Chicago Bears

Report: Bears boost security day after Jeremiah Ratliff's release

Published Oct. 27, 2015 1:39 p.m. ET

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The Chicago Bears had to release veteran defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff last week, after a belligerent episode that climbed all the way up the organization to general manager Ryan Pace.

On Monday, Bears head coach John Fox addressed the situation, but he didn't treat it as an exception to any other run-of-the-mill midseason personnel transaction.

Here's what Fox had to say about the incident, per Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune:

Just like everything, you evaluate and every decision we make is what we feel is best for the football team.

Every situation is individually different. Like all our personnel decisions, regardless of who and what name's on it, it's what we feel like is best for the football team. And his was no different.

Although Fox downplayed the event, there were reportedly lingering effects at the team's facilities. A source told Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times that the Bears were under a "heightened state of security" the day after Ratliff's release.

A source said Halas Hall still operated at a heightened state of security today, a day after the Jeremiah Ratliff situation. #Bears
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) October 23, 2015

Ratliff, 34, served a three game suspension to start this season for a drunk-driving incident in 2013.

The Bears signed former first-round pick Ziggy Hood to fill the empty roster spot. He will wear Ratliff's old No. 90 jersey.