Getty NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - SEPTEMBER 29: Teddy Bridgewater #5 of the New Orleans Saints gets tackled by Robert Quinn #58 of the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter in the game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on September 29, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears had a mini-media day of sorts Friday, with general manager Ryan Pace, head coach Matt Nagy, new quarterback Nick Foles, and newly acquired defensive end Robert Quinn all holding conference calls with members of the media. Quinn was the last to speak to reporters, and his Q&A was quite revealing.
Noting he was looking forward to playing in a city that has always held defense in such a high regard, Quinn said he’s looking forward to playing with the likes of Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks, both of whom he thinks will be double-teamed enough to make his pass-rushing opportunities ample. Quinn thinks Hicks “knocking the pocket back” will also lead to big things for the Bears on ‘D.’
Quinn did express slight uncertainty when it came to which side he’d be lining up on. “I never really played the left side,” he said. “Hopefully I get to stay on the right side, or if we got to flip flop, I guess I’ve got to be more comfortable [playing on the left side].”
Quinn also said he’d like to see double digit sacks again this season, noting that his “personal standards” are high in terms of the kind of season he wants to have. When it came time to reveal his reasons for choosing the Chicago Bears, however, things got a bit … murky.
Robert Quinn: Did a Coin Toss Leads Him to Chicago?
When asked by Adam Jahns of The Athletic what it was that drew him to the Bears, Quinn said it was a process — and a very difficult one. “I guess you’ve just gotta figure out the pros and cons, talk to your agent, you know, and flip a coin and hopefully the powers above lead you in the right direction.”
Quinn said it was a difficult decision, but it ultimately came down to where he and his family would be happiest, and that felt like Chicago. “There’s a lot of factors … it was a tough decision, but Chicago was on the right side of the coin.” That coin again.
Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times asked Quinn if he really flipped a coin to decide which team to play for, and his answer was confusing and vague enough to send Bears Twitter into a bit of a frenzy.
Robert Quinn literally flipped a coin between the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons. That’s how he made his decision.
As Robert Quinn struggled with his decision in free agency, he flipped a coin. It was either the Bears or the Falcons.
“I really couldn’t make up my mind, so I had to do it the honest way. … The Bears were on the right side.”
No joke: Robert Quinn said he flipped a coin when making up his mind about where to go.
Who cares if Robert Quinn literally flipped a coin to come to Chicago or not? He signed, he’ll play, he’ll do well next to Mack and Hicks.
I don’t need some BS “I love this city, these fans, this team, blah blah blah” answer. He got his money and will do his job.
“It was here and Atlanta,” Quinn said, about the teams he was choosing between at the end. Were the Bears head or tails? “They were on the right side,” Quinn said slyly. “I think the powers above [do] things in a funny way,” Quinn added.
Bears In-House Writer Later Says Quinn’s Coin Toss Was ‘Figure of Speech’
Whether or not Quinn actually flipped a coin to determine his future seems unlikely, although Quinn sounded pretty serious about it in the conference call — serious enough to convince the majority of the team’s beat writers. The Bears’ in-house writer, Larry Mayer, later tweeted the following out for clarification purposes: “Robert Quinn didn’t actually flip a coin to decide whether to sign with the Bears or the Falcons. He was just using that as a figure of speech to describe how close the decision was.”
Just to clarify, new #Bears LB Robert Quinn didn’t actually flip a coin to decide whether to sign with the Bears or the Falcons. He was just using that as a figure of speech to describe how close the decision was.
Regardless of his reasons for becoming a Bear, he’s one now, and he seems to think he’s right where he needs to be. When asked his thoughts about Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, Quinn sheepishly admitted he hadn’t realized Pagano was the Bears’ current DC until he knew he was signing with the team. Pagano had tried to recruit him back in college, and he’s glad he’ll finally have the opportunity to play for him.
“The good powers above always lead you in the right direction,” Quinn reiterated.
Quinn’s full conference call can be heard below:
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Bears’ Robert Quinn Talks About ‘Coin Toss’ That Led Him to Chicago