Former Bears Coach Lovie Smith Looks Unrecognizable With Massive Beard
By Aaron Halford
Once a clean-cut play caller for the Chicago Bears, years later Lovie Smith has grown a beard as the Illinois Football Coach reminiscent of Santa Claus.
At the Big Ten Media Day on Thursday, Smith appeared at the podium wearing a gray suit to match his beard. In congruence with all of the FaceApp photos that have gone viral this week, Smith had something a little more natural in mind.
Illinois head coach Lovie Smith looking like a real-life version of #FaceApp.
— Covers (@Covers) July 18, 2019
Apparently, coaching football at Illinois speeds up the aging process.
Illinois are +25,000 to win the Big10 this season. https://t.co/CEqXEk85wz pic.twitter.com/0nh1mnbuLw
A former NFL Coach of the Year who led the Bears to three playoff appearances and one Super Bowl appearance a little over a decade ago now looks like he tacked on over 20 years of wear and tear.
BREAKING: Athletic Director Josh Whitman extends Lovie Smith’s contract by two years. Now goes through 2023. #Illini
— Elias Schuster (@Schuster_Elias) November 25, 2018
In his first three years at Illinois, Smith led the team to a combined record of 9-27. Now entering his fourth season with the Fighting Illini, it's possible that a change of fortune could send his beard in the other direction.