It is not easy to make it to the NFL. Only a small percentage of college football players go on to make NFL rosters, so for those who do, it is a big deal, and Illinois head coach Bret Bielema makes sure to celebrate with each of his guys.
The NFL season is now officially a week away, and this past Monday, teams had to cut rosters down to 53 players, with some coaches breaking hearts and others making dreams come true. For Illinois, 23 former Illini will hit the field with their teams this season, and a few others still made practice squads, like former QB Luke Altmyer.
Bielema has always spoken highly of his players, and that didn't change when sharing his feelings about his guys making NFL rosters, even at one point holding back tears. We see you, Bret, and it's okay to be a softy sometimes.
"I'm not just remotely proud of that, I'm super proud of that. I just can't imagine being told you are on an NFL roster," Bielema said, holding back his emotions. "It's been absolutely awesome to see all these guys get rewarded... Those guys are living their dreams."
#Illini head coach Bret Bielema grew emotional this morning when asked about the number of former Illinois players who made NFL rosters.
— Glenn Kinley (@glenn_kinley) September 1, 2026
"I'm not just remotely proud of that, I'm super proud of that... It's been absolutely awesome to see all these guys get rewarded... Those guys… pic.twitter.com/aBsQA83JZz
Bret Bielema's joy for his guys making NFL rosters speaks to the type of coach he is
The relationship between a coach and a player is a special one, and some may think that at the college and NFL levels, it can be hard to have those relationships with so many players on the roster. Bielema proves that even though he has coached many guys over the years, he is still making the effort to form relationships that last after their college years.
Bielema spoke about the call he had with former defensive lineman Te-Rah Edwards, who played for Illinois from 2022 to 2024. Edwards was recently traded from the Los Angeles Chargers to the Carolina Panthers and made the 53-man roster for the Panthers. Bielema called up Edwards, ready to congratulate him, and Edwards said that Bielema beat him to the call.
To see Bielema get emotional talking about the pride he has in his guys making NFL rosters is not a side seen very often from the Illinois head coach. It shows the love he has for his guys, even the ones he hasn't coached in years.
Like Bielema said, the hard work has paid off for these guys, even the ones who made the practice squad. Those guys are in the building, and that is the most important place to be in order to get better. He is so proud of them, and it really shows.
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