Back from suspension, Bears’ Danny Trevathan says hit was accidental

Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan talked with Packers receiver Davante Adams twice after his brutal hit sent him off the field on a stretcher and to the hospital overnight Sept. 28.

‘‘I told him I hope he’s good,’’ Trevathan, who returned from his one-game suspension for the hit, said Wednesday. ‘‘Hope you know I wasn’t trying to harm him. I was just trying to make a play.’’

Adams, who was diagnosed with a concussion but returned in time to catch two touchdowns Sunday against the Cowboys, accepted the apology, Trevathan said.

‘‘He was real cool,’’ Trevathan said. ‘‘He plays football. He plays it hard, and he plays it good. Obviously, he played last week. He did good. He handled it well. We were good.’’

Trevathan appealed his original two-game suspension, arguing his helmet-to-helmet hit was unintentional. Derrick Brooks, an appeals officer jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFL players’ union, shortened it to one game. Trevathan watched the Bears’ game Monday against the Vikings from home.

‘‘I feel that one game was cool,’’ Trevathan said. ‘‘I mean, you know, I’m not satisfied, but I can’t determine what goes on. Ain’t nothing I can say right now can change the fact they made [the decision], and I’ve got to respect it.’’

Trevathan and coach John Fox said the suspension won’t change the way Trevathan plays.

‘‘I just gotta be more careful with situations like that,’’ Trevathan said. ‘‘But I can’t let that slow me down. I’ve been playing this game for a long time. I’ll be more careful with the rules that are in place. But I’m just trying to make a play and hustling to the ball.’’

Fox said such hits are not part of Trevathan’s style of play — or his history.

‘‘It’s just something that happened,’’ Fox said. ‘‘He paid his price, and he’ll come back and try to avoid doing that again.’’

Trevathan comes back at the right time. The Bears put inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman on

injured reserve with a chest injury after Week 1, and his replacement, Nick Kwiatkoski, returned to practice Wednesday after suffering a similar injury in Week 2.

John Timu left the game against the Vikings with an ankle injury, leaving the Bears with only two healthy inside linebackers for the rest of the game.

‘‘Obviously, getting guys back that you’re familiar with, have a good grasp of what you’re doing and are athletic is important,’’ Fox said.

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Email: pfinley@suntimes.com

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