Chicago Bears: No, we don’t have a ‘right’ to know about Roquan

While Chicago Bears fans may be curious, they don’t have a right to know what is going on with Roquan Smith.

Yesterday, it was reported that Roquan Smith, star linebacker and former top-10 pick for the Chicago Bears, will be out indefinitely as he works through what has been described as a “personal issue.”

The first glimpse fans got that something might be amiss was just before the Minnesota Vikings game when Smith was listed as inactive. Since that time, rumors and speculation have been flying around as to the reasons for his inactive status.

There was even an unsubstantiated report that he was somehow involved in a car accident (perhaps involving alcohol). That report was premature as it has since been debunked, and there is no indication it was or is tied to Smith in any way.

Matt Nagy was subsequently asked a flurry of questions about it during his press conference on Monday, and only replied it was a “personal matter” without going into any further detail. His teammates, including Kyle Fuller, took the same approach, refusing to divulge any information regarding Ro or his situation.

Danny Trevathan and Khalil Mack were also pressed for information and rallied around their teammate as well.

The team’s refusal to divulge any information, combined with the media’s inability to uncover any, has seemingly led some to make surprising statements like it is the fans’ “right” to know about Smith’s situation, and that the Bears will need to disclose more at some point.

Let me clearly, emphatically, and unapologetically state, “no we absolutely do not have a right to know what personal issues Roquan Smith may be dealing with.”

Irrespective of HIPAA, which isn’t even applicable here because neither Matt Nagy nor the Bears players are medical professionals, there is no right that exists that should entitle the fans to this information.

Do fans have an interest? Of course, they do. It’s human nature to be curious and want to know what’s happening. But a right, or a just claim, whether prescriptive, legal or moral to know? Absolutely not.

The argument that a fan’s investment of emotion, time, and money into the team entitles them to be thrown a bone of information is as absurd as it is specious. By that rationale, buying a subscription to a local periodical should entitle you to the same personal information regarding its writers. I’m sure that’s not a precedent they would want to set.

Furthermore, no right is absolute. The famous example being you have a right to free speech, but you can’t scream “fire” in a crowded movie theater. In other words, rights can and should be limited for a variety of reasons.

In this scenario, it should be limited for one simple reason — humanity, or the act of being kind or benevolent. Sometimes we lose sight as fans that the warriors that don our team’s favorite colors each week are people underneath their helmets. They have a variety of interests and desires outside of their occupation. In that regard, they are just like everyone else in this world.

For some, work defines who they are. For others, it is a part of them, but it does not define their existence. As fans, we need to remain aware of this and recognize that when it comes to a player’s personal life, they should be entitled to the same level of privacy and respect as we enjoy in our personal lives.

Regardless of someone’s desire for information or a journalist’s apparent belief they are within their right to ask the questions, perhaps the exercise of a little humanity should be their watchword.

Just because their job performance is on public display doesn’t mean their lives should be.