(670 The Score) Back in 2018, the Bears reached out to franchise great Olin Kreutz with the hope he would join their staff as an independent contractor working with the offensive line.
The offer was underwhelming, as Kreutz explained on the Parkins & Spiegel Show on Friday: $15 an hour, which he declined.
“That’s the way they do business,” Kreutz said of the Bears. “Those are the things that have to change. This is what we’re talking about.
“(Then-offensive line coach Harry Hiestand) wanted me to come in there and help with the offensive line development, help coach offensive line. I would only be there player hours was my understanding. They offered me $15 an hour to come in there as like an independent contractor. That is exactly what they did.
“I saw (general manager) Ryan Pace at camp in 2019 and he made a joke about it. He said, ‘I guess we could’ve done a little better than that, Olin.’ The answer is yes, you could’ve.”
The Bears fired Hiestand in 2019 after two seasons, replacing him with current offensive line coach Juan Castillo. As for Kreutz, who has emerged as a local media star, there was little surprise in what the Bears put on the table.
“I’m not shocked,” Kreutz said. “That didn’t shock me. The offer didn’t shock me. The way they approached it didn’t shock me. Obviously, Harry is a good friend of mine. I just said, ‘You know, Harry, for that amount, I cannot obviously work all those hours and try to help.’”