Cutler, Harris hit with fines
CHICAGO – A bad year for the Bears got worse.
The NFL said Friday that quarterback Jay Cutler had been fined $20,000 for abusive conduct toward a game official during a 41-21 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
Cutler drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty with 6:24 left in the third quarter after an incomplete pass to tight end Greg Olsen on a fourth-down play with the Bears trailing, 34-7, at the time. Cutler apparently thought there should have been an interference penalty.
The fine came one day after Cutler threw five interceptions during a 10-6 loss at San Francisco. Cutler has thrown an NFL-worst 17 interceptions this season for the Bears (4-5), who have lost four of five.
The NFL also said defensive lineman Tommie Harris had been fined $7,500 for punching Cardinals offensive lineman Deuce Lutui on the fourth play from scrimmage.
Bears lobby for disgraced official: Bears star Brian Urlacher and former Bears defensive tackle Terry “Tank” Johnson wrote letters to a federal judge last year that praised a disgraced Chicago pol facing sentencing in a $1.5 million real estate kickback scheme.
The letters, dated December 2008, were part of a released court file in the case of former Alderman Edward Vrdolyak, known in Chicago political circles as “Fast Eddie.”
