Pat Shurmur: My dehydration comment wasn’t rip at Beckham
Pat Shurmur insisted he wasn’t criticizing Odell Beckham Jr. when he praised kicker Aldred Rosas during an interview on WFAN for having “the mentality of a football player. He doesn’t care if he’s had a good night sleep, doesn’t care if he’s hydrated.”
Some listeners took that to mean the head coach was calling out Beckham, who has missed time during games while getting IV injections and said he doesn’t like drinking water.
“Not at all,’’ Shurmur said Wednesday. “It’s not a shot at anybody. … That answer had nothing to do with any other player other than to compliment the fact that [Rosas] is a tough son of a gun and I appreciate him as a player. Whoever perceived that [as critical of Beckham] was way off base.”
Shurmur added Rosas has a “football mentality.”
“It’s my perception of things,’’ Shurmur said. “We’re in an age now where sports science rules. I’m from an age where it didn’t matter how much sleep you got. It didn’t matter what you did. You come to work and you perform. That’s what I see in Rosas … I like kickers that are actual football players. He’s a big tough guy who’s kicked the ball well for us.”
Saquon Barkley continued to say he’s fine with the amount he’s being used in the offense.
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“I think it’s perfectly fine,’’ Barkley said. “With me, with the workload and my mindset and I think I’ve said this multiple times, it’s whatever it takes. … That’s just my mindset.”
And he believes if the outcome of Sunday’s loss in Philadelphia had been different, there wouldn’t be any issues with his lack of touches in the second half.
“I know you guys keep bringing up the questions because how many times I touch the ball in the second half, but if we finished the game and we win that game, I don’t think that’s going to be this topic or the story,’’ Barkley said. “I know what people are thinking, but like I said, I’ll continue to believe in the coaches, continue to believe in the offense and this system and continue to come in working and take it one day at a time.”
After missing Chicago’s game on Thanksgiving Day with a right shoulder injury, Mitch Trubisky didn’t practice on Wednesday and may not play Sunday.
Asked during a conference call who his quarterback would be Sunday, Bears head coach Matt Nagy said: “We’ll see. … We’re still going through that process. Mitch is getting better, he’s improving each day. We like where he’s at, we’re in a good spot with [backup] Chase [Daniel], as well. We will kind of go day by day with it.”
Nagy has liked what he’s seen from former Giant CB Prince Amukamara, who is in his second season with the Bears.
“First of all, he’s a student of the game,’’ Nagy said of Amukamara, who was the Giants’ first-round pick in 2011. “He has experience, which is good, I like that. I think that at that position, it can be such an up-and-down position in regards to you get beat one play, you’ve got to bounce right back and have a next-play mentality. He’s done a great job all year long being a leader and playing his solid game.’’
Evan Engram (hamstring) didn’t participate in practice. DL Kerry Wynn (concussion) was limited, but Shurmur sounded optimistic he could return in time for Sunday after missing last week’s loss. LB Lorenzo Carter (hip), LB Tae Davis (ankle), LB B.J. Goodson (neck), CB Grant Haley (hamstring) and S Curtis Riley (shoulder) were also limited. Shurmur said WR Cody Latimer (hamstring) returned to practice from injured reserve. RB Jonathan Stewart is “ready to go if we need him.” He needs to be activated by next Thursday to be eligible to return this season.
