Beebe retraces God's path for him to NFL

Former Green Bay Packer Don Beebe may be one of the greatest locally-raised football players in the suburbs.

If you ask him, though, he didn't get to the pros through just hard work and sweat.

It was God's plan, Beebe says.

Beebe, who also played wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills and Carolina Panthers before finishing his 9-season career in Green Bay, will share his testimony with members of the Judson University community at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Lindner Fitness Center, 1151 N. State St., Elgin.

The event, which costs $20 to attend, will serve as a fundraiser for the university's baseball team.

Beebe, of Yorkville, said Wednesday that he plans to speak about his path to the NFL.

After graduating from Kaneland High School in Maple Park, he had a full ride to Western Illinois University but gave it up and worked putting aluminum siding on houses for more than three years.

Suddenly, Beebe said, the door opened up to go back to Western. However, he only had two years of college football eligibility left.

One of those years he missed out on.

"It got all screwed up," he said.

The undrafted signee from Chadron State, Beebe signed a contract with the Buffalo Bills in 1989 and played there until 1994. In 1995, he played for the Panthers and then finished with two years at Green Bay.

Beebe owns the House of Speed, with locations throughout the country including Aurora and Joliet. He also serves as Aurora Christian High School's head football coach.

"I'm going to talk about how God took me through a lot of things, how he used me and helped me get stronger," he said.

Registration at the event will start at 6 p.m., followed by an auction. Beebe will speak at 7 p.m. and will be available for interviews and autographs after his presentation. For details, visit judsonu.edu.