Bears RBs Taylor, Bell separated at practice
December 3, 2010 12:21 AM
By Brad Biggs
The last time the Bears had running backs fighting in practice, at least that we know of, they reached the Super Bowl.
Four years later, the team has running backs going at it again. Chester Taylor and Kahlil Bell had to be separated during practice Thursday afternoon in the Walter Payton Center. The situation was resolved before it escalated, according to a source, who said there was a suspicion something had been brewing between the two. Practice quickly resumed.
Taylor and Bell were teammates when Bell was an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings. Bell has been inactive for the first 11 games.
Coach Lovie Smith did not mention the fight in his post-practice press conference, but did say the team has "had two good practices" inside this week.
The last reported dueling running backs was 2006 when starter Thomas Jones and first-round draft pick Cedric Benson co-existed if not so peacefully. In one instance, Jones punched Benson in the head during practice. After the Bears reached Super Bowl XLI, Jones was traded to the New York Jets to clear the deck for Benson.
Taylor, who is making $7 million of the $12.5 million, four-year contract he signed this season, carried the ball six times for minus-three yards in Sunday's win over the Philadelphia Eagles. He's rushed 38 times for 53 yards and one touchdown in the four-game winning streak. On the season, the veteran has run for 213 yards.
Taylor is a hard-nosed competitor with a history of run-ins with teammates.
He fought defensive end Erasmus James with the Vikings in 2007, a melee that required left tackle Bryant McKinnie to get stitches following some collateral damage. Taylor also reportedly threw a chair at offensive tackle Orlando Brown when they were with the Baltimore Ravens. He doesn't appear to have any fear of teammates larger than him.
