“I’m gonna have to beat guys out, but I’m ready to do that.” Offensive Tackle Theo Benedet perfectly summed up his excitement after the Chicago Bears signed him as a free agent. Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers also offered a contract, but he turned them down. OT’s life has changed completely in a decade. He grew up playing soccer, basketball, and shotput before picking up football in 10th grade. Little did he know, his life’s gonna change with that decision.

Theo Benedet was born to Trevor and Janine Benedet on October 12, 2001, in Toronto, Canada. Dad, Trevor, is a prosecutor but has been a sportsperson his whole life. He did archery, rowing, and cycling during college and still does fencing. Mother, Janine, teaches law at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia. She has seen him grow from a young boy to this massive athlete. Explaining his excitement for sports, she revealed that when she drove him to his first soccer practice; he got out of the car before she could park it.

When the head coach at UBC, Blake Nill, saw him at the Handsworth Secondary School, he wanted the young boy to pursue football more seriously. When Nill approached Janine, she told him, “Coach, I spent my whole life trying to keep him out of football and now you’re telling me you want him in football?” But she later agreed with his proposal. Regarding Theo, she only had one condition, “I just said to Theo, you finish your degree, and it’s fine with me, which he did.”

OT also found ample support from his younger sister, Lucie. The family knows that his competitive spirit is present in everything he does. He has the same intensity while playing board games with them. Yet his family has taught imparted the value of humility. While describing her son’s dominating nature, Janine added, “He brings that same level of intensity to anything competitive. Yet at the same time, he’s an incredibly gentle, thoughtful guy who was really interested in history and sports history. It really is two sides.” They are now happy that their son’s determination finally paid off. And they are confident in his abilities.

Theo Benedet’s smooth transition from Canadian to American football

In 2019, the OT committed to the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds. Becoming one of the best collegiate tackles, he helped them reach the Hardy Cup after 4 years (in 2022). Next year, he took them to the Vanier Cup after 8 years. Acknowledging his athletic ability, he was awarded the J. P. Metras Trophy in 2022 and 2023. Now, he’s in the big league.

Between Canadian and American football, one prominent difference is the distance at the line of scrimmage, 1 1-yard gap between offense and defense. But his soccer skills came in handy. He played as a goalie for years, which resulted in a quick reaction time. His confidence also grew when he beat other players in the linebacker play during the training camp. OT understands the competition will be tough, but he is ready to take over.

Benedet played in the right guard position during the rookie camp and is focused on becoming good for all 5 positions. With hard work, anything can be achieved. For him, 2024 is a game-changer.