Flag Bearers: Javon Wims Suspended 2 games
Wide receiver Javon Wims had a talk with coach Matt Nagy about his explosion in Sunday's game.
Perhaps Nagy needs to have a talk with the entire team.
Wims has been suspended two games by the NFL without pay for going berserk and sucker-punching New Orleans Saints defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, before hitting him a few more times. It was a disturbing event for a team now attracting penalty flags at a rapid rate.
"I did talk to him today," Nagy said. "Again, obviously out of respect, I'm going to keep that between us and internally. But we did talk to him. I did talk to him.
"Just regardless of what went on, he knows and understands. He was apologetic and knows that no matter what you can't do what he did."
Wims violated a rule in the CBA which prohibits striking, swinging at, or clubbing the head, neck, or face of an opponent with the wrist(s), arm(s), elbow(s), or hand(s), as well as Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 which prohibits any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship.
Wims will be eligible to return to the Bears’ active roster on Nov. 17, following the game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Wims may appeal the suspension. The suspension would be heard by Derrick Brooks or James Thrash.
This is such a rare situation, even Nagy is at a loss.
"I haven't been through that before, so it's kind of new to me," Nagy said. "So we'll just kind of wait and see where that's at and collaborate together as an organization and figure out what's next."
Wims had become upset over Gardner-Johnson sticking a finger in the face of teammate Anthony Miller and then was further riled when Gardner-Johnson knocked out his mouthpiece with a swipe.
So later he threw a punch and then another, and attempted a few more pokes to the head.
Few saw what actually happened but teammates defended Wims.
"Whatever happens throughout this time hopefully it's a positive act and we can figure out went on in that situation and we can move forward," Bears receiver Darnell Mooney said.
The Bears organization has suspended players themselves for fighting with teammates in the past. Martellus Bennett got suspended for one of his practice fights.
It's remarkable the situation didn't result in a bigger fight after the way it came down.
"I turned around, it was a lot, like a lot of hostile things going on," Mooney said. "But like I said it's an emotional game. No one knows what happened at that time besides those two. But like I said hopefully we can move forward and keep going."
While Wims is an isolated case, the Bears as a team have become flag fliers. They lead the NFL in penalties with 58 and are second, ironically enough, to New Orleans in yardage (553-536 yards).
"I think that's something that you have to understand as a head coach, no matter of the 'why' part, that's the simple fact," Nagy said. "The fact of the matter is that, like you said, we are leading the league in penalties and then you have something like that that happens yesterday. You never want that to happen ever from nobody on your team, and it's an emotional game and people get into it, but, again, just knowing who Javon Wims as a person, a high-character guy, that's the part that I thought was surprising.
"So, yeah, until it gets changed, I have to be able to accept responsibility for it and I have to be able to focus on the 'why' part and I have to hold myself and the coaching staff accountable because we're the ones that basically are the conduits to the players on how they're acting on game day. Until it stops, I've gotta take full responsibility for it."
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