Chi-Town Browns Backers keep fingers crossed for Cleveland

By Grace Austin Cleveland Browns fans often speak of the “Factory of Sadness,” a nickname for FirstEnergy Stadium, where the often-losing NFL team plays. Since the team’s return to Cleveland in 1999, the Browns have made the playoffs only once, in 2002. Last season, they won only one game. But in the heart of Wrigleyville, Chicago’s Chi-Town […]

Turning an adaptive lifestyle into a rewarding lifestyle

By Hannah Gebresilassie A Medill Newsmakers Report When society thinks of people in wheelchairs, we often think of what they can’t do instead of what they can do. In this edition of Medill Newsmakers, wheelchair users in Chicago open up about living an adaptive lifestyle. The perspectives come from gunshot survivors, Skyhawks wheelchair basketball team […]

Vikings’ Laquon Treadwell makes new friends, learns to play checkers on draft day

By Hannah Gebresilassie From visiting patients in the a.m. to getting drafted in the p.m., Laquon Treadwell had an “emotional rollercoaster” on draft day. Treadwell spent the morning visiting patients at Shriners Hospital for Children – Chicago on April 28. There he made two new friends, 8-year-old Sheila Bourke and 10-year-old Katie Kuehn, who taught […]

NFL Draft 2016: The memories in pictures

FEATURED-IMAGE-SLIDESHOW

By Hannah Gebresilassie and Aishwarya Kumar Lakshminarayanapuram The 2016 NFL Draft came to an end, but the memories are still fresh. From Ezekiel Elliott’s selfie with Commissioner Roger Goodell to the first European player to be drafted in the NFL straight from the European league, the three-day event had it all. Here are some pictures […]

Looking good! Local shop helps NFL prospects suit up

By Adam Rossow Hundreds of college prospects are in Chicago this weekend for the NFL Draft. Many will put on a special draft-day suit to make sure they look sharp for their big moment. ESQ Clothing, which specializes in customized and tailored menswear, has found a niche with athletes of all shapes and sizes over […]

Moving on? The windy city hosts the 2016 NFL Draft

By Nicole Sedivy In 2015, the NFL Draft moved to Chicago after its 50 year run in New York City. Now in its second year in Chicago, the draft celebration is bigger and better than last year. But NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said a change may be made. [vimeo 164719576 w=474] Photo at top: NFL […]

NFL Draft prospects are bigger than ball at Shriners Hospital

By Hannah Gebresilassie The NFL Draft is more than contract negotiations and draft picks. It’s a time for the top players in the country to give back. On Thursday morning, fifteen future NFL players participated in an NFL Play 60 Clinic at Shriners Hospital for Children. Seventeen kids received certificates for completing the clinic. [vimeo […]

NFL Draft Town: Fans line up for three days of football fun

By Nicole Sedivy NFL fans lined up to get inside Draft Town Thursday. Located in Grant Park, the gates to the football playground opened around noon. The three-day festival is for all ages and admission is free. Fans can race the clock in a 40-yard dash, kick a football through the uprights, take a ride […]