Panthers head coach Ron Rivera made an uncommon decision in Thursday’s preseason opener and backed the call with an even more uncommon explanation.
The Panthers beat the Bears 23-13, but was Rivera’s decision to ice rookie kicker Elliott Fry just before halftime that became a bigger headline than an final score.
“I did that to help the Bears,” Rivera said in his postgame press conference. “They’re in a kicking contest. At the end of the day, you just never know. It’s one of those things you think about. You want to see how it works and you do it. And, there’s an alternative reason to doing it now in the preseason, as well.”
Chicago released Cody Parkey in late February, despite him being in the midst of a four-year, $15 million contract, with $9 million guaranteed. The Bears have been searching for his replacement all summer, but a few auditions didn’t go very well.
Fry’s case for the placekicker job is improved after he sank his (poetic) 43-yard field goal attempt, despite Rivera’s practice gamesmanship.
