Getty New Bears WR Byron Pringle didn't seem too happy about questions he was asked by the media at minicamp.
Byron Pringle doesn’t want to dwell on the past.
The top free agent at wide receiver for the Chicago Bears this offseason, Pringle spoke with the media on June 14 at mandatory veteran minicamp and was asked about an incident in April in which he was arrested in Florida and charged with reckless driving and driving with a suspended license.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol arrest report, Pringle was doing donuts in his vehicle on a public road with a child in the back seat and an adult male in the front passenger seat. The arrest report also stated Pringle “became verbally confrontational” and “ignored” the “verbal commands” of the officer who initially pulled him over. The case remains open, with the next hearing on the matter scheduled for July 5, according to Pasco County court records.
When Pringle, 28, was asked about the incident for the first time at minicamp, it was clear during the press conference — and after it — that he didn’t want to discuss it.
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Pringle on April Arrest: ‘No Thoughts on It’
When asked about the incident, Pringle’s response was short: “No thoughts on it,” he said.
He was then asked whether he felt the arrest made a good first impression on Bears fans. He replied: “I’m just a hardworking man. I love the game. Things happen.”
Pringle was also asked to clarify whether the child in the car was his, as TMZ first reported, and he responded: “Whatever you read in the media is all good. Whatever it says.”
After the press conference was over, Pringle took to Twitter to express his thoughts on the questions he was asked. “I’m just here to play football, not answer [clown emoji] questions,” he wrote in a tweet he has since deleted. Heavy managed to snag a screenshot of it, however:
TwitterPringle has since deleted his tweet.
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Pringle Expected to Be Major Contributor in Bears Offense
Pringle inked a one-year, $4.125 million contract with the Bears this offseason, and it’ll be a “prove it” type of contract. He’s coming over from the Kansas City Chiefs, where he got to know current Bears general manager Ryan Poles, who served as assistant/executive director of player personnel during Pringle’s time there.
Pringle says he’s fitting in just fine in the Windy City so far, and he gave a shout-out to new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s offense.
“I love everything about the offense,” the wideout said. “It’s new coming from the old club I was at. But I love everything about it. Being able to get a lot of 1-on-1 matches and move around a little bit and find spaces to get me the ball.”
Pringle is coming off a season in which he had 42 catches for 568 yards (13.5 yards per catch) and five touchdowns, all of which other than YPC, were career highs.
“I came here to play at a high level, execute and win,” Pringle added. “Whatever it takes, be it the blocking, kick return, gunner, wherever they need me at. I’m just trying to win.”
First-year head coach Matt Eberflus likes that attitude — and he also likes what he has seen from Pringle so far.
“I like him with the run after catch,” Eberflus said on June 15. “He does a really good job, and is an explosive athlete, and I think he’s strong. He’s got a strong set of hands to catch it in traffic and he does a really good job, like I said, yards after the catch. He can break some tackles, you can feel his strength, and you can see that on tape. We like where he is.”
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