Brian Urlacher, the Chicago All-Pro middle linebacker, had a message for the Bears fans after Sunday’s night 13-6 loss to the Houston Texans:
“Kiss my butt.”
Bears fans apparently were not pleased that Urlacher congratulated Texan Danieal Manning for intercepting a Jay Cutler pass at the Texans’ 6-yard line late in the first quarter.
“That was a nice play. I could give a crap about what people think on the street,” Urlacher told “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN 1000 Monday. “Danieal Manning is a friend of mine. He was a teammate for five or six years, and that’s the way it is. He made a catch and was running toward the sideline to say something to Coach, so I walked out there.”
Manning played alongside of Urlacher from 2006 to 2010 with the Bears before going to the Texans. Urlacher said he will not treat his friends any different between the whistles. The 13-year veteran said he does not have to play the “tough guy” role when the play is over.
“[Manning]’s my friend,” he said. “I wish he wouldn’t have caught it, but he did, so nice play to you. I don’t give a crap about what fans or people say, they can kiss my butt. I don’t care.
“I’m not going to take it easy on the guy when he catches the football and not try and hit him because he’s a friend of mine. It doesn’t happen,” Urlacher said. “Take (Panthers tight end) Greg Olsen. If he catches the ball I’m going to try and (tackle him). He knows that, and he’s going to try and make me miss. And Greg is a good friend of mine as well.”
The Bears fans have been pretty critical towards players in the last couple of weeks. Last week they criticized cornerback Charles Tillman for considering missing the game to watch the birth of his fourth child.
Urlacher had a final message for all the fans that deemed his actions as “friendly” and not hostile.
“It’s just dumb that people think that. ‘Why did you help that guy up after you tackled him?’ Because I wanted to,” he said. “What’s the big deal? ‘Butkus would have never done that.’ Well, I’m not Dick Butkus. I’m Brian Urlacher, and sometimes I help people up. Sorry if that (ticks) you off.”
