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Stephen A. Smith Rips Bears WR DJ Moore for Skipping Media After 2025 Season Ends

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith blasted Bears WR DJ Moore for avoiding the media on locker cleanout day, calling it a leadership issue in Chicago.
Bryan Perez|
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Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore found himself under national scrutiny this week after declining to speak with reporters during locker cleanout day, a move that drew sharp criticism from ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith.

During a recent episode of "First Take," Smith took aim at Moore's decision to avoid media availability following the end of Chicago's season. He called it a failure of leadership rather than a simple scheduling choice. Smith emphasized that Moore is not a marginal player, but one of the Bears' highest-profile veterans and a key part of the offense.

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"Accountability comes with the territory," Smith said during the segment, arguing that players who are paid like Moore should expect to answer questions when a season ends in disappointment.

Smith acknowledged that players are not obligated to speak with the media, but he made the distinction between what is required and what is expected. In Smith's view, Moore's absence sent the wrong message, particularly to younger players in the locker room, about how to face adversity.

As a veteran receiver and a focal point in the offense, Moore is considered one of the faces of the franchise. As a result, Smith argued, the standard changes.

Chris "Mad Dog" Russo took exception with Moore's decision, too.

“When you are in a situation where you are responsible or had something to do with the game ending playing the playoffs, and you have two chances to meet the media after a game, you’ve got to show up,” Russo said. “You’ve got to show up and give us five minutes. Just answer a question. ‘What happened in that last play?’ It’s the game. It’s the season. We [sic] football for nine months and DJ Moore doesn’t show up.”

It didn't end there. Smith went all-in on Moore, teetering on questioning the veteran receiver's professionalism.

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“Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean you know how to be a professional,” Smith said. “When you guys that can’t take it, that just shows. I mean, you got a lot of folks out here — and I’m not calling him that — but you got a lot of folks out here who are mental midgets. They just can’t take it."

Moore has displayed a quirky personality since joining the Bears in 2023. His on-field antics and oftentimes disinterested appearance have sparked criticism in the past, making him an easy target for loafing on what would end up being the Chicago Bears' final possession of 2025.

Still, I'd stop short of being this critical of him. He decided to skip speaking with the media, and there's no doubt he knew this firestorm would follow. Perhaps, he also knows he won't have to speak with the Chicago media again, as he remains a focal point of Bears offseason trade speculation.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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