Wade expanding profile off field, too

Wade, who is from Clairton and is entering his sophomore year at Penn State, participated in some of the protests that followed Rose’s death, and routinely used social media to express his distress and outrage about the incident.

“That happened in [suburban] Pittsburgh, so it hit home for me,” he said. “I felt like I had to say something.”

Rosfeld is facing criminal homicide charges, and Wade said it’s important that the case make its way through the court system.

“Everything should be looked at the right way,” he said. “The whole case, the purpose behind why this happened and everything.

“If it comes down to it and everything in court shows that [Rosfeld] had a [valid reason] to do this — which I highly doubt, honestly — then so be it. But hopefully, it is [found to be] murder, honestly.”

That doesn’t mean Wade is particularly confident that things will play out in a way that he feels best serves justice.

“Sadly, but truthfully, we’ve seen this over and over again in America,” he said. “Numerous cases of officers getting acquitted of charges and nothing happening, over and over again. So prayerfully and hopefully, justice does get served. But truthfully, I will not be surprised if it [doesn’t].”

Wade was born in 1999, more than three decades after a man who has had a profound impact on his world view was assassinated.

“One of my biggest influences might go back to Dr. [Martin Luther] King,” he said.

“Everything he did, putting his life on the line. Being so selfless, thinking about others before himself.

“I’ve watched a lot of videos of his speeches and everything. That might be my biggest inspiration.”

Although Wade said he receives little serious feedback from teammates about his involvement in socialjustice issues — “They’re mainly just jokesters” — linebacker Koa Farmer suggested other players respect Wade’s willingness to immerse himself in causes outside of football.

“We support him,” Farmer said. “Everyone has that right, to freely speak their mind. I think he does a great job with that. I think he handles it very well.”

That support doesn’t always extend outside the football program, though.

Wade said that critics routinely bludgeon him with a “stick to football” message, tell him that he should keep his opinions on matter that don’t pertain to his sport to himself.

He flatly rejects such unsolicited advice. With vigor.

“I get a ton of that, always,” Wade said. “But I just try to block that out, because I’m not just a football player. I’m way more than an athlete.

“I was put on this earth for a purpose. I do have a purpose. If it was just to play football, it would be just to play football. If it’s just to be a social activist after football’s over, then it’s just to be that, honestly.

“I don’t know what it is yet, but I’m just down here going with my gut feeling, my heart. Doing what I feel is right.”