Bonamego apologizes for comments following loss to Western Michigan
Head Coach John Bonamego walks off the field after a 49-10 loss to Western Michigan at Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Oct. 1.
Following Saturday night's 49-10 loss to Western Michigan, head coach John Bonamego tried to articulate how painful the loss was to him.
He compared the blowout to his successful battle with tonsil cancer in 2015.
During the press conference after the game, Bonamego said he would rather go through eight weeks of chemotherapy again instead of losing to WMU the way his team did.
His statement was met with backlash on social media and complaints from cancer survivors and their families.
"As a leader, I need to hold myself to a higher standard moving forward," Bonamego said. "I learned a valuable lesson that I won't ever repeat so I hope that people will understand where it was coming from and that I certainly didn't mean it to come out the way it did."
On Tuesday, he apologized for his comments following the team's practice. Bonamego said he wished he would have used a better analogy.
"I was emotional at the time and I was trying to think of the most painful thing I had ever gone through," he said. "I realized it may have offended other people and I regret that and I apologize to anyone I may have offended with that statement."
On Monday, Bonamego began speaking to a WMU fan online whose wife had gone through breast cancer twice, and eventually spoke with both of them on the phone.
"I didn't realize at the time that it was breast cancer awareness month, so it really stung me that much more," Bonamego said. "The last thing I would ever want to do is insult someone in that way."
The couple forgave Bonamego, who said he was appreciative he got the opportunity to speak with them and receive their forgiveness.
In the past, Bonamego has frequently spoken candidly with the media.
Despite experiencing backlash from his latest statement, he said he will continue to speak truthfully on all matters concerning his team.
