‘I was nervous’… Charles Tillman reveals the two players that made him anxious ahead of his first Chicago Bears start

EXCLUSIVE: Charles Tillman made his first-ever Chicago Bears start against two NFL legends.

‘Peanut’ had a magnificent football career, with the superstar dazzling fans with his phenomenal skills and unrelenting will to win. And now he’s inspiring the next generation by attending Chicago Bears Flag clinics in the UK in a bid to grow the game he holds so close to his heart.

Charles Tillman was nervous to play Jerry Rice and Tim Brown

In 2003, Charles Tillman burst onto the scene, making a massive impression on Chicago Bears fans. Showcasing his ability to perform on the big stage, in his very first start for his hometown side, the cornerback stepped up to the plate, producing an excellent performance against an Oakland Raiders side featuring two players for whom he had enormous respect.

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In an exclusive interview with Sporf, Tillman reminisced: “I was very nervous because Tim Brown and Jerry Rice are two of the greatest receivers that have ever played the game, and that was my first start. I was specifically nervous about Jerry Rice because he was a guy that I grew up watching, but I still feel like I had a good game. I was a little starstruck at first, but once we started to play the game, I felt pretty good, and I thought I did a decent job. I’m not going to say I locked them down, but my coverage was pretty decent.”

Charles Tillman is building something massive with the Chicago Bears

With his legacy secure, Tillman is determined to give back to the future stars of the sport, with the 45-year-old recently attending a Flag clinic in Liverpool, UK.

When asked about the experience during the event, the retired sportsman replied: “I’m just hanging around with the kids. The Chicago Bears are big on growing the game in the UK. We’ve had clinics, and they’ve been very successful. A lot of the kids were saying, ‘Hey, Peanut, I remember you from last year, you gave me a glove’. So, in my opinion, it’s always good to come back and see the kids who came to clinics last year, which means we’re doing our job.”

Featured Image Credit: Chicago Bears