A Love Letter to Terry Beckner, Jr.

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You will also notice a complete absence of swagger in this big man on campus. The East St. Louis native is as humble as a pie-eyed freshman. He’s shy around fans, and quietly shops for his essentials at “No Gas” like the rest of the student body.

Every Mizzou fan knows Beckner was one of the most highly touted recruits in recent Mizzou history, and everyone also knows that Beckner could have left Columbia last year for the money and fame offered by the NFL. But Beckner showed us why every Mizzou fan ought to have a Beckner jersey in their closet, when he stuck around to help his team, to get his degree, and to secure his place in Tiger history.

Beckner comes from humble beginnings and the promise of financial security is a strong motivator. Few have the patience and resolve to delay gratification and to stay true to their goals. Terry Beckner Jr. is not like most men though. He is a man of quiet resolve. His teammates will tell you that he has learned to become a leader and to speak up in the clubhouse when something needs to be said. But few fans see that side of him. He is quiet by nature. He keeps a private Twitter account and rarely tweets. He keeps his responses to media and adoring fans to one or two soft words. The roar of passion is reserved for his inner circle.

There’s something else you don’t see from Beckner. After two devastating knee injuries, you never saw complaints or self-pity. You didn’t see stories in the newspapers of scrapes with the law, so common amongst other young men in the spotlight. All you saw from Beckner was work.

And when he returned to Mizzou, you saw love. He stayed to get his degree because of the love for his family. You saw dedication to support the team and coaches he loves. And you saw a young man stay true to the school he loves, when the world came calling with briefcases full of money.

Because of all of this, every one of us Tiger fans should be the biggest Terry Beckner Jr. fans in the world when his name gets called by the NFL. Beckner is in the same class as our superstar quarterback Drew Lock, but Beckner did most of his work under the radar. He deserves a little spotlight. He deserves some love right back. I say, retire #5. He’s a legend.

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I hope the dude makes millions in the NFL. He’s been a great Tiger

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