National Football League

Ditka not on board with Bears' move

Published Jan. 1, 2013 12:00 a.m. ET

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Lovie Smith's Chicago Bears missed the playoffs in five of the past six years, including a complete collapse this season after starting the year 7-1. Yet, there are some who feel Smith got a raw deal by being fired.

Former Bears coach Mike Ditka is among those Smith supporters, calling Smith's dismissal as Bears head coach “ridiculous” and emphasizing that Chicago’s fast start to the season should have played more of a factor in the decision-making process.

“If Minnesota would have lost [Sunday] and the Bears were in the playoffs, this wouldn’t have happened. That’s a fact. So how stupid is it then? It really is stupid,” Ditka said on radio station ESPN 1000 in Chicago. “If they would have made the playoffs, this would not have happened. They did what they did. They took care of their business, and Minnesota played a great game against Green Bay.”

Ditka’s right. The Vikings did play a great game against the Packers, and they earned themselves a playoff berth in the process. That being said, the Bears choked big time down the stretch, and they put themselves in a terrible position going into Week 17.

So while Smith might be a solid NFL coach, it’s understandable that the Bears’ front office decided to explore other options.

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