The Chicago Bears have suspended tight end Martellus Bennett and fined him for conduct detrimental to the team, general manager Phil Emery announced on Tuesday. The length of the suspension is, officially, an "undetermined length of time."
Martellus Bennett suspended by Bears following training camp fight
Training camp scuffles are to be expected, but Martellus Bennett took things too far on Monday, and now the Chicago Bears have suspended him.
Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Bennett's infraction came during Monday's training camp session, when Bennett responded to a tackle from rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller by violently slamming him to the ground. Fuller was attempting to strip the ball from Bennett, and was making a legal play. Head coach Marc Trestman called a halt to practice after Bennett responded with the slam, and eventually sent the tight end from practice.
Here’s video of the play below, via the Chicago Sun-Times:
It's unclear what kind of fine he received and it's unclear if he'll be back with the team in time for Friday's preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. If Chicago wants to send a message, now is the time to make Bennett miss games, and he'll still have three more preseason games to show what he can do.
Training camp scuffles are not unheard of and it would be news if a team made it through this process without the occasional fight. But Bennett took things a bit too far on Monday, hence his suspension. It’s possible his attitude following the incident played a part as well. Bennett told the media that he can “afford” a fine. Bennett is expected to take on a large role in the Chicago offense this season.
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