Chase Claypool is in the crosshairs of angry Bears fans after Chicago had its door blown off at home by the Packers in the season opener.
Claypool, a fourth-year wide receiver, had no catches on two targets as Green Bay won, 38-20, at Soldier Field on Sunday.
Several plays circulated on social media showing Claypool’s apparent lack of effort, including one where he was effectively an open door when his assignment was to block on a screen play.
NFL Network analyst Kyle Brandt, who grew up outside Chicago, tweeted about an unnamed player’s lack of effort on Sunday.
“There is a player on the Bears, and he’s just sleep walking out there. We all see it. He plays offense. I’m not even gonna name him. If you’re watching, you know,” Brandt tweeted.
Everyone who responded believed he was talking about Claypool.
Mike Renner, an NFL Draft analyst for The Messenger, quote-tweeted Brandt’s commentary with a video of lowlights that focused on Claypool’s blocking and route running, and the caption “Pick 32.”
Claypool was traded from the Steelers to the Bears last season in exchange for Chicago’s second-round pick, the 32nd overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, which Pittsburgh used to pick cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Former SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio producer Bill Zimmerman, who also covers the Bears, responded to Brandt, “I love you, Kyle, but his name is Chase Claypool. Call his ass out!”
Brandt doubled back on the topic on “Good Morning Football” on Monday morning.
“I’m gonna do a blind item in the New York tabloid style,” Brandt began.
“There is a player for the Chicago Bears who I’m not going to mention, I don’t know what he’s doing out there, he certainly doesn’t look like he wants to be out there.
“He’s a name. He’s a guy you know. I’m not gonna mention his name because I don’t have to. If you watched five seconds of this game you know who I’m talking about. I don’t know what this player’s doing but I know he’s not trying, and I don’t know if he’s gonna be out there much longer.”
This isn’t the first time Claypool has faced blowback in Chicago.
Last year, the receiver had an outburst on the sidelines during the Bears’ 41-10 loss to the Lions on New Year’s Day.
Claypool explained his side of the issue later that week with reporters.
“I was all fired up because we can’t lose that bad, ever,” he said this past January.
“We have to have a little bit more pride, a little bit more heart, so it don’t happen again.
“I was coming off the field, three-and-out, sit on the bench, do the same thing over,” the receiver continued.
“Something’s gotta change in that moment. We gotta realize the drives where we have to score. We have to realize when it’s not OK to go three-and-out. We gotta act that way. If we go three-and-out, it can’t just be OK. And it isn’t. But we gotta really have that fire and energy and realize that, yo, it’s time to go. We went three-and-out two times in a row. They’re scoring points. The lead’s getting bigger. What are we gonna do about it?”