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Bears’ Nahshon Wright Dedicates Pivotal Interception to Late Coach John Beam

Police call Beam’s campus shooting targeted, with a suspect in custody.

Overview

  • With 42 seconds left in the first half, Wright intercepted J.J. McCarthy in the end zone on a pass to Jordan Addison, a swing play in Chicago’s 19-17 win at Minnesota.
  • Wright dropped to a knee as teammates gathered around him, later saying Beam “was behind me today” before sharing an emotional embrace with position coach Al Harris.
  • He said he will bring the interception ball to Oakland for Beam’s family after being named an honorary captain and playing through visible grief.
  • Beam coached Wright at Laney College in 2018 and remained a weekly mentor who stepped into a father-figure role after Wright’s father was killed in 2017, recently visiting Chicago to see Wright face his brother Rejzohn.
  • Oakland authorities confirmed Beam, 66, died Nov. 14 after being shot on campus the day prior, and they arrested 27-year-old Cedric Irving Jr., describing the attack as targeted and noting the suspect was not a Laney student but knew Beam.