Chicago

Bears Execs Didn't Know Parkey Would Appear on ‘Today'

"You know, I just -- I didn't necessarily think that that much too much of a 'we' thing."

It appears the Bears didn't know Cody Parkey would be making an appearance on the "Today Show" just days after his now-infamous double doink that marked the end of the team's season this month.

"You know, I found out -- I don't even know the exact time that it was," Nagy said Monday, noting that Parkey hadn't mentioned the interview when he did his exit interview last week. "But you know, for me, and you understand that we always talk about, you know, a 'we' and not a 'me' thing. We always talk as a team. We win as a team. We lose as a team. You know, I just -- I didn't necessarily think that that much too much of a 'we' thing." 

When asked if he thought the interview last week was appropriate, Nagy repeated he didn't think it was a "we" thing. 

Parkey appeared on "Today" Friday, detailing the missed field goal that ended the Bears' loss to the Eagles in the playoffs. 

"I just went down and I thought I hit a pretty good kick, it felt good off my foot," he told Today in an interview Friday. "Looking up and then I saw it hit the upright and hit the crossbar, I'm like, 'Surely it'll go in.' Unfortunately, it bounced toward me."

The NFL has changed its ruling on the 43-yard field goal attempt now known as the "double doink," changing the play to a blocked attempt. The change was made Monday via a stat correction, with officials stating the field goal was blocked by Eagles player Treyvon Hester. 

But Nagy said that doesn't matter. 

"There's just so many variables that go into it. You see it and I don't know, I mean, if -- there's so many different ways of how hard is a ball kicked, where when it gets tipped, it affects the way it goes," Nagy said. "What's the trajectory of a 43-yard field goal when you're kicking that, the blocking. Everything was -- and then there's also the element of the other team trying to make a good play, too. So there's just so many variables. The end result is we didn't make it."

Parkey has been the subject of much criticism throughout the season and even more since the team was eliminated from the playoffs.

"Obviously I’m disappointed that I let the fans, my teammates and the whole organization down, but I’ll continue to keep my head held high because football is what I do, it’s not who I am," he told "Today," noting that he has not been on social media since the end of the game. 

"I feel worse than anybody about missing that kick," he added. 

And the Bears GM said he knows that, but it appears the kicker's future is still in question. 

"I know Cody wishes he had a better season," said General Manager Ryan Pace. "We wish he had a better season, too. You know, we've just got to evaluate that now and you've got be to honest with yourselves in these. When we go forward, that's when we have to be real and say, that's an important position for us, it's a position of emphasis."

Parkey signed a four-year contract with the Bears before the season, but his future will now be one of many questions that Pace and company will have to answer as the offseason begins.

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