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John Fox Cancels Bears' Final Minicamp Practice: 'They've Earned It'

By Chris Emma--

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (CBS) -- As it turned out, summer vacation was closer than the Bears ever anticipated.

On Thursday morning, the Bears took to the practice field at Halas Hall and began stretching. They finished and huddled, then coach John Fox had a surprise. Practice was cancelled, and summer had officially begun.

Bears receiver Josh Bellamy was so excited, he hugged Fox.

"It's a beautiful day -- the sun is shining right now," Bellamy said with the cloud cover overhead.

Consider this a morale booster from Fox, who knows the intricate details of building team chemistry. Sometimes, that can mean an unexpected off day to keep players happy.

Fox doesn't just hand out days off. He has stated repeatedly during the Bears' offseason program that his team is improving. He chose to reward it.

"They've earned it," Fox said. "I don't just do that because I feel like it. They worked real hard, we had great participation. They worked really hard."

Now, the Bears enter an abbreviated summer break. They report to Bourbonnais for training camp in 41 days, with their first practice at Olivet Nazarene is in six weeks.

Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 and like his Facebook page.

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