The Chicago Bears had a terrible showing on Monday Night Football as the New Orleans Saints beat them 31-15. Quarterback Jay Cutler was particularly horrible throwing three interceptions and going 17-for-31 for 194 yards. Following the game Cutler sat down for his usual press conference, prepared to be killed by the Chicago media but there was one problem, no one was there…
ESPN’s Mike Sando fired off three questions, which Cutler answered. When a fourth didn’t come, the Bears quarterback got up and walked away shaking his head.
No it wasn’t Cutler’s terrible play that kept the reporters away, I’m sure they would’ve loved to tear into him. It turns out there was a miscommunication.
The Chicago Tribune’s Rich Campbell explained the media’s tardiness.
Cutler usually hosts his postgame press conference after coach Marc Trestman, but he arrived at the podium first on Monday. It was sparsely attended because most reporters were interviewing players in the locker room.
A Bears public relations official informed reporters in the locker room that Cutler was at the podium. The announcement prompted more a dozen reporters to hurry out the locker room, with several even jogging to press conference area, which is about 200 feet away.
Cutler was informed that the media was on their way and asked “we’re going to wait for them?” Seeing his window of opportunity to escape the firing squad, Jay Cutler walks out of the presser.
Speaking as someone who’s covered professional games there’s been miscommunications about who’s at the podium and when. You simply have to hurry your a** over there. Chicago’s media is either really out of shape, or they simply didn’t care enough to get there quickly.
h/t USA Today
