Saturday, November 14, 2026
EDGE is live. Chicago fans can now access and explore the beta.
Home Blog Page 3127

13 Thoughts On The Bears Game That Sealed John Fox’s Firing

By
Dhruv Koul
-
(Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) Bears running back Benny Cunningham (30) runs ahead of the Packers defense but his dive for the end zone was ruled a fumble and turnover after review in the second quarter.

Today’s showdown between the 3-5 Chicago Bears and 4-4, Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay Packers coming in was arguably the most important game of the season, especially for head coach John Fox.

Win, and the Bears are 4-5 with a chance to get to .500 for the first time ever under Fox next week at home against the Detroit Lions. Lose, and … yikes.

Fox, who has been on the hot seat since forever, simply could not afford to lose today’s game. To be at home and lose, against Brett Hundley and an otherwise awful Packers roster, after showing tons of promise in the first half of the year, would have been inexcusable.

Alas, the Bears shot themselves in the foot and killed their season with one of the most unacceptable losses in franchise history. Here are my thoughts and observations from today’s debacle that likely sealed John Fox’s firing:

1. For a team with two weeks to prepare for this game, the Bears started awfully. On offense, with a shuffled offensive line, the Packers stacked the box as expected, and the Bears ran three times regardless for negative yardage each play, putting them behind the chains. On defense, with the Packers backed up inside their own 10, they missed tackles all over the field, leading to a march down the field. And Kyle Fuller compounded that with a dropped interception. Just like that, Green Bay was gifted a 3-0 lead.

2. Story of John Fox’s tenure: Dumb mistakes. On the second offensive possession, Bears start with a beautifully called and executed play-action pass to Adam Shaheen for a big gain. Then? Consecutive false start penalties. AT HOME! THERE IS NO NOISE, HOW THE HELL DOES THAT HAPPEN?

Good job by the Bears to make up for it and eventually get the first down, but these things CAN’T happen, ESPECIALLY at home. They are drive killers. If you’re tallying at home, the Bears had six flags thrown against them in the first quarter. Six!

3. Mitch Trubisky continues to be a work in progress. He made some very good, pinpoint throws, such as his first completion to Dontrelle Inman. And there were times where he held the ball too long and took an unnecessary sack or missed an open receiver. It was clear he wasn’t comfortable with the protection at times today, but some of those were inexcusable. He has to play better. But the reality is he played well overall considering the poor situations his coaching staff continued to put him in. In the first half, the Bears were 4/10 on third down, but had an average of 10.7 yards to gain. That is AWFUL.

4. Chicago missed Danny Trevathan badly in this game. Ty Montgomery went untouched for a 37-yard touchdown run where the Bears failed to maintain gap integrity. Yes, that drive was boosted on a nonsensical pass interference call on Prince Amukamara. But still, that’s poor defense. It can’t happen.

5. Congratulations to Jordan Howard on reaching 2,000 yards rushing in just his 24th game. Chicago’s offensive MVP the last two years. Man, is Chicago lucky to have plucked him from the fifth round.

6. An all-timer for John Fox: A beautifully-executed screen pass to Benny Cunningham resulted in a first and goal at the one. Fox challenged, thinking Cunningham reached the end zone. Unfortunately for him, the ball did … without Cunningham. The result: A touchback, and Packers ball. Yup, that happened.

7. I have no idea what the Bears are doing personnel wise either. Those have arguably been worse than the play-calling. I don’t understand why Josh Bellamy was playing over Tre McBride – who got open against the Saints two weeks ago. Bellamy barely played before the Inman trade anyway — why is he playing now? Confounding stuff from a confounding team.

8. The Bears had no answer for the Packers running game today, surprisingly. Green Bay was down to their third running back in Jamaal Williams, and continued to gain 3-5 yards on every carry. The offensive line, beaten up and missing Bryan Bulaga, out-muscled the Bears’ defensive front routinely, even on a 4th-and-1 from midfield at the end of the third quarter. Not acceptable.

9. Dontrelle Inman showed why the Bears traded a conditional pick for him. He got open often against the Packers and gave Trubisky somebody to throw to. Finally. If he and Trubisky can continue to build chemistry and Inman can be a viable option for next year, that conditional pick won’t be missed.

10. Beautiful throw by Trubisky on the TD pass to Josh Bellamy. He looked off the safety and Bellamy did well to stack on top of the defender and actually catch the ball. Because that’s been a problem for him.

11. I said it before, the fact that the Bears got pummeled by Jamaal Williams when they needed a stop and everybody knew the Packers would be running it behind a banged up offensive line to kill the clock is unacceptable. The defensive front is supposed to be this team’s strongest unit. It can’t get beat like that.

12. Oh my god. With 3rd-and-10 and a stop needed for one final chance, Kyle Fuller inexplicably let Davante Adams get behind him for a 42-yard gain to seal the game. Fuller had an awful game, missing tackles and dropping an interception. But that was his worst play of the season. A back-breaking, season-ending, and Fox-firing play.

I don’t know how the Bears lost to Brett Hundley. This is the equivalent of the Blaine Gabbert game against San Francisco two years ago. An awful letdown — one that killed the season.

13. This is it — John Fox will not return as head coach next year. He lost an inexcusable game against the Packers of all teams. If Ryan Pace doesn’t do it, ownership will mandate it. You cannot lose to the Packers at home like this. Fox will find out the hard way.

JOHN FOX IS A FUCKING IDIOT

By
Aldo Soto
-
john fox job

Fire John Fox and fire whatever dumbass decided to tell him to challenge the Benny Cunningham play.

Enough is enough. I don’t care about the struggles in goal-line situations. Why the fuck are you challenging that? Tired of this bullshit. I still have no clue what John Fox does good as a head coach. I can’t believe I was once excited about the hire. Fuck John Fox and if Ryan Pace doesn’t fire him after this year then he should be thrown the fuck out of Chicago too.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!!?!

After Endorsing The Bulls’ Response To His Jaw Being Cremated, Nikola Mirotic Probably Won’t Be Answering Adam Silver’s Texts Either

By
Matthew Milakovich
-
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media after the Board of Governors meetings on July 12, 2016 at the Encore Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)

I know everyone is tired of hearing about this. Believe me, I am too, so I’ll keep this short.

I wish I could defer to the Bulls to handle reporting about this nonsense until cotton candy jaw is inevitably outta here– but alas, such is the life of a sports writer.

It appears the NBA has a living breathing commissioner after all, because Adam Silver has finally commented on Nikola Mirotic getting Rudy Tomjanoviched.

In other Bulls news, the Spurs shellacked the Bulls to the tune of 133-94.

So we got that goin’ for us.

 

The 8 Greatest Chicago Bears Victories Over the Packers

By
Erik Lambert
-
chicago bears

#8:  Rejected (2008)

It was and remains the coldest game in Bears-Packers history. One might call it a changing of the guard as Aaron Rodgers was just starting to establish himself as the Packers starter. Green Bay had already walloped the Bears earlier in the year 37-3. This game would decide whether or not Chicago had a shot at the playoffs. A Matt Forte touchdown in the fourth quarter made it 17-17 all.

However it looked like the Packers were set to win it on a 38-yard field goal with 25 seconds left. Then Bears defensive end Alex Brown swatted away their hopes, blocking the kick. This forced overtime and Chicago won with a field goal of their own shortly later.

#7:  Toss to the Fridge (1985)

There was no hotter celebrity in the NFL back in 1985 than William Perry. “The Fridge” was becoming a modern day folk hero for fans, doing things a giant defensive tackle shouldn’t be able to do. It helped he had a head coach who was willing to try just about anything. His coming out party was a few weeks earlier when he scored his first touchdown in primetime against Green Bay.

His most memorable highlight though came at Lambeau Field. With Walter Payton killing them on the ground, the Packers bit hard on a play action fake at the goal line. Perry was in as an eligible receiver and actually went in motion. The defense never accounted for him and Jim McMahon lofted him a short touchdown pass. Chicago won 16-10, that play being the difference.

#6:  Stealing the champs’ thunder (1963)

George Halas made his message clear to the Bears in 1963. He felt they could win a championship. The problem? In order to do that they would have to beat the Packers twice. This was the Vince Lombardi Packers who had reached three-straight NFL championship games and won the last two. Sure enough Chicago had to go up to City Stadium (later Lambeau Field) for the opener.

Most people didn’t give them a chance. It didn’t take long to discover that the Bears had something special brewing on defense. They intercepted Bart Starr four times and the offense did just enough with that to eek out a 10-3 victory, stunning the defending champs. Later that season the Bears won again at Wrigley Field. Halas was proven correct. Green Bay finished the year 11-2-1, Chicago 11-1-2. Those two victories were the difference in helping them win the title.

#5:  Shutout at Lambeau (2006)

Brett Favre had a long, Hall of Fame career for the Packers. During that time he was practically invincible at Lambeau Field. So much in fact that out of 128 games played in that build, he was shutout only twice. That first time was opening day of the 2006 season. The team to do it? None other than the one he’d tortured for so many years in the Bears.

It was a perfectly executed game. The Bears defense harassed and frustrated Favre all day, holding him under 200 yards passing and intercepting him twice. A 49-yard bomb from Rex Grossman opened the scoring and an 84-yard punt return from little-known rookie Devin Hester put the nail in the coffin for a 26-0 victory.

#4:  The Chicago steamroller (1980)

It was and remains the most lopsided victory by either team in the entire rivalry. The 1980 season was one of frustration for the Bears. They felt like they should’ve gone to the playoffs but a sputtering offense early in the year cost them in a number of key games. So on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, they decided to rain bombs down on the Packers to vent their anger.

Green Bay had no idea what hit them that day. Their own offense could do nothing against the Bears defense. Meanwhile the Chicago offense stampeded over the Packers all game long. Walter Payton and the rest of the running backs scored five touchdowns. Vince Evan, of all people, threw three more and the defense added an interception return for good measure in a 61-7 bludgeoning.

#3:  The Walter Payton Game (1999)

The 1990s were a dark time for the Bears when it came to the Packers. From 1994 through 1998 they’d lost 10-straight games to Green Bay. Favre was at the peak of his powers, winning three MVPs and a Super Bowl. Few expected it to be any different in early November of 1999. The Bears were 3-5 and fresh off getting crushed 48-22 the previous week by Washington. The Packers were 4-3 and expected to get rolling in the second half of the season per usual.

Chicago didn’t have a prayer, but they may have had a guardian angel. Just six days prior franchise legend Walter Payton died from liver disease. The entire city was in a state of mourning. That game became a tribute to his memory. Somehow the Bears cobbled together a strong performance and sealed a 14-13 upset by blocking the winning field with seconds remaining. That loss led the Packers to missing the playoffs for the first time in seven years.

#2:  Ruining Brett Favre night (2015)

The most recent entry on the list. Two years later and fans are still savoring the sweet nectar from that win. Another of those that most didn’t see coming. By 2015 the Bears were in transition. They had one of the oldest rosters in the NFL and an entirely new coaching staff. It was a cold, rainy night and the Packers were celebrating the career of Favre by placing them in their ring of honor.

Then a strange thing happened. The Bears came out tough. After falling behind 7-0, they tied the game up. Both teams went back and forth most of the game. In the end it was the Packers committing two uncharacteristic turnovers that enable Chicago to go ahead 17-13. Then the defense slammed the door shut at the goal line with time winding down. It was truly a day for giving thanks.

#1:  First playoff meeting (1941)

Across decades of play against each, it’s incredible to think the Bears and Packers have only met twice in the playoffs. Fans these days of course remember the classic in the 2010 NFC championship at Soldier Field. They might not remember the first meeting way back in 1941. Rest assured though. That game would’ve been infinitely more hyped had it been played with modern media attention.

It was a class of the two best teams in the league. Chicago was 10-1, their only loss being to the Packers. Green Bay was 10-1, their only loss being to the Bears. A true clash of the titans, and also competing philosophies. Green Bay was a pass-first team led by Hall of Fame receiver Don Hutson. Chicago was ground-and-pound.

That day there was no doubt as to which was better. The Bears racked up 277 rushing yards and three touchdowns. They also intercepted the Packers twice and held Hutson to just one catch for 19 yards. The game was basically over by halftime, Chicago holding a 30-7 lead. By the final whistle they were victorious 33-14, going on to win their second of what would be four NFL championships in the decade.

Cubs Free Agent Target Hints At Reunion With Former Coach

By
Sean Sears
-

Alex Cobb has been connected to the Cubs since before they were officially eliminated from the postseason this fall. His fit with Chicago, who is losing close two pitchers who combined for 953.2 innings over the last three seasons, is apparent.

But, up until earlier, Cobb’s intentions this offseason were a mystery, but today the 30-year-old righty gave us some clarity. Cobb was a guest on MLB Network Radio and shared his thoughts on the Cubs, who just signed his former pitching coach Jim Hickey.

“Obviously, if we move down the line and we’re able to have some discussions with them, I’d be very honored to be able to talk with them and hopefully come to a deal,” Cobb said during an interview with MLB Network Radio.

Cobb also made a comment about “a decision that’s going to impact the next five years of your life.” Sounds like he is likely going to reject the qualifying offer from Tampa Bay, which is expected.

Cobb also went on to compliment both Hickey and his former manger Joe Maddon. Cobb expressed how grateful he is of Maddon, saying he ‘can’t say enough’ about what the skipper did for him as a young player in the Rays system.

And he even went as far as to call Jim Hickey a close friend, which has to make the Cubs feel good about their chances of signing the veteran pitcher.

But the biggest chunk of information came towards the end when he explained how he ranks prospective teams.

“You make a ranking system of what’s most important to you and your family,” Cobb said. “No. 1, first and foremost, is that we’re going to a place that we feel is going to be winners for the length of the contract. I’ve been through losing and winning seasons. The amount of joy that winning brings can’t be replaced by a dollar figure. That’s our No. 1 decision-based reasoning.”

After reading those comments, it sounds like it’s going to be hard to for other teams to convince Cobb the Cubs aren’t the team for him. With his relationship with Hickey and Maddon, on top of the Cubs clear need for an arm like Cobb, Chicago seems like a great place to call home.

 

Next Bears Head Coach Could Be Right in Their Backyard

By
Erik Lambert
-
green bay packers pat fitzgerald

Don’t expect the talk of the next Chicago Bears head coach to die down anytime soon. Or at least until after this Sunday. If they beat Green Bay it will simmer for a bit to see if John Fox really has them on the right path. On the other hand if they lose? Rest assured the calls for Fox’s head will be deafening. Thus the search for his replacement will go on.

Most of the big names have been covered at this point. Jim Harbaugh, Josh McDaniels, Jon Gruden, Matt Patricia and Dave Toub are among the popular names for obvious reasons. Some are proven offensive minds who can take Mitch Trubisky to the next level. Others hold deep ties to the organization or have a near-flawless track record of success.

So maybe it’s time to consider the dark horse. The sleepers. It’s not like this organization hasn’t done it before. Ryan Pace wasn’t exactly predicted. There’s certainly a chance they might have eyes for somebody most other teams aren’t looking at. Chief among those names that has gained a sort of cult follow is just 20 miles from Halas Halas.

Could Pat Fitzgerald be the next Bears head coach?

Ready for a wild stat? In 97 years of existence, the Bears have hired one coaches who came from the college ranks. That was Ralph Jones back in 1930. He eventually led them to a championship in 1932, his last season. Since then every head coach the team has had came from the professional level. A span of 84 years and 13 different coaches.

Could the time finally be here to break the streak? Most would believe Harbaugh is the man who would do that. However, there is a slowly growing chorus that feels Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald is long overdue for an opportunity. He’s been leading that program for 12 seasons, and with more success than any before him. His record stands at 83-65 with seven bowl appearances. He’s the only coach in program history with two bowl victories and two double-digit win seasons.

Fitzgerald is a balanced coach with youth and experience

There are many aspects of Fitzgerald that could make him a viable option. His long run as a head coach makes experience a non-issue. He played both linebacker and slot receiver in college, so he has understanding of offense and defense. He’s a College Football Hall of Famer and to top it off just 42-years old. He has accomplished this much and is only now entering his prime.

He also seems to have an eye for quarterbacks. Under his watch both Mike Kafka and Trevor Siemian went on to get drafted. His latest project, Clayton Thorson is projected to go that route as well. Imagine what he might do with access to NFL talent.

Last but not least, Fitzgerald is an Illinois-native. He was born in Orland Park and has stayed close to home throughout his football career. It’s felt that no NFL team would be able to pry him away. That is unless the team kept him close to family and friends. The Bears would obviously make sense.

The organization has certainly enjoyed the fruits of his labor already. Former defensive end Corey Wootton came from Fitzgerald’s program, as did special teams ace Sherrick McManis. In the 10 drafts during his run, Northwestern has seen 11 players drafted. In the 10 drafts prior to his arrival? There were zero.

It’s clear that this is a rock solid head coach. The question is will his methods work at the NFL level? There’s only one way to find out.

MLB Expert Says The Cubs Need To Add Yu Darvish

By
Sean Sears
-

Yu Darvish is the most proven arm on the market this offseason, and is likely going to make more money than anyone this winter. Pitching is a clear need for the Cubs, with Jake Arrieta and John Lackey leaving this offseason.

But with the addition of Jose Quintana to a rotation that already features Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks, it was thought by most that the Cubs will be looking for 4th and 5th starters.

However, Travis Sawchik from Fangraphs believes Darvish is key ingredient to a Cubs rotation that has the meat and potatoes but lacks flavor.

Clearly, adding Yu Darvish to any rotation in baseball is going to drastically improve that team’s pitching. However, Sawchik makes a compelling case for the Cubs, saying if the team wants to compete they need Darvish.

“Chicago is tasked with keeping up with the sport’s other super teams, to remain competitive with the Dodgers and Nationals and Diamondbacks in what appears to be a very unbalanced National League. Darvish is the only obvious candidate to fill that void at the moment.”

Looking over the numbers, Sawchik is right, the Cubs are currently projected as the 12th best staff in baseball for 2018. While not terrible, Sawchik points out five National League teams projected higher than the Cubs.

The Dodgers, Nationals, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, and Rockies all have better rated pitching staffs than the Cubs currently boast. And while Lester, Hendricks, and Quintana are a solid trio, adding a player like Alex Cobb or Tyler Chatwood this offseason doesn’t move the needle much.

Outside of the Cubs swinging a trade with a team like Tampa Bay for Chris Archer or winning the Shohei Otani lottery, the Cubs only chance of competing with those projected staffs would be adding Yu Darvish.

Show me the money!

Now, much was made this past July of Darvish’s no trade clause which included the Cubs on that list. And while many counted the Cubs out due to that trade clause, it was never made clear whether or not he would accept a trade to Chicago.

However, the Cubs were one of the initial teams that made an offer to Darvish when he left Japan for the MLB in 2012. And every team that ended up losing out on Darvish was included on that no trade list. So, don’t read too much into that.

Darvish will likely sign with the team that offers him the most money, and the Cubs can offer a hefty contract – but do they want to? According to Spotrac, Darvish’s market value is somewhere around $21.5 mil, and over a five-year deal, is likely to get offers north of $100 million this offseason.

I don’t buy it

The Cubs like Darvish, and adding the talented 31-year-old is tantalizing, I just don’t see this front office making this deal. Darvish is right in his prime, and despite his poor performance in Game 7 of the World Series, would be the undisputed ace of the Cubs staff.

But signing Darvish is a long term deal could cut into their ability to sign players like Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo in the future. Plus, with Darvish’s injury history, signing him in general is a risk in itself.

There is no disputing Darvish is the top free agent this offseason, but I’m not sure he is at the top of the Cubs wish list for 2018. The Cubs will be in the hunt for Darvish’s services, but expect them to avoid the massive payday this offseason and save for 2019.

 

ESPN Predicts Chicago Bears Coach-QB Combo for 2020

By
Erik Lambert
-

There is no question the next eight games could be some of the most important in recent Chicago Bears history. Head coach John Fox, who has overseen the rebuild of the franchise from its sharp decline the past two years faces the prospect of losing his job. At 3-5 the Bears have already equaled their win total from 2016. Nonetheless it will take more than a 6-10 finish for him to save his job.

Not only that but his management of rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky will also be under the microscope. The debate over his handling of the situation is heated. Some believe his conservative approach with lots of running the football is the right way to go. Trubisky is inexperienced and lacking wide receiver talent around. At the same time others argue the unwillingness to let the rookie throw more often with a creative game plan is stunting his growth.

It leaves the outlook of the Bears’ future in a dense fog. Nobody is sure what to expect. ESPN insider Dan Graziano thinks he has a clear picture of how this team will look in three years.

Chicago Bears will have their quarterback and a new overseer

By the 2020 season the Bears will have a definitive answer, one way or another on their young quarterback. Will Trubisky still be there? Graziano seems to think so. The big difference is not him, but rather the man who’s coaching him.

“Trubisky blooms in 2018, Jim Harbaugh’s first year as coach of the Bears, leading the team to the 2019 playoffs. And though Harbaugh still seems to lose that one game every year that costs him a title shot, iron-jawed Trubisky at least matches him scowl for scowl.”

The idea of a Jim Harbaugh union with Trubisky is not something new to Bears fans. In fact many are hoping and praying it happens. The logic behind the move makes so much sense. Harbaugh is a former quarterback with a reputation for coaching up the position. He molded Andrew Luck into a future #1 pick at Stanford. He saved the career of Alex Smith and then turn Colin Kaepernick into a near-Super Bowl champion.

According to his brother John he is apparently a Trubisky fan.

“He liked him coming out,” he said. “You know I did talk to him about the quarterbacks – I always do. And he thought very highly of him.”

Last but not least there is a strong possibility the Bears are able to keep Vic Fangio beyond 2017 if Harbaugh is hired. The two were together for five seasons from 2010 to 2014. Fangio’s contract expires next offseason. Most feel he’s gone unless the Bears can make a strong case for him to stay. Hiring Harbaugh would be a good way to do it.

Whether the Bears can lure him away from Michigan next year? That’s an entirely different story.

How Shohei Otani Posting Affects The Cubs

By
Sean Sears
-

Are you ready Cubs fans? Shohei Otani is officially the hottest Japanese import in all of America – well, at least for baseball fans.

The 23-year-old pitcher/outfielder for the Nippon Ham Fighters announced Friday that the team will allow him to come to the states and play in the MLB.

For those of you who still living under a rock, Otani is being framed as a true two-way player. With a career 2.52 ERA and 10.3% strikeout rate, Otani has proven he is already one of the best arms on the market. But watch one at bat and it comes clear why Otani is well-worth the hype.

In case you couldn’t tell, he hit that ball into the FREAKING TUNNEL. Otani has serious power with a career .286 batting average, while also smacking 22 diners in 2016. And despite battling ankle and thigh injuries, he still mustered 8 homers in 65 games last season.

However for the Cubs, the bat is great, but they’re truly after Otani and his arm – he touches triple digits. Believe it or not, most people thought Otani was being coveted for his hitting when I wrote about him last month. So, just for a reminder, here is a clip of Otani mowing down the 2014 MLB All-Star team.

Otani is the most impressive player we’ve had from Japan since Yu Darvish. But unlike Darvish, Otani’s asking price will come nowhere near the price of Darvish – because legally it can’t.

How the Cubs can sign Otani

Due to MLB’s CBA, Otani essentially is signing a minor league deal that has bonuses attached to the deal. For the Cubs, due international spending penalties, they can only offer Otani around $300k in bonuses – one of the lowest amounts any team can offer.

Now, the interesting wrinkle that could play out in the Cubs favor is that Otani turned down a massive payday to come to the MLB early. Had he waited until he 25, Otani would have been able to sign with any team without any restrictions. And we’re talking hundreds of millions of dollars here, all to play just two years early.

Instead, Otani said he would rather forego the payday and play for a team now, making a statement that had to make the Cubs front office giddy. (Quotes came from this ESPN article) 

“I am not yet a complete player yet, and I want to go to an environment where I can continue to get better,” said Otani. “I felt the same way when I graduated from high school. And it is my strongest reason for wanting to go now.”

This means the deal is more about the current state of that club and less about the money he will be offered. Great news for the Cubs and the tiny scrap of bonus spending they have available to them.

Buckle Up, Folks!

With Shohei Otani officially making the move to the states, he ascends to the top of most teams free agency list. With the GM meetings coming next week, the Otani news likely slows down the entire market.

Since every team can theoretically afford Otani, every team will be putting a concerted effort to sway the Japanese superstar.

And While it makes sense for Otani to head to an American League team, he is open to ideas from his suitors.

“I don’t know if it will be possible, but I want to hear what teams over there say and what kind of situations might be available. Until that process has started, I can’t say how it might work out.”

The hotstove is about to get even hotter, Cubs fans.

Bears Fans Delighted Packers Didn’t Heed Martellus Bennett Warnings

By
Erik Lambert
-
martellus bennett
Credit: USA Today

Chicago Bears nation has no love for the Green Bay Packers or their often insufferable fans. At the same time we’re all human. When the news that tight end Martellus Bennett had signed in Green Bay, cheeseheads everywhere were jubilant. They’d just acquired a former Pro Bowler still in his prime and coming off winning a Super Bowl. This was a home run signing.

Against their better judgement, Bears faithful took to social media and sent out a simple warning. It may look good now but don’t be fooled. Sooner or later Bennett would reveal his true colors. That of a self-serving, under-performing loud mouth more interested in getting his face on TV than being a good teammate.

Not only that, it now appears he’s taken on the new hobby of telling boldfaced lies to defend his ego. According to reports Bennett was dealing with a torn rotator cuff. Apparently differing opinions on the injury led to friction behind the scenes and the Packers waived him. Then, almost miraculously, he ends up back with the New England Patriots and immediately started practicing.

Packers blunder on Martellus Bennett is hard not to enjoy for Chicago

This sent a loud and clear message. The moment Aaron Rodgers went down, Bennett did everything in his power to get out of Green Bay. He likely knew the Patriots would bring him back. So rather than be a good teammate and try to help them win, Bennett became a locker room headache until the Packers finally had enough. He even came up with an excuse for why it happened.

It’s a nice story loaded with opportunities to feel sympathy. Problem is it took all of seconds for several current and former Packer players to immediately speak out in defense of team Dr. McKenzie.

So basically Bennett was willing to throw an innocent man under the bus to protect his own ego. That is a level of assholery he never stooped to in Chicago. Kudos to the Packers for pulling that bit of extra from him. Jokes aside this was another lesson in karma for Green Bay. They’ve always enjoyed bringing in former Bears, both to help their own cause as much as thumb their nose at their rival.

Sometimes that has come back to bite them. Bennett lasted eight games and cost them $6.3 million in guaranteed money. There is not a single silver lining to this entire situation. Maybe that’s what makes it so entertaining for Bears fans.

1...3,1263,1273,128...3,362Page 3,127 of 3,362

Subscribe to our Newsletter

✶ An Unfiltered Voice For Chicago Sports Fans ✶

Chicago Sports News

About Us

© Sports Mockery, Inc. 2026