LAKE FOREST, Ill. (Nov. 14, 2005) -- Chicago Bears teammates Fred Miller and Olin Kreutz admitted they were in a fight last week in which Kreutz broke Miller's jaw.
"We realize it was something very stupid on both of our parts and it's not going to happen again," Miller said in the locker room as he apologized to his family, his teammates and Kreutz.
Details of the fight were not clear, and neither Kreutz or Miller would provide them.
Miller needed surgery last week after initially saying he hurt his jaw in a fall at his home. He missed the game against the 49ers, ending a stretch of 110 straight starts dating back to 1998. He will also be sidelined Week 11 when Carolina visits Soldier Field.
Kreutz, a four-time Pro Bowl center, said he didn't know if he could be punished by the team or the league for the fight.
"Things got out of hand. Something happened and it just got out of hand," he said.
Kreutz, who is 6-foot-2, 292 pounds, and the 6-7, 320-pound Miller, an offensive tackle, said they talked after the altercation.
"I don't know if it will ever be completely gone, you know, but we're over it," Kreutz said. "The team is the No. 1 thing and we're going to try to move on."
Miller, a 10-year veteran who was one of the Bears' main offseason acquisitions, characterized the incident as "immature and stupid."
"Olin and I don't have a problem with each other," said Miller, who has a steel plate in his jaw.
"We're still going to go out there and play and we're going to work together. We're still going to go out on our regular nights and have dinner together as an offensive line and as a unit."
