Sam Hurd Out on Bail, Placed on Waivers
Pictured is a courtroom artist drawing of Chicago Bears wide receiver Sam Hurd as he makes an initial court appearance before Judge Young Kim on federal drug charges Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011 in Chicago. Hurd is accused by authorities of trying to set up a drug distribution network in the Chicago area after he was arrested for allegedly agreeing to buy a kilogram of cocaine from an undercover agent. (AP Photo/Tom Gianni)
As expected, the Bears began the process of distancing themselves from receiver Sam Hurd by placing him on waivers this afternoon. Around the same time the Bears made their move, Hurd appeared in a federal courtroom where a judge set his bail at $100,000.
Under an agreement with prosecutors Hurd would have to post the full amount in cash in order to be released, and he's expected to do so later today. From there Hurd will have to travel to Dallas to be arraigned, since that's where the complaint is filed.
Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo held a news conference this afternoon where he defended the team's "due diligence" on Hurd.
“There’s no foundation for anybody to say that, no facts, no flags that anybody can present tangibly to say otherwise,” Angelo said. “I want to make that perfectly clear to the public and the fans: We did our homework. We do our due diligence. We did everything you could possibly do given the information we can allocate.”
As for whether the Hurd story will further speculation Angelo may retire, he said that was "whistling Dixie."
The NFL is also dealing with the Hurd fallout. Responding to reports that federal investigators have a list of Hurd's clients that may include other NFL players. League spokesman Brian Mccarthy said they were unaware of such a list, but were monitoring the case.
Hurd's attorney, Brett Greenfield, called the allegations Hurd was selling drugs to other players "patently and totally false."
