Kobe Bryant and Chrissy Teigen sympathized with Cody Parkey. Jake Tapper and Dwyane Wade essentially told fans to back off. Former NFL coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan was not so charitable.
When Parkey "doinked" a would-be walk-off field goal off the left upright, dashing the Bears' Super Bowl aspirations, it was the clank heard 'round the world.
Teammates, ex-Bears, fellow NFL players, actors, politicians _ even a minister _ have weighed in on Parkey's missed kick, the emotional turmoil he's likely enduring and, of course, the backlash.
Former Bull and Chicago-area native Wade, now with the Heat, tweeted, "Most of you have no idea how hard this is to do. Cody Parkey way to face the media like a true professional. I'm a fan!"
Former Willow Creek Community Church past Steve Carter expressed dismay in reaction to a video of Parkey being booed at Soldier Field after Sunday's wild-card loss to the Eagles: "This isn't the Chicago I know. Come on (Bears) fans! My heart breaks for Parkey. He's a good man. He points to the sky after a miss, goes to pray after the game and runs back to the locker room to this chorus. @CParkey36 gives praise even in a valley. Love you bro. Real ones _ got you."
"My thoughts are you've got one job to do," Ryan told host Mike Greenberg. "I mean it comes down to one play. Every coach will be like, 'Well, it's not just that one play.' Yes, it is. You have a job to do, you gotta make that kick.
"And the fact he didn't, I don't feel sorry for him. A lot of people (say), 'Oh, I feel sorry for that kid.' Really? How about feeling sorry for his teammates, the fan base and everybody he let down.
"This guy doesn't prepare. They (kickers) don't do meetings. You don't do anything. You make a kick. And in that situation, you got to sit back. That's why you're a professional. It's like a golfer missing a 4-foot putt. If you're a pro you make it and that's what this kid's gotta do. I don't feel sorry for him. Maybe that's me."
Meanwhile, Bulls star Bobby Portis and Chicago native Patrick Beverley of the Clippers chuckled at the situation over a Twitter exchange.
Portis sent back a few laughing emojis and added, "Chill bro."
