It didn’t take David Montgomery long to make it clear how much he can’t wait to play the Chicago Bears this season. He isn’t happy about how things ended with his former team. Most of it stems from their unwillingness to make a stronger offer to keep him there. GM Ryan Poles negotiated and soon realized the two sides were too far apart on money. So Montgomery hit free agency and ended up signing a three-year deal with the division rival Detroit Lions. It isn’t uncommon for players to do this. Feeling slighted by the team that drafted you is a familiar feeling for many.
That said, the running back appears to have taken things to a Michael Jordan level of perceived disrespect. On the Lions’ YouTube page, he and fellow new arrival C.J. Gardner-Johnson got to know each other while playing some NBA 2K23. Here, the notoriously pot-stirring defensive back chose to prod Montgomery for information. Nothing was too out of the ordinary until he dropped this baffling little nugget.
“So I signed here, and when I saw you were signing here, I was like ‘it’s gonna get ugly,'” Montgomery said, drawing a laugh from Gardner-Johnson.
Gardner-Johnson posed an interesting question to Montgomery, who operated largely in the shadows while playing for a Bears team that hasn’t attracted much national attention during his career: How many primetime games has he played in?
Montgomery estimated he’d played under the bright lights twice.
“I get to play in many more here,” Montgomery said.
“You deserve it!” Gardner-Johnson replied.
It appears Montgomery has a cloudy memory.
In reality, the Bears have played 16 primetime games since he was drafted in 2019. That doesn’t include the playoff game they made in 2020. A game in which he ran 12 times for 31 yards.
David Montgomery can feel slighted. Just don’t invent false history.
Yes, it’s true the Bears went through some disappointing seasons during his time there. Yet one should point out he played a part in that. The reason they didn’t bring him back was money. It had nothing to do with a perception that he was a primary cause of their losses. This was a business decision. He needs to treat it as such. Chicago did everything in their power to help showcase him as a performer. One can argue they did so really well despite some ugly circumstances.
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The truth is David Montgomery will bring some extra juice in that first meeting between the Bears and Lions this season. No doubt Detroit will try to feature him more than usual just to rub in his former team’s face. After that, things will die down. That is unless Montgomery continues to invent non-factual details to fit his perceived story of being disrespected. Don’t be like Cedric Benson, David.
This will be interesting. If anybody can get me to hate Detroit more than Green Bay, it’s Gardner.
Damn, pass the salt Monty!
Jioha, I am blaming CJ Gardner Johnson for this. If you remember, his past, history had him get into fights with two wide receivers for the Bears. Remember, when there’s smoke, there’s usually fire and often Gardner Johnson’s behind it, so while Montgomery appears to have forgotten what happened with the Bears. I think the shit stirrer here is Gardner Johnson.
Erik Lambert: the false history expert.
I assumed Monty misunderstood the question when he said he only played under the bright lights twice. I figured he was talking about playoff games instead of primetime. But after double-checking, Monty only played in one of Nagy’s two playoff appearances as HC. He couldn’t have been talking about playoff games. He just told a bold face lie about two primetime games. Bears are always on primetime, good or bad. I know the Lions improved last season and every has them as the favorites to win the North. But your desire to be on a winning team and appreciated brought… Read more »