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Former Chicago Bears tight end Martellus Bennett absolutely crushed the team’s ownership in a series of scathing tweets.
Bennett played for Chicago from 2013 to 2015 and caught his career high in receptions, 90, with the Bears in 2014.
“Bears ownership lacks futurism. The entire business model is built on selling the past. The 85 bears. They’re always trying to recreate that old product instead of buying into and producing a new product,” Bennett began his lengthy complaint.
“The owners are ok with losing a game but not the brand built on the past. The bears need an entire rebrand. Top to bottom and they need ownership that is going to transition the organization into the future.
“They never protect their players publicly. You can’t trust the organization as a player because you can’t relate to the leadership, they can’t communicate with the youth,” he continued.
“Their audience is a legacy audience and they’re afraid of changing because they don’t want to lose out on those legacy fans that make them money. Nostalgia is the greatest marketing tool. I’d be interested in seeing fan growth of the bears.
“The question is who are the bears of tomorrow?” Bennett asked. “We’re always pitched the bears of yesterday. What are the plans of the future? The lack of creativity is astonishing. Yesterday ain’t winning today.
“Doing what’s best for your players is what’s best for your franchise. Get creative and help them do what they do best. Coaches always want players to adapt but never want to adapt their schemes for their players.
“Chicago is one of the best cities to play in. It’s f—— great! but I don’t see you getting stars who wanna win to come there in the future because no one knows what the identity of the team or organization is. No real commitment to winning especially if you keep that coach.
“The new Chicago probably lacks all connection with the bears of today. The youth of Chicago’s favorite team probably isn’t even the bears.”
Ouch.
He’s not really wrong though.
Since the domination of the 1985 Chicago Bears, the team has gone 6-12 in the playoffs and made it to just one Super Bowl – a loss to the Colts in 2006.
In those 38 seasons, only 14 of them have ended with the Bears having a record above .500.
Since losing in the Super Bowl in 2006, the team has made the playoffs just three times.
Since 2012, the Chicago Bears have won more than 8 games just once.
Over the past two years and 11 games, Chicago is 12-33.
Perhaps Bears ownership should think about hiring someone like Martellus Bennett over the next off-season to help them out.