NEWSLETTER
What was deemed an organizational misstep and a dramatic and damaging self-own didn’t even register a fine from the NFL.
The Chicago Bears were forced to cancel Tuesday’s OTA practice after being found in violation of non-contact rules in place during practice during practices that happened in May. One day later, the Bears were back at it at Halas Hall. And when discussing things with the media on Wednesday, Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus told reporters neither he nor the team were given further punishment beyond being docked one practice:
#Bears coach Matt Eberflus says he respects the league and players association for docking the team for a day of practice. "The league did not hand out fines to myself or the organization."
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) June 8, 2022
I didn’t want to completely look past the ordeal. After all, rules are rules. They are put in place for a reason. And they should be followed. Otherwise, what’s the point of having them in the first place? But it was never a big deal. Moreover, I’d go as far as to suggest that this was less of a mistake and more of a test to see how far a team could conceivably take its practice regimen. It’s a feature, not a bug. Whatever it is, the Bears organization and head coach didn’t receive a fine from the league for their misdeeds. And for their trouble, the team and its first-year head coach now have a better idea of what the parameters are when it comes to holding practices.
In other words, it’s a teachable moment. And so long as Eberflus doesn’t cross the line while pushing the envelope, the Bears won’t face any problems from the NFL or NFLPA. Now, if Chicago’s football team becomes repeat offenders, that will be a different story. However, there is no reason to boil over hypotheticals that might not even happen. So, we can leave it at that. Carry on, Bears. Hopefully, those practices were as productive to player development as they were callousing due to some extra hits.
