The Lessons of Damar Hamlin and Tua Tagovailoa- Football is a Job- Not Life.
Miami Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross Takes a Page Out of Donald Trump’s Playbook
We need to talk about Stephen Ross
Back in July 2019, one month before Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross started tampering by contacting Tom Brady while he was under contract with the New England Patriots, Donald Trump made one of the most shrewd political decisions of his presidency.
In July 2019 Donald Trump declared himself exonerated by the Robert Mueller investigation into whether Russia tampered in the 2016 election, and whether Trump had any knowledge or involvement in it.
Was Donald Trump exonerated by the Mueller report?
But his supporters took his declaration as gospel, and the investigation is largely remembered as a waste of time.
Did it matter that anyone following the 2016 election watched Donald Trump publicly ask Russia to hack and surface Hilary Clinton’s missing emails?
Of course not.
You might be asking yourself, ‘why is George talking about Donald Trump?‘
Well, it seems to me that Stephen Ross was paying close attention to Trump’s ‘declaration of victory no matter what’ strategy, because NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell just released the results of an investigation in which he said ‘The investigators found tampering violations of unprecedented scope and severity,’ and in response to the investigation, Stephen Ross said ‘The independent investigation cleared our organization of any issues related to tanking.’
Did the NFL’s investigation exonerate Stephen Ross and the Miami Dolphins of anything?
let’s check the tape-
The investigation states that Stephen Ross REPEATEDLY told his team CEO, General Manager, Vice President, and head coach Brian Flores that he thought they should prioritize draft position over winning.
And what does ‘prioritizing draft position’ look like?
Losing. It looks like losing.
Roger Goodell actually commends Brian Flores in the investigation’s findings for not letting Stephen Ross’ comments affect his commitment to winning, and doing his best, in spite of Stephen Ross, to make the Dolphins competitive.
Roger Goodell is saying that Brian Flores KEPT the Dolphins from tanking, and Stephen Ross is using that fact to declare that because the Dolphins didn’t do what he asked, that he’s not only innocent, but that Brian Flores was false, malicious, and defamatory for bringing Ross’ attempt to intentionally tank out into the light.
Maybe Stephen Ross offering $100,000 to Brian Flores per loss was a joke, just like it’s possible Donald Trump looking onto a camera and asking Russia to interfere in the election was a joke, but that doesn’t make either party as innocent as they’ve declared themselves to be.
Look, Stephen. You might be rich like Donald, live in South Florida like Donald, and have a complicated relationship with Tom Brady like Donald- but that’s where the comparisons between you and The Donald end. He’s actually won something. All you’ve ever done is apparently purposefully try to do the opposite.
You might be out here declaring yourself exonerated, but you aren’t dealing with MAGA supporters that will bend over backwards to believe you. Your team’s fans don’t even like you. You’re not just going to be remembered as a loser that didn’t give your head coach or franchise quarterback a fair shake.
You’re going to be remembered as an INTENTIONAL loser.
Let that sink in.
Greg Camarillo: 7yr NFL Veteran, USD Coordinator Student-Athlete Development, TV football analyst
In this episode of the GW podcast, Greg Camarillo joins me. He is a great husband, father, friend, and thinker. Greg just so happens to be a 7 year NFL veteran who has one of the most famous plays in Miami Dolphins’ history, but his journey to that moment was unconventional. He was a zero-star recruit out of high school who had to walk-on as a punter at Stanford. Even though he became a contributor for the Cardinal an NFL future seemed impossible. Yet, he was able to carve out a nice career.
Greg Camarillo
He shares the story of his journey to the NFL, his thoughts on faith, family, fatherhood, food, and sports. Greg has strong thoughts on #GirlDad, and on masculinity while maintaining a successful marriage. He also enlightens us about raising kids in an interracial home and white privilege.
The George Wrighster podcast features great interviews where you get to know great people discussing faith, family, fatherhood, food, and sports. We get to know and learn from the personalities that entertain us outside of what they are famous for. Shoot us an email with comments or guest ideas: GWpodcast@unafraidshow.com. Please be sure to share the podcast with a friend, subscribe, and leave a 5* rating.
Who is George Wrighster?
George Wrighster is a former Pac-12 and veteran NFL tight end. As a television/radio host, opinionist, writer, speaker, and analyst, he is UNAFRAID to speak the truth. Contrary to industry norms he uses, facts, stats, and common sense to win an argument. He has also found success in the business world as an entrepreneur and investor. George is a lifelong learner who loves having conversations that educate and uplift. He has also covered college football, basketball, NFL, NBA, MLB since 2014.
Gerald Alexander: Miami Dolphins Defensive Backs Coach, Former NFL Player, and CAL DB Coach
In this episode of the GW podcast, Gerald Alexander joins me. He has gone from an undergraduate assistant coach at Arkansas State to defensive backs coach of the Miami Dolphins in 8 years. GA explains to us how he did it, what his biggest motivations are, things successful people do. He also details how to recruit players in college football and specifically the Pac-12.
Gerald talks about the leadership, focus, and dedication it takes to succeed in life, football, and coaching. He also discusses the importance of mentorship and seeking good counsel to make quality decisions.
Coach Gerald Alexander
Gerald Alexander established himself as an excellent recruiter in his years as a college football coach. He details the arduous and time-consuming process of recruiting high school players. He also discusses leaving a program for another job after recruiting players toa school.
The George Wrighster podcast features great interviews where you get to know great people discussing faith, family, fatherhood, food, and sports. We get to know and learn from the personalities that entertain us outside of what they are famous for. Shoot us an email with comments or guest ideas: GWpodcast@unafraidshow.com. Please be sure to share the podcast with a friend, subscribe, and leave a 5* rating.
Who is George Wrighster?
George Wrighster is a former Pac-12 and veteran NFL tight end. As a television/radio host, opinionist, writer, speaker, and analyst, he is UNAFRAID to speak the truth. Contrary to industry norms he uses, facts, stats, and common sense to win an argument. He has also found success in the business world as an entrepreneur and investor. George is a lifelong learner who loves having conversations that educate and uplift. He has also covered college football, basketball, NFL, NBA, MLB since 2014.
Spencer Paysinger: Producer of CW’s All-American inspired by his life, Former NFL LBer
In this episode of the GW podcast, Spencer Paysinger joins me. He is a producer of CW’s All-American tv show. The show is a sports drama inspired by this life. “When a rising high school American football player (Spencer James) from South L.A. is recruited to play for Beverly Hills High, the wins, losses, and struggles of two families from vastly different worlds—Crenshaw and Beverly Hills—begin to collide. “
Spencer Paysinger Speaks
Spencer talks about his transition from the NFL into the creative field. He explained how he has grown from doubting himself as a young man into believing that achieving EGOTS status is possible, He also details how his father’s absence has affected his fatherhood and career. Most importantly Spenser gives us insight on the importance of mentors and networking.
He also gives us inside info about who in his life inspired the characters of All-American and he answers your questions.
The George Wrighster podcast features great interviews where you get to know great people discussing faith, family, fatherhood, food, and sports. We get to know and learn from the personalities that entertain us outside of what they are famous for. Shoot us an email with comments or guest ideas: GWpodcast@unafraidshow.com. Please be sure to share the podcast with a friend, subscribe, and leave a 5* rating.
Who is George Wrighster?
George Wrighster is a former Pac-12 and veteran NFL tight end. As a television/radio host, opinionist, writer, speaker, and analyst, he is UNAFRAID to speak the truth. Contrary to industry norms he uses, facts, stats, and common sense to win an argument. He has also found success in the business world as an entrepreneur and investor. George is a lifelong learner who loves having conversations that educate and uplift. He has also covered college football, basketball, NFL, NBA, MLB since 2014.
Bridgewater Made the Right Move to Avoid Dolphins and Backup Brees
Miami Called and Bridgewater Refused to Answer
In one of the more odd offseason stories, Teddy Bridgewater turned down a starting quarterback job to remain a backup. That’s right. Bridgewater met with the Miami Dolphins, a team that just traded away Ryan Tannehill to the Tennessee Titans, and walked away from their offer. The move (or non-move) has left many football fans perplexed. However, Bridgewater’s decision to remain the backup to Drew Brees is one of the most intelligent choices. Here’s why:
Low Injury Risk
The gap between Miami and New Orleans is immense. According to footballoutsiders, Miami’s offensive line ranked 31st in pass protection. They gave up 52 sacks in 2018. On the other hand, New Orleans ranked 3rd in pass protection and only gave up 20 sacks in 2018. Considering that Bridgewater has already had a serious knee-injury in his young career, the decision to avoid Miami’s porous offensive line is safe.
Money Money Money
While Bridgewater turned down a starting job, he didn’t refuse Nick Foles level money.
Per Dianna Russini of ESPN, Bridgewater desired “life-changing money” to sign with Miami. Bridgewater sought 16-million dollars per year plus incentives. He wanted money and guarantees that he the team invested in him as the starter. Miami was not willing to pay-up for Bridgewater, so he decided to punt his contract another year.
Instead of signing with Miami for a middling contract, Bridgewater accepted a premium-contract for a backup quarterback. The one-year deal includes 7.5 million dollars, fully guaranteed, plus incentives. Bridgewater is taking a moderate discount to play for the Saints and still keep his opportunity available for a big contract in 2020.
The Quarterback Market in 2020
In addition to his current situation is the overall market for quarterbacks. There were not a significant amount of NFL teams searching for veteran quarterbacks this offseason. Considering Foles, Keenum, and Flacco already have new homes and the NFL draft is near, there were few suitors left for Bridgewater. Less suitors can easily translate to less money invested. But, in 2020, here are some notable free agents:
- Russell Wilson
- Ben Roethlisberger
- Eli Manning
- Phillip Rivers
- Tom Brady
- Jameis Winston
- Marcus Mariota
- Case Keenum
Roethlisberger, Manning, Rivers and Brady are over 37 years old. There is a significant chance they might retire, due to injury or diminished performance. Winston, Mariota and Keenum also each carry a chance of being traded or cut. They have not stood out enough to earn a franchise-quarterback status. So, by pushing his free agency to 2020, Bridgewater will be entering a potentially rich market for quarterbacks.
Tutelage Under Drew Brees and Sean Payton
In staying another year with the New Orleans Saints, Bridgewater gets more time with future Hall of Famer Drew Brees Sean Payton. Instead of going to the Miami Dolphins, a franchise that has been in turmoil for years, he gets to surround himself by positive influences and success. New Orleans has consistently been a top NFL offense in both points and yards. Sean Payton has been regarded as one of the most creative offensive minds in the NFL. In backing up Brees another year, Bridgewater will effectively be attending an Elite NFL University.
Drew Brees is 40 Years Old
Although Drew Brees has continued to perform at an elite level, we cannot ignore his age. He is 40 years old. Each year he risks dips in production, injury and retirement. In remaining the backup for Brees, Bridgewater is giving himself a great chance to play for a successful franchise. Remember that the NFL is incredibly random. On any given Sunday something could happen. If Brees is injured or simply loses his gift, Bridgewater will be there. Waiting for his opportunity. If misfortune falls on Drew Brees this season, if he retires before 2020 or if the Saints choose to not sign a 42-year-old quarterback to another contract in 2021, Bridgewater could be the Saints next franchise quarterback.
Bridgewater is Only 26 Years Old
Teddy Bridgewater is so young. If he is smart, his career could extend another decade. Many quarterbacks are playing well into their 30’s or even 40’s now. After the 2019 season, Bridgewater will still only be 27. Capable starting quarterbacks are difficult to find. Washington found this quite apparent last season. After Alex Smith broke his leg in week 11, Washington started a combination of Colt McCoy, Mark Sanchez and Josh Johnson. Granted Washington could have signed Colin Kaepernick to their team, but we’ve already discussed that. Bottom line is that if Josh Johnson can get a starting job, even a temporary one, after not attempting an NFL pass in seven seasons, Bridgewater should certainly be able to secure a contract in the coming years.
The Nick Foles Hero’s Journey
Nick Foles has paved the way for Bridgewater’s success. Foles initially showed promise in Philadelphia, passing for 27 touchdowns and 2891 yards in 2013. However, he fell into obscurity after suffering a broken collarbone in the 2014 season. The Eagles traded him to the St. Louis Rams, then was benched for Case Keenum. In 2016, the Los Angeles Rams drafted Jared Goff with the first overall draft pick and Foles was released. It appeared that Foles was destined to be a backup quarterback for his career, so obviously he signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs to play behind Alex Smith in 2016.
Then, in 2017, Foles held a lottery-winning ticket. Carson Wentz tore his ACL in week 14 and Foles led Philadelphia to a Super Bowl winning season. After another year of play, and additional games started due to Wentz missing more time, Foles landed a monster contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Even though the Eagles announced they would pick up Foles’ 20-million dollar option for the 2019 season, Foles refused it for a four-year contract worth 88-million dollars.
So why did this work for Nick Foles and could it work for Teddy Bridgewater? It worked because Foles put himself into the best situations. The Philadelphia Eagles had impressive coaching, offensive line play, offensive weapons, and a powerful defense. By random chance, Foles started for a playoff bound team and ended up becoming a Super Bowl MVP. Similarly, the New Orleans Saints are an elite NFL franchise that also has impressive coaching, offensive line play, offensive weapons and an improving defense. If Brees should fall, Bridgewater could see himself following the Foles path to playoffs and a subsequent four-year, 88-million dollar contract.
The Brilliance of Bridgewater
Although many will question and criticize Bridgewater’s stint with the New Orleans Saints, it is nonetheless a very intelligent decision. Bridgewater is young, playing behind a 40-year old quarterback in one of the league’s best offenses. He is surrounded by positive play, coaching and management.
“I was able to be a part of that last year for 18 weeks, and it was nothing but a positive thing,” Bridgewater said. “I told my agent every time that I’ve talked to him that I haven’t stopped smiling since I arrived. There’s so many positives in New Orleans, and I’m looking forward to many days ahead.”
“Teddy Bridewater: Saints a better situation for me” by Kevin Patra
There are so many pros for Bridgewater’s choice to remain a Saint. He is ensuring himself opportunity to take over for the Saints. In 2020, he enters a more lucrative quarterback market. Avoiding Miami also substantially lowers his risk of injury or poor play sparked by a mismanaged and untalented team. All the while, Bridgewater still makes 7.5-million dollars guaranteed with a chance to start for a playoff-caliber team if Drew Brees is injured. This is without a doubt one of the better decisions of the 2019 NFL offseason. Good for Teddy.
Five up Five Down: 5 Best and 5 Worst NFL Teams Week 4
Five up Five Down: 5 Best and 5 Worst NFL Teams Week. There are some significant changes in the rankings. What did we learn in Week 3? The refs hate Clay Matthews and the new roughing the passer rule is a joke. Many teams have not invested in an offensive line properly. Baker Mayfield might be the answer in Cleveland. We also learned that being heavy favorites doesn’t guarantee anything in the NFL, costing some of us some money in Vegas. Just ask the Vikings, Jaguars, and Patriots fans about that. Minnesota was a 16.5 point favorite on Sunday and lost by 21 points at home, a historic upset indeed.
5 UP: 5 Best NFL Teams
1. LOS ANGELES RAMS (3-0) Last Week: 2nd
The Los Angeles Rams are the most complete team in the NFL. The Rams are number one in our 5 Up due to an NFL best, plus 66 point differential. They dominated the Chargers in winning the Battle of Los Angeles. Todd Gurley broke out for 156 total yards including 105 on the ground, and Jared Goff continues to get better (80 % completion level vs. Chargers 354 yards and 3 TD’s), which is scary for opposing teams. The Rams did suffer some devastating injuries losing both stud Cornerbacks Marcus Peters (might miss 1-2 weeks currently a game-time decision vs. Vikings) and Aquib Talib (for 4-6 weeks). If the team has a weakness right now, it’s stopping the run (giving up 5 yards a carry). Next up: a battle with the Minnesota Vikings (1-1-1) on Thursday night, who come into L.A. with all kinds of red flags. Some viewed this game as a possible NFC Championship preview. The Rams want revenge for a 24-7 loss last year in Minnesota. L.A. is currently 6.5 point favorites with an 80% probability win rate against the Vikings even though Minnesota leads the all-time series 27-16-2 with five straight wins against the Rams.
2. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (3-0) Last Week: 4th
Patrick Mahomes II (896 Yards, 13 Touchdowns, 137.4 QBR, with zero INT’s) is just awesome! If you have him on your fantasy team, you are winning a lot. After three weeks he is not only the best QB in the NFL, he is the league’s best player. Check out this TD pass by Mahomes against the 49ers, which is utterly ridiculous. I still think after three weeks the Chiefs defense is soft (allowing 472 yards per game). How long can this last? Lots of pressure on the 7th ranked offense to make-up for the 32nd ranked defense. The Chiefs need more out of RB Kareem Hunt and his 3.2 yards average, but then again Andy Reid is not a running back guy (runningbacks under Reid are not in the top 20 in looks since 2013). Chiefs are 4.5 point road favorites against AFC West Divison rivals the Denver Broncos (2-1) on Monday Night. Kansas City leads the all-time series 61-54.
3. MIAMI DOLPHINS (3-0) Last Week: Unranked
Indeed one of the best surprises this year has been the Miami Dolphins. Some experts did think that Adam Gase was going to get this team headed in the right direction, but 3-0 no way! Well, the fins are a perfect 3-0 and leading the AFC East. Let’s check it a bit. They have beaten the Titans, Jets, and Raiders (teams with a combined 3-6 record), but they are doing the little things right and are having fun as witnessed by this TD vs. the Raiders.
The loss of DE William Hayes is going to hurt. Hayes tore his ACL on this play trying to avoid getting a penalty for roughing the passer. Ryan Tannehill is playing within the system, and it’s paying off (73% completion ratio, 7 TD’s only 2 INT’s with a 121.8 QBR). Miami can make a believer out of all of us with a win in Foxboro on Sunday afternoon against the suddenly desperate (1-2) New England Patriots. This game is at Gillette Stadium, where Tom Brady is 14-1 vs. Miami and the Dolphins and despite being unbeaten, will be heavy underdogs by getting 7 points. Vegas wants a show me win as well, but hey, maybe Tom’s daughter, Vivian will be pulling for Miami! The Patriots lead the all-time series 54-51.
4. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (2-1) Last Week: 3rd
Well, the Jaguars were ranked number one by many in the power ranking, but not mine. I still think the Jaguars will be representing the AFC in the Super Bowl, but some red flags have developed. The loss of LT Cam Robinson could be huge, and the lack of depth at the WR position is very concerning. After a huge week against the Patriots, Blake Bortles came back to earth vs. the Titans (155 yards, zero TD’s). The Franchise is fully invested in #5, who they feel is a “champion.” Look, Jacksonville’s defense will continue to be strong, but the offense needs to pick up the pace. If they can put up 17 points, the defense will win most games by themselves. The Jags only move down one spot in our Five Up, but they better take care of a rookie QB and the (1-2) N.Y. Jets on Sunday at home. Vegas has the Jags as 7.5 point favorites but the Jets hold a 7-6 series lead, including last years dramatic 23-20 win in overtime.
5.) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (2-1) Last Week: Unranked
Carson Wentz is back! The future NFL MVP makes all the difference in the team’s chances at repeating. The Eagles defense is still excellent and can cause nightmares for opposing teams offensive lines. The running game has room for improvement, but RB Wendell Smallwood might become a new Philly favorite (17 carries 84 yards 1 TD 4.9 avg). What makes the Eagles so tough is that the offensive line has been so strong and underrated. The offense is going to get a lot better, and that defense is just incredible! Philly will be in Tennessee to battle the stingy Titans on Sunday as 3 point favorites. The Eagles are 0-2 in Nashville but are 7-4 vs. Titans/Oilers all-time.
Closing in on the top 5: Honorable Mention
Baltimore Ravens (2-1), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1), Cincinnati Bengals (2-1)
5 DOWN: 5 worst NFL teams
28. BUFFALO BILLS (1-2) Last Week: 32nd
Oh my, how one week can change everything! The Bills were the NFL’s worst team last week. It looked hopeless. I bought into an on-air host from a big network saying the Vikings were going to cover easily. Buffalo, not only beat the heavily favored Vikings (-16.5), they embarrassed them 27-6. Josh Allen (196 yards, 1 TD, no interceptions, numerous big runs) showed some serious athletic prowess and bravery with this effort on Anthony Barr that sparked the Bills to a big win.
The Bills defensive line lead by Jerry Hughes terrorized the Vikings offensive line all day, creating three critical turnovers. The Bills will try to make it two for two over the NFC North as they battle the Green Bay Packers (1-1-1) at Lambeau. Vegas isn’t buying the Bills colossal upset over the Vikings. The Packers are 10-point favorites, but the Bills hold an impressive 8-4 advantage in the all-time match-up vs. Green Bay.
29. SAN FRANCISCO 49ers (1-2) Last Week: Unranked
This has been a disastrous stretch for the San Francisco 49ers. Fans must be in a deep depression. They have played okay, but losing your starting RB before the season starts and now losing Jimmy Garoppolo to a torn ACL is a nightmare no team can recover from. This ranking is more about the future of this season than it is reflective of how they have performed so far. When your season is in the hands of C.J. Beathard or someone from off the streets (Tom Savage gulp!), it’s a recipe for failure. They will travel down the coast to play the (1-2) Los Angeles Chargers. Vegas sees this as a blowout and have made the Chargers 10.5 point favorites. The series is tied at seven games apiece. The Chargers have won 4 in a row, but the 49ers have the biggest win in the series with a 49-26 win in Super Bowl XXIX.
30. OAKLAND RAIDERS (0-3) Last Week: 29th
Defense is an issue, and I hate to say I told you so! When you trade Khalil Mack away, this should not be surprising. Mack has four sacks this year, while the Oakland Raiders have three total as a team. Here is what is disheartening for Raider fans. The team has lead in all three games going into the 3rd quarter. They have been outscored in the 2nd half, 64-17. Derek Carr continues to throw bad interceptions, like this one against the Rams, and on Sunday you had this costly mistake. The Raiders will be at home to face Baker Mayfield, and the (1-1-1) rejuvenated Cleveland Browns, who should be undefeated. The Raiders are 2.5 point favorites against Cleveland and hold a 14-10 career record against them.
31. HOUSTON TEXANS (0-3) Last Week: Unranked
What is going on with The Houston Texans? I thought this team would be ready for a significant turnaround. Unfortunately for Houston fans, losing has been very prevalent with the team now holding an ominous streak of 9 straight loses dating back to last year. Many are getting restless and tired of Head Coach Bill O’Brien (31-36) and his generic play calling. Will he become the latest Patriots assistant to fail as a Head Coach?
The key to this team’s issues has been the play of the offensive line and defensive secondary. DeShaun Watson, who is back after devastating injury, has been sacked ten times already and has run away from pressure on numerous occasions. He is not at the level he played at last year (871 yards 5 TD’s 3 Int’s 89.9 QBR) but is getting closer. A tough match-up against the Colts (1-2) in Indy is up next on Sunday. The Texans will be 1.5 point underdogs and, unfortunately, historically are woeful vs. the Indianapolis Colts (7-25). They lost both contests to Indy last year.
32. ARIZONA CARDINALS (0-3) Last Week: 31st
Awful! At one point, the Cardinals were beating the Chicago Bears 14-0. It appeared that the Cards were going to get out of the Five Down list. Nope! They scored no points in the 2nd half. Sam Bradford continued to look awful (3 turnovers), which lead to the Josh Rosen era beginning. With a talented roster, Arizona should be better than this. I feel the Cardinals are making a huge mistake putting Rosen behind this weak offensive line (6 sacks numerous pressures). Somehow, RB David Johnson, the Cardinals best player, is averaging just 3.4 yards and the team needs more from him in the running game. The Cardinals rank dead last in every offensive category with a date against a very aggressive defense looming. The Cardinals are an NFL worst, minus 54, which makes new Head Coach Steve Wilks cringe. The Cards have another home game coming up against the Seattle Seahawks, and it will mark the 39th meeting between the two clubs. The Cardinals have a slight 19-18 lead in the series. Seattle is favored by 3 points on Sunday afternoon.
Knocking on futilities door:
N.Y. Jets (1-2), Seattle Seahawks (1-2), New England Patriots (1-2)
Come back next Wednesday for Five Up Five Down, The 5 best NFL Teams and the 5 worst NFL Teams Week 5.
NFL New National Anthem Policy is an Epic FAIL!
The NFL’s new National Anthem policy is an EPIC FAIL. Want to get rid of politics? Stop having litigation with the players or ban all politically themed items from the game for everyone.
Am I Wrighster or Am I wrong? #NFL #kaepernick #wrighsterorwrong
