At halftime of Sunday’s match-up between the Bears and Saints both teams have planned a special ceremony to retire former Bears and current Saints center Olin Kreutz. It will mark the first time in NFL history two teams have jointly done so.
“Olin has had a great career,” said Bears head coach Lovie Smith, “but [Saints head coach] Sean Payton and I agree this was necessary.”
In his 13-year career, Kreutz’s production had diminished of late. “We feel this is the best way to honor him,” said Bears GM Jerry Angelo. “What better way to go out than forcibly and in front of the only two teams he’s played for?”
The ceremony is scheduled to have several special guests, including former Bear Fred Miller, whose jaw Kreutz broke in an altercation in 2005 when both were teammates in Chicago. Kreutz supposedly is not very keen on the ceremony and has privately told both organizations he will not attend the forced retirement.
“That’s understandable,” said Angelo, “but we have tranquilizer guns ready for when the whistle blows to end the half.”
