Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Bears Chairman: I Thought Brian Urlacher's Post on Protests Was Result of Hack

Adam Wells

Chicago Bears chairman George McCaskey hopes to speak with Brian Urlacher after the Pro Football Hall of Famer's controversial comments on social media about the NBA player protests last month.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, McCaskey said he initially thought "maybe [Urlacher's] account had been hacked."

McCaskey added the team has reached out to Urlacher, but they haven't been able to get in contact with him yet: "I want to talk to him. I'm not going to judge him until I do."

In a since-deleted Instagram post, Urlacher criticized NBA players for refusing to take the court for playoff games in the wake of Jacob Blake being shot in the back by police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The post also included false information about the circumstances of Blake's shooting.

"Brett Favre played the MNF game the day his dad died, threw 4 TDs in the first half and was a legend for playing in the face of adversity," he wrote. "NBA players boycott the playoffs because a dude reaching for a knife, wanted on [a] felony sexual assault warrant, was shot by police."

"The social media posts in no way reflect the values or opinions of the Chicago Bears organization," the Bears said in a statement at the time, via CBS Sports' Chris Bengel

Matt Forte, who played alongside Urlacher's in Chicago for five seasons from 2008-12, used Twitter to respond to his former teammate:

Blake's shooting on Aug. 23 led to protests throughout Kenosha and prompted athletes in multiple sports to protest by refusing to play in games. 

The NBA, WNBA, MLS, MLB and NHL all had games postponed as a result. The Western and Southern Open also suspended play on Aug. 27 after Naomi Osaka announced she wouldn't play her semifinal match against Elise Mertens in protest of the shooting and police brutality.

Urlacher played his entire 13-year NFL career with the Bears from 2000-12. 

 

   

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