One Alshon Jeffery phone call completely altered his image forever in Chicago Bears history. He could’ve been one of the best in franchise history at that position. He wasn’t too far away from breaking every major record including career yards and touchdown receptions. On top of that he insisted, multiple times, that his desire was to stay and back up his guarantee that the team would win a Super Bowl in 2017.
Instead he rebuffed several attempts by the team to work out a long-term deal and decided to take his talents to Philadelphia. It was never about the team loyalty with him. Jeffery has always been a player surrounded by concerns that he was most interested in himself. That was probably a big reason he wasn’t happy when Brandon Marshall got traded. It put more responsibility on his shoulders.
That selfishness was in full cry when he did something unbelieveable during the start of NFL free agency. According to Tim Rohan of the MMQB, he placed a phone call to ESPN insider Adam Schefter to find out what other receivers on the market were making.
Alshon Jeffery phone call to Adam Schefter
“In the middle of Schefter’s flurry of calls, Alshon Jeffery (49 Markman points) rings him, wanting to know how much money the other free-agent receivers are making. Players sometimes contact Schefter with questions like this because he likely has that information even if he hasn’t reported it, as is the case here. Indeed, as they talk Schefter receives a text saying that Torrey Smith will be signing with the Eagles.
Schefter goes through the contract numbers on Smith, Jackson and Pierre Garçon, slowly, so Jeffery can apparently write them down. “It’s all about the guarantee, Alshon,” Schefter says. “It’s all about the guarantee … Your average per year could be $100 million. It doesn’t matter. If they’re going to guarantee you the majority of the contract, that’s what you want.”
Schefter asks where Jeffery is going. Jeffery doesn’t have an answer yet. Schefter asks that Jeffery notify him when he does make a decision and leaves the conversation at that.”
Exit Stage Right
Not long after that Jeffery leaked to another insider, Josina Anderson, that he was joining the Eagles on a one-year deal for $9.75 million, including $8.75 million in guarantees. Not only did he fail to get a big long-term contract, he decided to bet on himself for a second-straight season. It was the ultimate cold shoulder to the Bears and their efforts to work something out. A silent admission that their money and culture weren’t good enough for him.
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In truth his personality never seemed to mesh with what GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox are building. They want active and committed players who live and breath the game of football. Jeffery’s commitment has been questioned repeatedly since he was coming out of college. He didn’t treat the game as a passion. More like a job, and in jobs it’s always about finding a way to make the most money possible.
That phone call cemented beyond a doubt that Alshon, for all his talent, wasn’t worth keeping in Chicago.
