The Bears are national news, for all the wrong reasons.
On his show Thursday on ESPN 1000, the new radio home of the Bears, Mike Greenberg called the team “a dumpster fire.”
On ESPN’s “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith said, “The Chicago Bears are trash.”
ESPN’s Pat McAfee and FS1’s Colin Cowherd have criticized the team’s handling of quarterback Justin Fields, who created his own news cycle by uttering the word “coaching” while answering a question about his struggles.
After just two games, the Bears have become a punching bag on the national media landscape, and much of it is their own doing. Starting 0-2 after heightening expectations isn’t even the worst part. On the field, observers believe the Bears are ruining Fields. Off the field, they’re bewildered by defensive coordinator Alan Williams’ resignation.
Let’s start with Fields, who, despite being well-liked, isn’t immune to criticism. He took blowback from sports-talkers for wondering whether coaching has played a part in his overthinking, a refreshingly fair and honest assessment but still a message he could’ve delivered more tactfully.
“The QB must take all of the blame unto himself and deflect all of the praise,” Greenberg said on the air. “But it’s not everyone whose career is being destroyed. Coaches get multiple chances. Justin Fields gets one shot at this. If it doesn’t work, you get labeled a bust. And you live with that for the rest of your life.”
That’s a fine reason for Fields to stick up for himself, but he lost some luster when he regathered the media to backtrack and blame himself while ridiculously accusing them of baiting for clicks. He was asked an open-ended question – from an outlet that put him in the MVP mix in the preseason, mind you – and he chose to include the word “coaching” in it. No one led him there. There was no trap.
Nevertheless, everyone seems to agree with Fields that he should be playing less “robotic” – again, his word – and more like “myself.”
“Our biggest conversation around Justin Fields is like, just let the guy run,” Pat McAfee said on his show, to which co-host and former Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk responded, “If him running gives you the best chance to win, then let him run.”
Said Smith: “Now he’s trying to cover himself because you don’t wanna be that dude, particularly being so young, to call out the fact that, damn, I’m in a bad situation, I’m not being well-coached here. His youth exposed him where he said something he should not have said. But we all know he’s telling the truth.”
On top of seemingly mistreating their supposed star quarterback, the Bears are being taken to task for their handling of Williams’ situation, whatever that is. Apparently, it’s serious enough to prevent anyone at Halas Hall from providing any clarity.
And in this age of pervasive misinformation on social media, that leads to outrageous internet reports that cross lines that can’t be crossed. When that happens, leaders need to set the record straight. Bears general manager Ryan Poles did that to an extent Thursday, but reaction is such that more is needed.
This is where new team president and CEO Kevin Warren should step up. After all, this news cycle has transcended football. Perhaps he’s doing that behind the scenes. There are partnerships and sponsorships to tend to. Would you want your business associated with such dysfunction?
“The Chicago Bears are trash, let’s call it what it is,” Smith said. “They’re not a good organization. Why don’t you just call them the ‘Bad News’ Bears. It’s a damn shame they represent the city of Chicago. They stink.”
Sounds like a popular opinion these days.
