Bear Digest

Bears Cancel Practice Amid Kenosha Rioting and Strife

Coaches and a few Chicago Bears players showed up around the practice field and then left as the team decided at the last second Thursday to cancel their 9:20 a.m. practice.

Gene Chamberlain

Bears Cancel Practice Amid Kenosha Rioting and Strife
Bears Cancel Practice Amid Kenosha Rioting and Strife /

While media members milled about near the northwest edge of the outer practice fields at Halas Hall, Chicago Bears offensive line coach Juan Castillo was going through some stretching exercises like he does every morning.

He wore a t-shirt saying "black lives matter," as did other coaches who came onto the field. A few players who were suited up came out of the Walter Payton Center and then turned around to begin a trek toward Halas Hall.

Soon, the coaches left too, and media members were told to leave the premises.

Like many other NFL teams, the Bears had decided to cancel practice after the rioting and shootings in Kenosha, Wis., a town just 40 minutes up Interstate 94 from their practice field.

The New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts and Washington have all called off Thursday's practices. The Bears' first opponents this season, if there is a season, called off practice on Tuesday.

A statement was released by players regarding the Kenosha situation and Thursday's practice:

"In the wake of what has taken place in our backyard of Kenosha over the last couple of days, we as a team have a lot on our mind today. We decided to pause our football activities to voice to each other, our coaches and our staff where we stand on the real issues around race and police brutality in our country.

“We had a productive discussion, but we all agreed that talks and discussions are simply not enough anymore and we need action. We are putting in plans to take action in our communities and together we believe we can make a real difference. We need action not only today, but in the days to come.”

Players and coaches earlier in the week had discussed Sunday's Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha which precipitated the rioting.

"We talked about it for a bit after practice," tackle Charles Leno Jr. said on Tuesday. "For me personally, just trying to deal with the community. I'm gonna see what we can do with our PR and CR staff and help that community because they're so close to us.

"But I mean, honestly, this has been a problem. We know it's been a problem. We just need more awareness and to spread more awareness. And within that awareness, also spread compassion and understanding for others. I think that's one of the biggest things. And with that will come love, and that we need more of as well. And also I just believe police training, too. I don't know know how many hours those guys do. But I know we train a lot on the football field. I think they need a little bit more because they're dealing with lives and they’re handling lives. And every single life is precious."

Coach Matt Nagy had also addressed the issue briefly after the Tuesday practice. The team held practice on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"It’s very disturbing for everybody and it has to stop," Nagy said Tuesday. "We talked about it with our football team, the biggest thing is all of us understanding the platform that we have and that we need to use that every single day and it’s imperative that we do that and use that platform and do it together."

The Bears have a walk-through practice on Friday at Halas Hall and then Saturday practice at Soldier Field.

Several players took to Twitter with a simple message.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

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