LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears head coach John Fox said the presence of local police last week in connection with the release veteran defensive lineman Jeremiah Ratliff was, "for the safety of [the] building."
“That’s why you have security,” Fox said. “That’s why things are in place. Sometimes if you think you need that, that’s what you do for the safety of your building.”
Multiple sources confirmed the Bears asked Ratliff to leave the facility because they felt he was not in the proper condition to work that day. Sources added that Ratliff later returned to the building several times before finally leaving for good. At one point Ratliff had a heated conversation with general manager Ryan Pace in front of Halas Hall while the rest of the team practiced.
A Lake Forest, Illinois, police car remained stationed at Halas Hall for the rest of Wednesday afternoon to ensure that Ratliff did not come back. The building remained on high alert through Thursday.
Fox called the decision to cut ties with the 34-year old Ratliff, "in the best interest of the team."
“Like everything, you evaluate. Every decision we make is what we feel is in the best interest of the football team," Fox said.
The Bears described Ratliff, a four-time Pro Bowl selection in Dallas, as their best defensive lineman throughout the preseason. However, Ratliff’s contributions this year were limited after the league suspended him for the opening three weeks of the season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. Ratliff was also inactive in Week 4 due to an ankle injury. He additionally suffered a minor neck injury late in the Bears' overtime loss three days before the incident at Halas Hall.
Fox was asked if he was disappointed in Ratliff.
“Anybody that doesn’t really meet our expectations and we think will help us moving forward,” Fox said. “I think we’re disappointed in really anybody that we have to release and move on from.
“Every situation is individually different. Like all our personnel decisions, regardless of who or whose name’s on it, it’s what we feel is best for the football team and his was no different.”
The Bears signed free agent Ziggy Hood to bolster their depth on the defensive line in the wake of Ratliff’s departure and Ego Ferguson’s season-ending knee injury. The team promptly assigned Hood jersey No. 90, the number formerly worn by Ratliff.
“We introduced Ziggy Hood to our defensive system [on Monday],” Fox said. “He’s performed at a high level when he’s been active and healthy and we expect that moving forward. He’s got a lot of skins on the wall. He’s played a lot in this league at a high level. I did him coming out way back when he was a rookie. Once healthy -- I think he’s pretty far along in that process -- I think he’s a front-line defensive lineman.”
