John Fox and his Chicago Bears will face the Denver Broncos this weekend for the first time since Fox left the Mile High City. Fox, who compiled a record of 46-18 in four seasons with the Broncos, insists it is just another game.
Demaryius Thomas doesn’t believe him.
It’s no secret that there was some tension between Fox and Broncos president John Elway after an embarrassing home loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the divisional round of the playoffs last season. Elway said after the game that he felt the Broncos failed to go out “kicking and screaming” in that contest and in a blowout Super Bowl loss the year before.
Despite a report from Jay Glazer of FOX Sports that said Fox could become available if the Broncos had another early playoff exit, Thomas was still stunned by the outcome.
“It was tough, especially after a playoff loss, and then a couple hours later, he was gone,” Thomas told Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post Wednesday. “That was a surprise, because most of the time, when you have a winning record, you stay around. But (Fox) didn’t. That was a big surprise.”
Fox did his best to downplay the upcoming matchup.
“This is my eighth team and third as a head coach,” he said. “There are not too many games you’re not playing against your old team, so this one counts the same.”
If you read the reactions from players immediately after Fox left, you know they didn’t see the divorce coming. And the awkwardness between Elway and Fox became more evident when Elway made this bizarre comment at his end of the year press conference.
Because of all that, Thomas does not believe Sunday is “just another game” for Fox.
“He’s going to want to beat the organization,” Thomas added. “I’ll guarantee you that he’ll say something like he wants the (Denver) players that he knows to do good. But he’s going to want to beat this organization and get a win.”
In beating his former team, Fox won’t have to beat his former quarterback. Instead, he’ll need to game plan for Brock Osweiler, a player he drafted in the second round. That could give the Bears the advantage they need.
