The Bernstein Brief: Jeremiah's Ratliff's Exit Was A Long Time Coming
By Dan Bernstein--
CBSChicago.com senior columnist
(CBS) Wednesday wasn't the first time Jeremiah Ratliff had shown up at Halas Hall in less than ideal condition to work, but it was certainly the last.
Ratliff had presented "not ready to play" on more than one previous occasion, sources tell 670 The Score, and that the Bears' disappointment with this pattern of behavior was finally raised to the point that he was confronted, resulting in the rages last week that brought police cars to the building in response.
So give general manager Ryan Pace credit for acting in the best interests of his team to remove Ratliff, but know that this wasn't in response to one bad day but indeed an ongoing issue that eventually proved to be too much, despite Ratliff's ability.
There should also be increased concern for Ratliff's own well-being and that of people around him, understanding that someone with an apparent substance problem has now been removed from the support structure provided by the daily connection to the NFL.
Dan Bernstein is a co-host of 670 The Score's "Boers and Bernstein Show" in afternoon drive. You can follow him on Twitter @dan_bernstein and read more of his columns here.
