McCarthy ordered Randall to locker room.
GREEN BAY – The bizarre disappearance of Green Bay Packers cornerback Damarious Randall, who vanished from the sideline in the second half of Thursday night’s win over the Chicago Bears, turned out to be an order from coach Mike McCarthy.
Randall was sent to the locker room to finish the game in a metaphorical timeout.
“It was a coach’s decision,” McCarthy said during his Friday news conference. “My decision to send him to the locker room and frankly, we’ve got to be real honest here, we’re going to start evaluating and regulating conversation and things that go on on an NFL sideline? Let’s be real here. I know someone might make a good drama series out of it or something, but it’s not going to happen here.
“It’s an internal matter as I stated (Thursday) night. Anytime things happen throughout the course of our operation, whether it’s in a game, practice and so forth, I can promise you there’s dialogue and it’s an internal matter that’s being handled internally. I will make it clear because it was on the field, it was a coach’s decision, my decision, for Damarious to go into the locker room.”
Randall began Thursday’s game against the Bears as a starter in the base defense opposite rookie Kevin King. He had an uneventful first half until the closing moments of the second quarter, when a blown coverage resulted in a touchdown pass from quarterback Mike Glennon to wide receiver Kendall Wright.
The Bears lined up three receivers to the left of the formation, and the Packers responded accordingly with three defenders of their own. Randall was the defender closest to the middle of the field. When the ball was snapped, Wright ran by him for an easy touchdown reception in the back corner of the end zone.
Immediately, Randall threw up his hands in frustration as if he was searching for help from a teammate. It appeared Randall was playing zone coverage while the other defensive backs on that side of the line were in man to man.
Randall’s frustration carried over to the sideline, where he pouted for much of the third quarter after the coaches replaced him with Josh Hawkins. He was gone from the sideline shortly thereafter.
“I’ve addressed the decision that was made and also addressed the environment that we’re working in,” McCarthy said. “So it was a coach’s decision to have him leave the field. Conversation always goes on in any type of situation, and when we come back Tuesday, Damarious will be ready to roll with the rest of our football team.”
A report from NFL Network on Friday said there was an argument between Randall and a member of the coaching staff. The report also said Randall may have left the stadium before the game had finished.
When asked, McCarthy would not directly address the details of the report. He noted, however, that cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt Jr. has moved from the coaching box upstairs to the sideline, switching places with inside linebacker coach Scott McCurley.
“I think like anything in life, and particularly professional sports and this particular situation, we can all grow,” McCarthy said. “And (Randall) has some growing to do.”
Unhappy return: Former Packers guard Josh Sitton didn’t particularly enjoy his first game as an opponent at Lambeau Field.
Sitton, now a member of the Bears, was called for holding early in the second quarter when he wrestled Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark to the ground. The penalty wiped out tailback Tarik Cohen’s 15-yard run, which had set up the Bears in field-goal position. Instead, their drive eventually ended with a punt.
When Sitton let his displeasure known on the field, referee John Hussey’s mic picked up the left guard’s objection loud and clear, unleashing a string of obscenities overheard by a stadium full of fans and CBS’ telecast.
There was more vulgarity from Sitton in the Bears’ locker room after their 35-14 loss. Initially, when asked about his return to Lambeau Field, Sitton shrugged off the night.
“It’s just a football game, bud,” Sitton said.
His tone changed when asked about the experience of being an opponent inside his former home stadium.
“We got our (expletive) kicked,” he said, walking out of the visitors’ locker room and onto the Bears team bus.
Sitton was the Packers’ fourth-round draft pick in 2008. He played his first eight seasons in Green Bay, being selected to three Pro Bowls and earning three second-team All-Pros honors. The Packers surprisingly cut him days before the 2016 season, a move that was heavily scrutinized at the time.
Sitton did not play last season because of injury when the Bears visited Lambeau Field.
Injury report: Running back Ty Montgomery, who suffered broken ribs on the first play from scrimmage Thursday, is preparing to play against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 8, according to McCarthy. But whether that is actually feasible will be determined next week.
Wide receiver Jordy Nelson played through broken ribs in the NFC Championship Game last season, but the difference between wideout and running back is significant in terms of contact.
“We’re talking about injuries that the specifics of it are different, where exactly it’s located, type of equipment and definitely the position that you play,” McCarthy said. “I really don’t have a clear answer on exactly what Ty is dealing with and how he can move forward.
“I know today the conversation with the trainers, as far as his conversation with the trainers, he’s preparing to get ready to play in Dallas. That’s really what this weekend is for. Tuesday we’ll really get our hands around it and obviously we’ll get you the injury information on Wednesday.”
Rest and recover: After three games in 11 days, the Packers’ coaches and players are unplugging for a couple days.
McCarthy gave his coaches Friday afternoon and Saturday off. The players are not due back at Lambeau Field until Tuesday and many of them will leave town for the long weekend.
Fine time: Packers safety Marwin Evans was fined $9,115 for his facemask penalty against Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon on Sunday.