Family Fest came and went Saturday without the disastrous injury that ruined last year’s — “Knock on wood,” coach John Fox said — but the Soldier Field exhibition was about more than bullet-dodging.
Here are three players that stood out, and why:
Mitch Trubisky wasn’t intimidated. The rookie quarterback was perhaps the most popular player among the fans — heck, the public address announcer even called out his first-ever completion at Soldier Field, like it was a milestone.
He completed 3-of-5 passes for 42 yards in team drills; he had one pass batted down and threw an incompletion on another when a blocker was pushed into him.
Victor Cruz has noticed the rookie’s attitude.
“Just his eagerness to learn,” the receiver said. “He’s not above the game. He doesn’t feel like he’s entitled to anything because he was drafted so high. I think he’s coming in eager, young, bright-eyed, ready to learn the game and grow as an athlete.”
Tarik Cohen won’t back down. The undersized running back was fearless in the Bears’ first prolonged live tackling session of camp, even as he was wrestled to the ground with particular violence.
Fox wasn’t surprised by his performance.
“I think I’ve seen enough of him to kinda know,” Fox said. “I think he’s a young football player.”
Prince impressed. The Bears weren’t thrilled with their tackling technique, but Fox singled out exactly one defender.
“I saw Prince Amukamara got his hands on a couple balls,” he said.
Amukamara, who missed part of training camp this week because his wife had appendicitis, has been able to pass wisdom throughout his position group.
“A lot of those veteran guys that we brought in — whether it’s Quintin Demps or PrinceAmukamara as well as Marcus (Cooper) — helps those young guys understand situations, receiver locations,” Fox said last week. ‘Some of the nuances that sometimes with a young player takes a minute,”
