Ex-Chicago Bear Jeremiah Ratliff made threats at team facility, police report says

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (WLS) -- A newly released police report and phone call are shedding light on threats allegedly made by ex-Chicago Bears defensive lineman Jeremiah Ratliff to the team at its headquarters in Lake Forest last week.

Officer: "Do you know if he had any weapons on him or anything like that?"

Caller: "No, he didn't look like it."

In the phone recording, there is cautious concern from the Bears' director of security as he speaks with Lake Forest Police.

Minutes before this call, police say Ratliff had returned to Halas Hall after learning he was released by the team.

Caller: "He could come back again, you know, I don't know. But I have to worry about 150 people here. He was really upset. And he did come back once and we asked him to leave and he finally did, but it took a long time and a lot of talking."

Officials say Ratliff was described as being angry and irrational, prompting the Bears to call police.

According to the police report, the 34-year-old said "he felt like killing everybody in the building."

Police say he left but returned, parked his truck at the front gate and walked toward Halas Hall.

The report says that he then asked to retrieve his cellphone from the locker room and said "I am the devil," also allegedly saying that he wished the staff member's children would die.

"We evaluated the situation and did what was best for our football team," said Chicago Bears Coach John Fox.

Fox was brief when talking about Ratliff's release and what happened Oct. 21.

"As I commented early in the week, obviously we were concerned for the building and that's why the police were called," Fox said.

A few of Ratliff's teammates also spoke about their former teammate Friday.

"The main thing is to pray for him and make sure that he knows what he's doing and the main thing about Rat is he's a great guy, you can say what you want about him," said Jarvis Jenkins, Bears defensive lineman. "One of the best veterans I've been around...as far helping other guys and we're going to miss him."

Mark Slough, Ratliff's agent, said in a statement Friday that Ratliff does not remember the incidents described in the police report.

"Jeremiah has no recollection or memory of saying anything that has been reported in the police report. Jeremiah is receiving care in Dallas for a football-related medical condition that arose out of the game on the 18th with Detroit. The primary focus right now is on Jeremiah's cognitive health. I would also like to reiterate that the reports that Jeremiah showed up at Halas Hall inebriated are utterly and completely false," Slough said.