16 October 2023
CHICAGO — Jordan Hicks is an unquestioned leader for the Vikings. The veteran linebacker has more experience than anyone on the defense other than veteran safety Harrison Smith. Together, the tandem of Hicks and Smith are the old heads on that side of the ball.
So the fact Hicks was the driving force for the Vikings in Sunday’s 19-13 victory over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field was rewarding to him. He finished the game with 10 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown.
“It felt good,” said Hicks, 31. “I felt young.”
After starting his NFL career nearly a decade ago out of the University of Texas, Hicks said he always feels like he has had to prove himself to some of the younger players on the roster. He doesn’t want to be relied upon solely because of his voice. He wants to make a difference with his play as well.
“You want to show them that there’s a reason why I’m still here,” Hicks said. “It feels good to be a part of a team that’s finding an identity.”
That identity seems to be rooted in playmaking more than anything else. Though the defense might be lacking in some areas, it has has scored two touchdowns this season, and the Vikings have won both games as a result. A couple of weeks after pass rusher D.J. Wonnum scooped and scored against the Carolina Panthers, Hicks did the same thing against the Bears.
“I haven’t been in the end zone since my rookie year,” Hicks said. “It’s been a while.”
It was an important touchdown, to say the least, as the Vikings struggled mightily on offense against the Bears. Who knows what would have happened if Hicks didn’t pounce on the ball after safety Josh Metellus forced the fumble? Luckily for the Vikings, they don’t have to live in that hypothetical.
“It just felt like he was not going to be denied a chance to be the guy to go out there and respond,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said. “I’m really, really happy with Jordan, and proud of him as one of our core leaders showing up the way he did.”
Asked about Hicks, quarterback Kirk Cousins noted that he played against him early in his NFL career.
“You just felt like this guy is going to play a long time in this league,” Cousins said. “You could just tell he was the real deal.”
He has continued to be that for the Vikings over the past couple of seasons. Especially on this particular day in the Windy City.
“We’re having fun out there,” Hicks said. “That’s what I want to do as an older guy.”
Can the Vikings keep the fun going? This might have been a step in the right direction.
“It shows what we’re capable of doing,” Hicks said. “You can overcome a lot of adversity with high energy and making plays. It’s not always going to be perfect. You feel this win and feel the feeling in the locker room and try to use that as fuel moving into the next week.”
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