The Bears and team chaplain Ray McElroy have decided to part ways, according to multiple sources.

McElroy had been with the club over five years, and he was very popular with players, leading Bible studies and providing insights and guidance whenever called upon.

A call to McElroy Tuesday morning has not yet been returned.

A native of Chicago, McElroy graduated from Proviso West and Eastern Illinois University, where he was a four-year starting cornerback. He was then a fourth-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts, where he played four years, before finishing his career with the Bears and Detroit Lions.

Every summer, he hosts the Ray McElroy Pro Football Youth Camp, and he runs a non-profit called "A Ray of Hope on Earth."