St. Michael Native Matt Spaeth Released by NFL's Chicago Bears

Pride of St. Michael-Albertville Matt Spaeth, tight end for the Chicago Bears, has been released by the team today. 

Spaeth took to social media Wednesday, March 13, thanking the city of Chicago and the organization for the memories. 

"I was released by the Bears, but please no one feel bad for me. I am in a great position and it is nothing but great things moving forward!" 

Spaeth was expendable after the Bears picked up tight end Martellus Bennet from the New York Giants. Fellow tight end Kellen Davis was also released by the team. 

Spaeth had a highlight-reel catch last year versus the Minnesota Vikings in a Bears win over his hometown team at Soldier Field. But, the Bears stumbled last season through the final eight games, after a quick start, and missed the playoffs. 

The AP captured Spaeth’s catch in front of Vikings’ safety Jamarca Sanford, showing him struggling to keep his body inbounds to make the play.

In an interview with Patch, Spaeth talked about the business of the National Football League, weeks before he left the Pittsburgh Steelers to join up with Chicago (before the 2011 season). 

"Pros, on Sunday, it's like a business," he said. "You've trained all week and you know what your job is, and that's what you do in the NFL on Sunday, is your job. I think each year, the pros get less stressful. Every year, you learn the ropes a little bit more. Last season, I just had so much fun. I enjoyed it so much, because there was that comfort factor." 

Spaeth won a championship ring when the Steelers topped the Arizona Cardinals in one of the best Super Bowls ever in 2009.

Patch asked Spaeth what he'd be doing if he wasn't playing football anymore.

"That's really hard to say until you're in that spot. Right now, football is what I do. I was a marketing major at the U through the Carlson School of Management, so maybe something in that area. I guess I won't know until it ends. That could be [now], it could be 2016. You don't know, so you keep your options open. But that will all start another day," he said.