Brandon Marshall: Bears' Ryan Pace Refused To Let Him Do 'Inside The NFL' During Season
(CBS) The decision for Brandon Marshall's move to the New York Jets in March 2015 came from the Bears brass, which wanted to move on from the outspoken receiver.
However, Marshall also was hoping for a trade from Chicago. In an interview with MMQB.com writer Albert Breer that was published Thursday, he discussed the two reasons for his desire to leave the Bears. One was his relationship with quarterback Jay Cutler, which he declined to discuss. The other was how Bears general manager Ryan Pace refused to let him participate in Showtime's "Inside The NFL" each week.
During the 2014 season, Bears coach Marc Trestman and general manager Phil Emery allowed Marshall to fly out during his off day on Tuesday and participate in the show. The Bears' new regime wouldn't allow it.
"When I sat down with Ryan Pace and coach John Fox, we met, and I asked, 'What do you guys think about this?' It was a big topic," Marshall said. "And Ryan Pace said, 'Well, we can do that in the offseason.' So I was like, 'Well, what about half the season?' 'No.' 'What about once or twice?' 'No.' 'What about bye week?' 'No, you can do that in the offseason.'
"Right then, I knew I wouldn't be a Bear anymore, because I think that the business of the NFL is growing every single day, and players are being told to stay in a box and just play football, and we're missing out on a lot of opportunities, not only to grow as men and businessmen but to experience different things."
Marshall is entering his third year on the show's set, now just a drive away from the studios in New York. He is also playing his second season with his fourth NFL team.
