Fired Bears GM Phil Emery’s full statement

Fired Bears general manager Phil Emery spoke to the media for about two minutes Monday, took no questions and focused his comments on appreciation for his three seasons with the club.

Below is the full transcript of his statement:

“I wanted to take a moment to thank everybody in the Bears organization, all the good staff here, all the fine coaches that I’ve had the opportunity to work with in the past and the present. And all of our players that I’ve had the good fortune to be associated with during my time here.

“I also wanted to say a public thank-you to the McCaskey family, our ownership group and to (president) Ted Phillips. Your support, your patience and your kindness has been incredible. No employee could ask for more.

“This job was the opportunity of a lifetime. My only regret is that we didn’t win enough games for that opportunity to continue.

“Thank you to all the Bears fans that have reached out to me in the last three years, who have stopped to say hello, who have extended their hand in friendship and I have had an opportunity to have a conversation with. Your kindness does a lot more for the soul than people can imagine.

“To borrow a lyric or a line from Carrie Newcomer: ‘We stand breathless on the clean edge of change.’ So it’s time to change and to move forward.

“Go Bears. Thanks for your time.”