(670 The Score) A fan favorite on “Hard Knocks” whose release from the Bears brought general manager Ryan Poles to tears, veteran safety Adrian Colbert praised Poles for his humanity in dealing with him on one of the hardest days on the NFL calendar – roster cutdown day at the end of training camp.
An emotional Poles had to leave the room recently to gather himself before informing Colbert that he was being cut. Colbert wasn’t surprised that Poles was emotional.
"When you get a chance to spend time with a person that is not just a number and don’t view themselves as just a number, it’s easy to root for them,” Colbert said in an interview with Matt Spiegel and Ruthie Polinsky on 670 The Score on Wednesday afternoon. “Like you show up, be yourself and you make plays, it’s hard not to root for somebody who does that. So when you create a bond outside of just being on the field, making plays and being a person and getting to know people overall like he does, of course it's going to hurt when you have to make a hard decision like that.”
For his part, Colbert had no qualms watching himself get cut on “Hard Knocks.”
“I thought it was super powerful,” Colbert said. “It sheds light on a very, very tough day in the sport and in the game. You really get to appreciate not only just the players but also the staff that is involved with this process. Because it’s hard. It’s not just hard on us. It’s also hard on them. Because at the end of the day, they’re humans as well.”
Colbert’s journey had been spotlighted in “Hard Knocks” before the season finale aired Tuesday. As a child, Colbert was struck by a car while riding his bicycle, sending him into a coma, and doctors later told him that he’d never play football again. Instead of taking them at their word, Colbert dedicated himself to the game and was a seventh-round pick of the 49ers in 2017.
Colbert, 30, has played in 41 career NFL games across stints with the 49ers, Dolphins, Giants, Jets, Browns and Bears, for whom he appeared in two games in 2022.
After being cut by the Bears, Colbert is continuing to train, spending time with his family and waiting on a phone call, he said. He suspects a team could look to sign him after injuries occur early in the season.
But Colbert also emphasized another point – he’s at peace regardless of where his football journey leads next.
"I have a life outside of ball," he said. "I have a life that keeps me fulfilled. I'm grateful for that."