Former Ohio State Football player graduates along with 6 other teammates

There is an argument that can be made that Justin Fields, in just two seasons, has become the most successful Ohio State quarterback that has gone on to play in the NFL. It would be easy for one who is now a multimillionaire, once college is in the rearview mirror, to leave it there. But that’s not the kind of man Fields is.

Yesterday was a beautiful day for graduation, and one of the gentlemen who walked across that stage to receive his degree was Fields. He chose to continue his education at Ohio State despite being a starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears in the most prestigious league in all of sports and an excellent career as an Ohio State football player.

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Fields wasn’t the lone Buckeye from the football team to graduation. Current linebackers Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers also received their degrees from Ohio State along with Kourt Williams II, Jaden McKenzie, Michael O’Shaughnessy, and Bradley Robinson. These seven footballers were numbered along with a reported 190-plus student-athletes who can now say they are graduates of THE Ohio State University.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, college graduates who earn a bachelor’s degree earn almost 40% more a week than individuals who hold only a high school diploma. It is true that these numbers can be skewed by many different factors, such as the unemployment rate of those with a college education vs. those without. And it is also true that Justin Fields financially was an anomaly when looking at these statistics. But that does not change the fact that Fields never stopped working toward his goal of graduating from college.

Most of the student-athletes who walked across that stage Sunday will never play their sport professionally. And even some who are lucky enough to get an opportunity won’t do so beyond a few years, especially if they are trying their hand at football.

But I find it reassuring that someone like Fields, despite his success both professionally, and financially, still felt the desire to also be a success educationally. This is the kind of achievement that should be highlighted and talked about because although very few have the ability to throw a football like him, all of us can wake up each day with the desire to achieve more.