wasn’t expecting the nomination, he “definitely appreciates” the Payton family’s and the Bears organization’s support. Jones is “in awe” that he will represent the Bears this season since he knows how crucial character and community involvement are to the team.
Although Jones was surprised to be nominated, everybody who knows the veteran knows he deserves it. Jones participates in Youth Guidance’s “Becoming A Man” program on a regular basis during the season. This counseling program helps young men in grades 7 through 12 acquire, internalize, and practice social cognitive skills, help them make responsible decisions for the future, and help them become positive members of their community and school.
Jones attends the BAM program and engages in conversation circles with the young men where they chat about a range of topics, including how to handle emotions and different life events and inquiries.
“Seeing what BAM is doing with all these kids, it’s just unreal,” Jones stated. “Even though the group meetings are only 50 minutes long, I think they have some of the biggest effects I’ve ever experienced since they are genuine. You’re showing them more of you than just your love of football. What was it like to grow up, they want to know? What is fatherhood like?
How does being a spouse feel? How does being a son feel? You and I grew up very similar. How did you manage this?Thus, in my opinion, that material travels the furthest.”
Jones’s own experience with mental health is the source of his love for BAM. Jones relocated to a city he had never even been to before after being selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2018, putting him far away from his friends and family.
Due to the time difference and the hectic schedule of an NFL player, he found it difficult to maintain contact with his people. It was too early for him when his friends and relatives called. It was already too late for his friends and family when he called them.
“I kind of went to a dark place being out there,” Jones stated. “I really just wanted to be by myself; I didn’t want to hang out with everyone or do a lot of different things. I had the impression that was something I had done in the past. I used to kind of withdraw inside myself whenever something felt off or uneasy for me.”
Jones didn’t grasp what was going on until the end of 2020, when his daughter was born. In an attempt to better himself and his family, he asked himself, “Why am I this way?” and learnt how to deal with the answers he found.
“Emotional intelligence in general, that’s something that we don’t really talk about as men,” Jones said. “When you’re growing up and you’re crying, it was kind of like ‘Hey, man up. We don’t cry.’ But it is healthy to cry. It is healthy to be upset. It is healthy to be angry. But it’s also healthy to be happy and joyful – they are all healthy emotions. But at a young age, you’re not really taught how to process those emotions the way that you need to process them so that you can still maintain healthy relationships.”
Jones was able to further separate himself from that terrible area by moving to Chicago. In addition to the Bears’ outreach initiatives, he stays engaged in activities that foster a sense of community and connection with those around him.
He’s started going out to dinner or playing video games with his teammates during the past two years. These experiences gave Jones a new lease on life and inspired him to mentor the BAM students.
“Just being able to tell the kids, ‘hey, yeah, we’re on this big platform, but we’re all human and we all fight some kind of demon at some point and sometimes you need help,'” Jones explained. “I feel like that’s one of the biggest things that BAM has done for not only myself, but a bunch of kids across the area.”
In addition to his work at BAM, Nicole Mitchell, a deaf single mother of three children living in a southwest suburban Cook County community, had her life transformed by Jones last winter. For the holidays, Jones took in Mitchell and her family, giving them Bears attire for her, her son Myles, and her daughters Mynayla and Myangela, as well as a variety of gift cards for groceries, gas, and electronics.
“I just know that growing up in a single parent home, you can’t give your kids everything,” Jones said. “For those who have the money to do what they want with their kids, they probably lack time. And those who have the time, they probably lack the funding. If you’re doing it all by yourself, something’s missing and your kids really do need it all. They need the good gifts to show appreciation, but they also need the time for you to be there.”
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