The Chicago Bears played Sunday’s game without linebacker Roquan Smith, but the circumstances behind his absence from the field remain a mystery.
The Bears said that Smith missed Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings due to “personal reasons,” and that is all head coach Matt Nagy would say during a press conference Monday afternoon.
“It’s completely a personal issue,” Nagy said. “I’m not getting into anything else.”
Nagy was asked whether Smith’s absence was of his choosing or the team’s, and whether he would make the trip to London with the team, but declined to answer any further questions about the linebacker.
Smith was a sudden addition to the team’s injury report on Sunday, with the Bears announcing mid-morning that he was “doubtful” to play. He didn’t end up suiting up for the Bears, but was on the sideline during the game in street clothes. He was not at his locker after the game.
With Smith’s status up in the air for Sunday, it would appear that Nick Kwiatkoski is in line to make his second straight start at inside linebacker for the Bears when they take on the Oakland Raiders. The Bears do have a bye week next week, giving the team more time to nail down Smith’s status moving forward.
