Bears GM addresses Kromer situation

Bears general manager Phil Emery spoke publicly for the first time Monday regarding the fallout from offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer's critical remarks to an NFL Network reporter about quarterback Jay Cutler.

"I was very angry, Jeff, to be honest with you, with what happened," Emery told Jeff Joniak of WBBM-Radio AM-670 during the station's Bears pregame show. "Disappointed, upset, like many of our fans and like many of our players, which was obvious because that's how the information got out, in terms of Aaron's apology to the team.

After the NFL Network report came out, Kromer admitted his role and apologized to Cutler and the offense last Monday.

"Not uncommon, what Aaron did, in this league," Emery said. "Obviously, there's a whole industry in the NFL in terms of sourcing - coaches, players, staff members. That's what makes it turn a little bit in terms of the news and the blogs and the information circuit of the NFL.

"Obviously some of that has been very positive and helps our game grow. And sometimes it has a negative impact on the team, which it did ours this week."

Emery said the decision to retain Kromer rather than fire him was left up to head coach Marc Trestman because that's how the Bears' hierarchy is structured.

"The venting by a coach and the way it was brought about and the apology was surprising," Emery said. "And, again, that brought a lot of anger. However, we have a lot of systems in place to deal with adversity. I trust our system.

"It's a system in which we let emotions subside and we work through the decision process or all the details that anything would entail, in terms of an issue. It also allows us to treat everybody with respect."

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