Bear Goggles On
Fansided

Chicago Bears Fans Should be Happy for Shea McClellin, Martellus Bennett Not So Much

By Bill Zimmerman

Feb 5, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett (88) talks with the media after Super Bowl LI at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 5, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett (88) talks with the media after Super Bowl LI at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Two former Chicago Bears won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots: Shea McClellin and Martellus Bennett. Bears fans should be happy for one of them, but not the other.

The Super Bowl is in the books and the New England Patriots won in historic fashion. While the Patriots winning the Super Bowl is nothing new to a football fan, for a Chicago Bears’ fan, it might have been an odd sensation to see a couple familiar faces winning a Super Bowl championship.

Shea McClellin and Martellus Bennett have been staples on the Bears’ roster the last few years. McClellin, who always had a good attitude but never had enough production, was all smiles on the field after the game. Bennett, who never seemed to have a good attitude but had the production, had a similar disposition as McClellin.

More from Bear Goggles On

While either of those two being champions may be a bitter pill for Bears’ fans to swallow, truth be told, fans should be happy for McClellin. While his production was never enough and he clearly never lived up to the status of a first round pick, McClellin was nothing but class during his days in Chicago.

The fans and media were always hard on McClellin (for good reason), but he never mouthed off, he never complained, he went out there and played his hardest. While his abilities may have fallen short, his class did not. While it took a genius like Bill Belichick to figure out a way to properly use McClellin, he did, McClellin was a contributor to the team and helped them win a championship. Bears fans should be pleased that McClellin had this experience.

Bennett, however, is a different story. While Bennett has the skills to contribute to any team, his attitude is frequently sour. That was quite evident the last year in Chicago. Bennett pouted his way off the team and out of the city.

Usually, when someone behaves like that to get their way, things don’t work out for them, but for Bennett, it couldn’t have been more perfect. Bennett pouted his way to the Patriots, played one season, Rob Gronkowski was injured for most of it which opened the door for Bennett to play more, and Bennett won himself a championship.

As an added bonus, Bennett is a free agent and in prime position to cash-in if he and the Patriots choose to part ways. If the Patriots choose to keep Bennett, then he has the privilege of playing for the best franchise in the sport.

As any fans that wants to see players do things the right way, it’s tough to be happy for Martellus Bennett after he left Chicago the way he did, and to make matters worse, trashed the organization after he left.

McClellin is a different story. While he will always be remembered as a Chicago Bears bust, it doesn’t change the fact that he is a classy guy that has earned a Super Bowl ring. Bears’ fans should be happy for him.

Bill Zimmerman is an editor and featured writer for FanSided‘s BearGogglesOn. Like his Facebook page or follow him on Twitter for more news and interaction.

Home/Chicago Bears News