Devon Witherspoon's college head coach had a congratulatory message for his former star.
The Seattle Seahawks made former Illinois Fighting Illini star defensive back Devon Witherspoon the fifth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft and have been rewarded with three Pro Bowl appearances and a 2025-26 Super Bowl championship.
Seattle's shrewd choice of Witherspoon has placed a spotlight on the Illinois football program and the coaching/development skills of head coach Bret Bielema, who will lead his Fighting Illini team into the 2026 season early next month.
On Saturday, Bielema turned his attention to Witherspoon after his former pupil signed a record NFL contract, calling attention to one of the biggest NFL feats of any Fighting Illini player in recent memory.
Aug 15, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon(21) during warmups before the game against the Dallas Cowboys t Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Bielema Short But Sweet
The 56-year-old Illinois head coach was short but sweet in his message to his former player Witherspoon, who signed a four-year, $132 million contract extension including over $101 million in guaranteed money making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
"Good things happen to good people that work for it," Bielema wrote with the hash tag #famILLy.
His post was seen over 15,000 times with over 400 likes on X as of Saturday night as fans shared their support for the ex-Illini star.
Witherspoon began his career in Champaign under head coach Lovie Smith, formerly the head coach of the Chicago Bears, and also played for interim head coach Rod Smith.
Lovie Smith's disastrous 17-39 tenure with the Fighting Illini gave way to the winning ways of Bielema in 2021.
Bielema coached Witherspoon for two seasons, helping to shape and mold him into a college football star and high draft pick.
Witherspoon's success stands as a monument to Bielema's experience and developmental abilities as a college football head coach, along with his ability to build relationships with his players from the day they set foot on campus.
Seahawks Gunning for Repeat Title
Witherspoon's Seahawks took on the Dallas Cowboys in exhibition action Saturday night as coach Mike Macdonald's team prepped for Sept. 9's regular season opener.
Sept. 9's matchup is a Super Bowl rematch in Seattle against coach Mike Vrabel's New England Patriots, a chance for Witherspoon to once again prove he is an elite NFL ballhawk.
Witherspoon is a rare, complete cornerback who tackles as well or better than he covers, a true weapon in today's spaced-out NFL where defensive backs must be on their toes at all times in both the running game and the passing game.
The Seahawks have all the pieces in place to become the NFL's first repeat champion since the 2022 and 2023 Kansas City Chiefs, although it will be an uphill battle.
Witherspoon isn't a household name outside diehard NFL circles, but he is getting there faster than just about anyone predicted.
The Seahawks are as likely as anyone else to win it all this season, and the former Fighting Illini star is as big a reason why as any other Seattle player.
