LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) -- Bears general manager Ryan Poles believes in receiver Byron Pringle, whom he grew to trust during their shared time together in Kansas City over the last three seasons.
It’s why Poles was disappointed over the weekend when he learned from Pringle that he had been arrested on charges of reckless driving and driving without a license. The news of Pringle’s arrest became public through a report by TMZ.
“Yeah, I mean, I know him very well,” Poles said Tuesday. “It's not a reflection of who he is at all. You don’t want your guys in the news at all. At that point, it’s disappointing. But we had good conversations about it. We’re in a good place. We’ll keep that between us.”
Pringle, 28, was observed doing donuts with his sports car in Pasco County, Florida. Pringle's child was in the car with him, according to the report. When authorities ran his driver's license, they found it was suspended. Pringle was taken to the Pasco County jail Saturday evening. Poles’ comments Tuesday marked the first public remarks by the Bears on Pringle since his arrest became known.
The Bears signed Pringle to a one-year deal worth up to $6 million on March 20. For the first-year general manager Poles, Pringle's signing marked his faith in a player whom he often interacted with in the cafeteria of the Chiefs’ facility. He saw untapped potential in Pringle, who had 67 receptions for 898 yards and seven touchdowns over 46 games in Kansas City.
With the Bears revamping their roster under Poles' watch, Pringle was a player who fit the new direction. It’s unclear whether he'll face discipline from the Bears.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.