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Melvin Ingram got the first taste of practice today as a Kansas City Chiefs man and hopes to hit the ground running. For that he is channeling, what he calls, the Kobe Bryant mentality. The Kansas City Chiefs will certainly be hoping that Melvin Ingram does for them what Kobe Bryant did for the LA Lakers.
Melvin Ingram's tribute to Kobe Bryant
Melvin Ingram's time with the Pittsburgh Steelers did not go as planned. After signing before the 2021 season, he was traded to the Chiefs for a conditional sixth-round pick.
As a Pittsburgh Steelers player, he wore the number 8 jersey. It was a tribute to the to the late Kobe Bryant, who wore the same jersey number for the LA Lakers. But coming to the Kansas City Chiefs, even though the number was available, he chose number 24.
Number 24 is the other jersey that Kobe Bryant wore for the Lakers. In fact, Kobe Bryant became the first person ever to have two jerseys retired for the same team. Melvin Ingram has always been a fan of Kobe Bryant and chose to honor him on Twitter at the moment.
Coming to the Kansas City Chiefs, he has now worn both the jersey numbers of the sportsperson he idolized. And in his memory, he is promising to bring the best to the Chiefs. He said:
“I started off with the ‘Kobe mentality’ at the beginning of the year. It’s a mentality that you never stop, never give up, keep-grinding type mentality that you put the work in. Coming here, I wanted to keep that same mentality, really. I think we have the chance to be special. From the outside looking in and now the inside looking in, we have a chance to be special, and I think that is going to come with time.”
The mentality seems to be working as well as he has impressed the coaches with his work. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was full of praise for Melvin Ingram and said that he loved his energy and attitude. He also praised Melvin Ingram's game intelligence.
As Melvin Ingram begins a great chapter, he will be hoping to win titles just like Kobe Bryant did. The Kansas City Chiefs will certainly provide him with the option to do so. Melvin Ingram, we are sure, will be putting in all the effort in Kobe Bryant's honor.
