As Bears offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer prepared to talk to reporters during a news conference on Friday, current and former NFL players and coaches and others weighed in on whether Kromer is still welcome in the team’s locker room after admitting Monday that he criticized quarterback Jay Cutler during a conversation with an NFL Network reporter.
The firestorm has played out over airwaves and online, with most NFL watchers saying it was a cardinal sin for Kromer to share his frustrations outside of Halas Hall. Others have just marveled at the controversy or used it as an excuse to mock the Bears’ 5-8 record.
“When you speak out of house, we as coaches are constantly talking to our players, ‘Guys, don’t go outside the confines of the team. … So when a coach comes out and does that, yeah, this is a tough one.'” former Baltimore Ravens head coach Brian Billick said on ESPN’s “Mike & Mike” radio show
Billick went on to call Kromer’s action an “unforgivable sin.”
“No matter how heartfelt the apology by Coach Kromer … how do you stand in front of your team in tough times and say, ‘Guys, we’ve got to stick together now.’ It’s almost impossible to do,” Billick said.
Former Bears safety Matt Bowen echoed those feelings on WSCR-AM 670 The Score’s “Mully and Hanley” show Friday morning.
“It’s one thing to talk about a player to his face .. but it’s another thing to go behind a quarterback’s back and say it’s the media,” Bowen said. “It’s not going to sit well with the players, they’re going to check out. I would. I would. I would look at Coach Kromer and say, You gotta be kidding me, man. … If you’ve got something to say, say it the quarterback’s face. He’s a grown man, he’s a big boy, he can take it.”
Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall tweeted a response to Tribune columnist David Haugh’s article, which seems to advise him not to blow Kromer’s miscue out of proportion.
@DavidHaugh: Latest dysfunction: #Bears OC Kromer's breach of trust irreparable with players. Only option: He's gotta go. Column Slow Down
— Machine Marshall (@BMarshall) December 12, 2014
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Marshall and others with ties to the Bears had a lot more to say.
@BradBiggs: Kromer made apology on comments made about Jay http://t.co/bxielvho5Y Most interesting part of this story is the NEW source SMH
— Machine Marshall (@BMarshall) December 12, 2014
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What. A. Circus. http://t.co/Q9BP23TdBt
— Hunter Hillenmeyer (@hthill) December 12, 2014
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What an embarrassment for Aaron Kromer. What kind of person would admit to being offensive coordinator for the Bears?
— Kevin Clark (@KevinClarkWSJ) December 12, 2014
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#Bears cannot tolerate this breach of trust by Aaron Kromer. They must fire Mel Tucker immediately.
— Ben Finfer (@BenFinfer) December 12, 2014
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If any of my anonymous sources is thinking of outing him/herself to his/her co-workers, Aaron Kromer-style… I'd recommend sleeping on it.
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) December 12, 2014
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Kromer wasnt very compliant. I guess the players and locker room arent in a good place, eh Marc? #Bears
— Silvy (@WaddleandSilvy) December 12, 2014
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Not sure how Kromer can possibly win back his players after reading @BradBiggs article. I think he's gone either by choice or by team
— chuck swirsky (@swirsk054) December 12, 2014
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Seeing some blast Cutler for shaking his head in disgust over Kromer…Wouldn't you? For once, this shouldn't be about him.
— Matt Eurich (@MattEurich) December 12, 2014
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Underrated bit of Kromer story: the idea that Jay's hindering them from running the ball *even less*
— Tommany Cooks (@TommyECook) December 12, 2014
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Why do you say anything like this unless you want out? The trust is broken now and Kromer just resigned, essentially http://t.co/S1jGdrchyb
— Herb Lawrence (@Ecnerwal23) December 12, 2014
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If you want Marc Trestman out as Bears head coach this Aaron Kromer fiasco is the best thing that could have happened. #theyallmustgo
— David Kaplan (@thekapman) December 12, 2014
