Chicago Bears kicker Cody Parkey has received abusive comment after comment on social media after his tipped field goal hit the upright this past weekend.
The tipped field goal cost the Bear’s the game against the Philadelphia Eagles this past weekend, finishing at a 16-15 loss. The loss came as a devastating blow with the Bear’s ending the season with an impressive 12-4.
Following Sunday’s loss, Parkey appeared on the Today show Friday morning to talk football, faith, and a little social media.
“As a kicker, you live for those moments – I had a lot of confidence going into that kick…I’m disappointed.” @ChicagoBears kicker @CParkey36 on last Sunday night’s field goal that would’ve sent his team to the next playoff round pic.twitter.com/SEV87eKgs7
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 11, 2019
“As a kicker you live for those moments,” Parkey told the “Today Show.” “I was 3-for-3 before that, I had a lot of confidence going into that kick.
Parkey explained that he was disappointed in himself, but that he doesn’t place his identity in the sport.
“I’m disappointed,” the 26-year-old kicker said. “I let the fans, my teammates and the whole organization down.”
“But, I’ll continue to keep my head held high because football is what I do, it’s not who I am,” Parkey added.
When Parkey kicked the field goal and hit the upright, both Eagles and Bears fans went wild. The kicker was booed off the field and is still being virtually “booed” on social media. Despite the realization that the football was tipped by an Eagle’s player, sending it off-course, he is still receiving large amounts of criticism, many even blaming him for the lost game.
“I haven’t been on social media or anything like that,” Parkey told the Today Show.
Bears Kicker Gives Thanks to God Despite Faltering in Final Dramatic Seconds
A lot of good can come from it, and a lot of bad can come from it. At the same time, I’ve gotten a lot of positive messages,” Parkey said. “Like I said earlier, I feel worse than anybody about missing that kick, because I wanted to make it more than anybody. But at the end of the day I’m going to hold my head high and when things aren’t going to my way I’m going to continue to think positive and keep swinging.”
After the deflected field goal attempt on Sunday, video captured showed Parkey pointing to the sky and then joining other players in a postgame prayer circle following the game.
Good lesson here for everyone.
After the worst play of his professional career, Bears kicker, Cody Parkey, points up to the sky and still thanks God.
We cant just be thankful and give honor when times are great!
My hesrt goes out to him, but the kid will be just fine! pic.twitter.com/5fVM1iprub
— Andrew Hawkins (@Hawk) January 7, 2019
The kicker told the Today Show hosts that the post-game prayer circle was what he looked forward to following games.
“Something I’ve always tried to do through good or bad is to give praise to the higher power, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” Parkey said.
“After the game, one of the coolest things in my opinion is the prayer we do,” he added. “You get done battling the other team for 60 minutes, and we all join in prayer. We’re just praying for safety and health and that the team gets home safely on the plane and stuff like that. It’s really encouraging stuff and something I look forward to.”
The interview on the Today Show came just five days after the Bears experienced their devastating loss. This weekend eight NFL teams will square off in order to score a spot at the NFL Conference Championships.