When it comes to Chicago sports, there are certain topics that spark heavy debate and will continue to be talked about for years to come. Was Jay Cutler a good quarterback? Is Michael Jordan better than LeBron James? Was the 1985 Super Bowl team the greatest in NFL history?
Alright, we know there’s no debate there. But another hot-button item has to do with fan booing and what players think of the action. Some have voiced their displeasure for fan booing while others understand their frustrations. Add Bears running back Tarik Cohen to the former, however.
Cohen, speaking with reporters after the Bears’ 19-14 win against the New York Giants, wasn’t pleased with how the fans comported themselves during the game when the team struggled to move the ball down the field.
“The boos are definitely not necessary,” Cohen told the media. “We’re not booing each other so I don’t understand why if you’re a fan of somebody, how could you boo them when they’re going through hardships? We don’t care, the boos or the yells or screams for us, it doesn’t faze us anymore. We hear them, but it’s just nothing.”
Cohen finished his answer by saying “it’s just us against the world, basically.”
Tarik Cohen on fans booing during the game, pic.twitter.com/wD1C04QYZW
— Ⓜ️arcusD ▶️ (@_MarcusD3_) November 24, 2019
Cohen, who rushed for 25 yards on six carries and caught seven passes for 29 yards, isn’t the first to be rubbed the wrong way by negative fan reaction. Safety Eddie Jackson voiced his displeasure with the boo birds following the Bears’ opening week loss to the Packers. Since then, it’s been a common theme along the lakefront in 2019. A season that began with so much promise soured quickly, leaving fans with a bitter taste in their mouths.
With two more games to go at Soldier Field this season, Cohen and the Bears likely haven’t heard the last of the booing from the fans in attendance. Is he justified in his response or should players understand that fans may boo if the product on the field isn’t up to their standards?
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