When the 2023 season ended, it was clear that Kyle Hendricks, the longest-tenured Chicago Cub, was no longer the dominant ace of the 2016 World Series run. His velocity had dipped, injuries had taken their toll, and the front office was rebuilding with younger arms. Many assumed the Cubs would move on.
But when given the option to pursue free agency, Hendricks quietly declined more lucrative offers from contenders, instead signing a modest one-year extension with Chicago.
Why?
“This city gave me everything,” Hendricks said. “I just wanted the chance to give back — not just to the Cubs, but to the people who stood by me even when I was down.”
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During the offseason, Hendricks spent time mentoring minor league pitchers at the Cubs’ Arizona complex — not because he had to, but because he wanted to. He also continued to host quiet visits to local Chicago schools, often showing up with books and Cubs gear for underserved students.
One student wrote him a thank-you letter that said:
“You don’t throw as hard as the others, but my mom says you’re the smartest. I want to be like that.”
In spring 2024, after battling through rehab, Hendricks took the mound again at Wrigley. The crowd erupted. Not because he struck out the side — he didn’t. But because everyone in the stadium knew they were watching a man who chose loyalty over legacy, heart over headlines.
Manager David Ross, who caught Hendricks during their World Series run, put it best:
“Some guys stay because they have to. Kyle stayed because he wanted to. That’s rare.”
Hendricks may not finish his career with a Cy Young or Hall of Fame plaque. But in Chicago, he’ll always be remembered as “The Professor” — not just for how he pitched, but for how he taught an entire city what it means to stay true.