Brisker will 'knock your helmet off' in Bears' docuseries originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
In a short docuseries create by the Bears, Jaquan Brisker shared his story of growing up in Pittsburgh. From the small idiosyncrasies young Brisker carried with him when he was young, it's clear he was destined to be a professional football player.
"He used to be so good at like remembering names of football players on Madden," Brian Jones, a family friend, said. "When he was like six, seven, eight years old, we would be like 'Yo, who's the left guard for the Kansas City Chiefs?' and he'll know the first string, the second string, the third string guy."
One of Brisker's best qualities, outside of anything physical, is his ability to read an offense and exercise his football IQ. Seemingly, that came from a young age and helped him throughout his football career.
Brisker's mother, Mijohni, said Jaquan used to wear his brother's pads, carry around a football and constantly break things in the house. He was a like a lion ready to be broken free from his cage.
Once he got to Gateway High School in Pittsburgh, he was finally able to let loose.
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"He'll knock your helmet off," Brisker's high school coach, Vaughn Rivers, said of his physical talents.
While Brisker came into high school looking like a "string," as his high school coaches said, he filled out. He worked out with one of his coaches at 6 a.m. every Saturday throughout the summer.
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Brisker's most memorable moment from high school for was running back a punt return and making "a few people miss" as he sprinted up the sideline to score a touchdown.
While Brisker was growing his NFL dreams in high school, he experienced tragedy at home.
Jaquan's older brother, Tale, was shot and killed at 19 years old at an apartment in Prairie View, Texas. Jaquan was 15 years old when it happened.
"He was quiet. He was angry. You could tell he was angry," Brikser's mother said. "I think we all went through a stage with that where we were just kinda lost without Tale."
Ever since then, Brisker holds up an "L" with his thumb and index finger to commemorate Tale's memory while he's on the field. He thanks his older brother for the blessings he gives him on the field.
His blessings certainly came on the field too. At Penn State, his most memorable play came in the game against then No. 12 Wisconsin with Brisker's game-saving interception late in the game.
"You see me running across the field to my teammates and I just remember the whole team jumping," Brisker said. "That was such a great moment right there."
All up through college he made memorable moments. This past spring, however, he made another one when Bears general manager Ryan Poles called him.
"I got a question for you. Are you ready to be a Chicago Bear?"
Brisker was taken No. 48 overall by the Bears with the 16th pick of the second round in the 2022 NFL Draft. He is expected to immediately join All-Pro safety Eddie Jackson as his running mate.
Not only do Bears fans have high expectations and hopes for the young safety, so does his family.
"I just hope that he ends up being the best damn safety in the nation," Brisker's mother said.
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