GREEN BAY – The Green Bay Packers believe Devin Funchess is genuinely apologetic and repentant for using an anti-Asian slur during a news conference with reporters following the team’s annual Family Night practice at Lambeau Field on Saturday night.
Funchess, who publicly apologized early Sunday morning via social media, met with general manager Brian Gutekunst in the aftermath of the remark and Gutekunst said Sunday that the team does not plan to release Funchess “at the moment” while also condemning what Funchess said.
“We’ve addressed it with Devin. He knows it’s unacceptable,” Gutekunst said before taking questions from reporters. “I do think he’s sincerely remorseful and will hopefully learn from this. He will, and hopefully our team can learn from this and we’ll move forward. I do want to say that is something that is not condoned and it doesn’t live up to what we believe here with the Green Bay Packers.”
Funchess was one of two players to speak with the media following Family Night because he had several receptions during the practice. He signed with the Packers as a free agent last offseason but opted out of the 2020 season over COVID-19 concerns.
He was ebullient following the practice and excitedly greeted reporters as he entered the media auditorium after previous Q&As were conducted virtually. He told reporters that he “liked smiles,” and when one reporter said he was smiling even if Funchess couldn’t tell because the reporter was wearing a mask – reporters attending news conferences are required to wear masks even though they are vaccinated – Funchess used the slur to explain how he could tell by the reporter’s eyes that he was smiling.
“I want to apologize for the disparaging remark I used tonight,” Funchess posted on Twitter after midnight. “It was not ok. I have grown to develop deep personal and business relationships in the Asian community! I meant no harm, and those that know me, know I have love and respect for all cultures and people. I will learn from this and will continue to grow as a person. I’m forever sorry!”
Funchess, who played in only one game in 2019 because he broke his collarbone in the Indianapolis Colts’ season-opener that year, had been one of the feel-good stories of the night before his remark. Asked Sunday if he considered cutting Funchess, Gutekunst replied, “Through the conversations that we’ve had – and there’s going to be more – I think his apology was sincere. I think he made a mistake. (But) it certainly can’t happen again.”
Smith OK after fall
Mike Smith has had a rough couple of months. After knocking out one of his front teeth in a workshop accident while trying to remove a stubborn cap off a container of motor oil in June, the Packers outside linebackers coach has been coaching throughout training camp wearing a large cast on his right arm.
What happened?
“Treehouse. I was building a treehouse for my kids. I was building the roof and fell off,” Smith explained Sunday. “I fell, like, 20 feet, shattered the wrist. But I’ll be all right. I still have one good arm to hold my wife with.”
Head coach Matt LaFleur suggested Smith stop with the do-it-yourself projects – “Matt’s telling me I need to hire people,” Smith said, “(but) I’m like, ‘Hell, no. I’ll do it myself'” – and Smith may want to consider heeding his boss’ advice. Not only did he dislocate his wrist, he also suffered ligament, nerve and tendon damage and sustained a concussion as well.
“What’s sad is it was the last board. It looks like I put the last board, because my SKIL saw was laying where I landed, it looks like I was about to cut the overhang off and that’s when I fell.”
Rookie returners
Special teams coordinator Maurice Drayton is inclined to go with a pair of rookies on returns – wide receiver Amari Rodgers on punts and running back Kylin Hill on kickoffs – if the unproven duo can continue on their current path.
“It’s going to play itself out but, right now, in the punt-return game, obviously, we’re leaning toward Amari,” Drayton said. “In the kickoff-return game, we’re really vetting Hill. (But) we have a lot of other guys who are putting in work in the return area.”
While Rodgers was a returner in college at Clemson, Hill had zero return experience on punts or kickoffs at Mississippi State.
“He does not have a lot of returns, so we are manipulating that during practice, pre-practice, post-practice. It’s just going to take rep after rep after rep,” Drayton said. “It’s going to take us putting him in game-like situations so that he is comfortable when we truly kick off.
“(But) he has the ability to stick his foot in the ground and get vertical. That is awesome as a returner when it comes to setting up blocks.”
‘Star’ treatment
Defensive backs coach/defensive passing-game coordinator Jerry Gray sounds like a man who wants Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander to man the so-called “star” position at least on a part-time basis in new defensive coordinator Joe Barry’s scheme.
For now, though, Chandon Sullivan has manned that slot spot for most of camp, with Alexander, safety Darnell Savage and rookie fifth-round pick Shemar Jean-Charles also in the mix.
“I talked to Savage and he’s begging to get in,” Gray said. “We did Ja a little bit early in the week when he got a chance to get in there. Of course, we’ve still got Sully, who’s doing a great job. And then you look at Shemar. I think Shemar has a really good chance to be in that position, too. So (when) you look at it, we’ve got four guys that I think can really, really play at that level, depending on who’s in the slot (for the offense).”
Extra points
In discussing offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins’ versatility, Gutekunst may have given a clue that five-time All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari won’t be medically cleared in time for the Sept. 12 season opener at New Orleans. With Bakhtiari, who tore the ACL in his left knee Dec. 31, on the physically unable to perform list, Jenkins has been working as the No. 1 left tackle, and Gutekunst was saying Jenkins is such a “unique athlete” that he can succeed at tackle despite having “prototypical guard size rather than tackle size.” Then, Gutekunst said. “We’ll see how it goes when we get into the regular season and how it fares, but again, the little bit that he’s done it so far, it looks like he’s going to be able to do that.” … With the rain falling during Family Night, Gutekunst admitted that “the Ted Thompson in me” wanted to call off the practice to prevent any injuries, referring to his predecessor as GM’s conservative approach. … Gutekunst said the Packers hope to continue contract extension talks with wide receiver Davante Adams during the season. “We don’t shut things down for the season like I know that some teams have done that in the past,” he said. “We’re willing to work through the season to get things done. I think this’ll be a long process. This is another big contract with a very elite player, so it’ll take some time.”
