(670 The Score) When legendary Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher created controversy on Instagram in August following protests against racial injustice in Kenosha, Wisconsin, team chairman George McCaskey found himself disappointed.
"My first thought was maybe his account had been hacked," McCaskey said Thursday."
In the aftermath, McCaskey attempted to contact Urlacher and discuss his viewpoint and Instagram activity -- which directly demeaned NBA players protesting racial injustice by refusing to play games and also included a like of a post supporting Kyle Rittenhouse, who was charged with homicide in the shooting deaths of two people amid protests and unrest in Kenosha -- but they haven't yet connected.
"I want to talk to him," McCaskey said. "I'm not going to judge him until I do."
Until McCaskey communicates with Urlacher, he's choosing to think of the player who spent 13 years with the Bears organization and made a tremendous impact -- both on and off the field.
McCaskey pointed to Urlacher's work with the organization's "Home Team Handoff" program, which provided tickets to games for "thousands" of local kids, McCaskey said.
"Brian is an outstanding invidivual," McCaskey said. "He was a great Bear. I've known him for 20 years. We've shared a lot of triumph and some tragedy -- during that time, I lost my dad, he lost his mom. He's been a great teammate.
"Having known him for 20 years and knowing the type of person he is, I'm not going to judge him until I talk to him."