Irv Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 You've worked your whole life to get to the NFL. You make the team and then you get released. Do you go to your locker and get your stuff? Do you say goodbye to the coaches and teammates or do you get escorted out by Security? I wonder who cuts the guys. How many guys take a swing at the guy telling he is cut or tries to wreck the place? Then, what do you do when you get home? It's not like you can pick up the paper to find a new job. It's not like you just got dumped by your girlfriend and you hop on the interwebs to get a new one. You've been an elite, successful athlete your whole life. Then bam! It's all gone. The fame the money, the women. That has got to be one hell of a bad feeling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 You ever watch Hard Knocks? Or the Amazon's All or Nothing? They show it pretty detailed. From what I've seen, they don't do a lot of cleaning out afterwards. Once you hand in your playbook and have the talk, they go right out of the building. But I imagine there is some time, before or after, to clean out a locker. These players are all human, and I think it seems/feels more like any other regular firing, just like you or I would experience, when they are in the moment. And it usually goes directly to a call to their agent to see if they can find another job, just like I might call a recruiter. For most of these guys, it IS a job. And it's a lot like any of us would experience when losing a job. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PittsforDave Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 It’s probably feels like a blind sided firing Takes a few days for the fear to sink in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan5121 Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 For guys like Pryor, it’s probably a little easier when you’ve made a few million, assuming you’re smart with your money. For the bubble players in training camp, it’s gotta be much harder, but at the same time, they probably expect it’s a real possibility Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 (edited) I have 3 pretty close friends that have combined for a dozen or so releases from NFL teams. Often times the writing is on the wall. They know where they stand on the depth chart. It gets tougher too as they gain a little seniority. Do you want to pay a 6th year backup LB $1.1M or a rookie 5th rounder league minimum? The middle class in the league has sort of disappeared. The most difficult part for them is knowing when enough is enough. When do you walk away all together? I would say that 2 of them (and maybe all 3) should have gotten the message a year or 2 earlier. Edited November 13, 2018 by Kirby Jackson 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vorpma Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 1 minute ago, Kirby Jackson said: I have 3 pretty close friends that have combined for a dozen or so releases from NFL teams. Often times the writing is on the wall. They know where they stand on the depth chart. It gets tougher too as they gain a little seniority. Do you want to pay a 6th year backup LB $1.1M or a rookie 5th rounder league minimum? The middle class in the league has sort of disappeared. The most difficult part for them is knowing when enough is enough. When do you walk away all together? I would say that 2 of them (and maybe all 3) should have got the message a year or 2 earlier. Good insight, thanks! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real Buffalo Joe Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 I do wonder about this. Especially being cut mid season, as opposed to Hard Knocks where you're cut while fighting to get signed, knowing full well that until the final cut is made, you better not make yourself comfortable. . If you've already established home in your current playing city? How long do you stay there? You're most likely still going home with more money in your account than most people ever dream of earning in their lifetime. But it still probably feels like any of us getting fired. The "job search" aspect is usually done by your agent I'd assume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMF2006 Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 Well if you take the high road by not clocking the GM or Coach you might get employment on another team If you take the low road I guess your packing groceries for sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 37 minutes ago, Irv said: You've worked your whole life to get to the NFL. You make the team and then you get released. Do you go to your locker and get your stuff? Do you say goodbye to the coaches and teammates or do you get escorted out by Security? I wonder who cuts the guys. How many guys take a swing at the guy telling he is cut or tries to wreck the place? Then, what do you do when you get home? It's not like you can pick up the paper to find a new job. It's not like you just got dumped by your girlfriend and you hop on the interwebs to get a new one. You've been an elite, successful athlete your whole life. Then bam! It's all gone. The fame the money, the women. That has got to be one hell of a bad feeling. Serious question.... Is a football play that’s cut eligible for unemployment? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevewin Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 I always think about practice squad guys who are constantly being released then re-signed to practice squads - must be living out of suitcases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real Buffalo Joe Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 If you've still got the age, and you're decent, there's a job for you somewhere, just whether or not you're willing to take a job with that pay. Whether that's a backup, or arena, or CFL. Practice squad. Even some sort of coaching or other oppertunity at your college. So probably not. 3 minutes ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said: Serious question.... Is a football play that’s cut eligible for unemployment? 2 minutes ago, stevewin said: I always think about practice squad guys who are constantly being released then re-signed to practice squads - must be living out of suitcases. I think about this with baseball players who are borderline between MLB and AAA, or whatever level. Constantly being called up and sent down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 While I agree that there must be a lot of stress getting cut in a highly visible field, I think I'd struggle personally with sitting at home at the end of an ass-busting work day, turning on the TV, and finding three people sitting around a table on ESPN talking about how I should be fired from my job. Driving to work, listening to sports radio, and having people from my city talk about how much I suck at my job. Not sure how I'd deal with that, but I'm gonna go with "probably not well." 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrags Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 I’m sure it sucks to take their millions of dollars in signing bonuses and guaranteed money to sit at home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevewin Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 1 minute ago, The Real Buffalo Joe said: I think about this with baseball players who are borderline between MLB and AAA, or whatever level. Constantly being called up and sent down. Some hockey players too. One night you're one the ice in the friggin NHL, the next taking a bus to East Podunk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrags Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 Just now, LABillzFan said: While I agree that there must be a lot of stress getting cut in a highly visible field, I think I'd struggle personally with sitting at home at the end of an ass-busting work day, turning on the TV, and finding three people sitting around a table on ESPN talking about how I should be fired from my job. Driving to work, listening to sports radio, and having people from my city talk about how much I suck at my job. Not sure how I'd deal with that, but I'm gonna go with "probably not well." Easy answer... You probabaly don’t follow that type of media at all. I have no doubt when some of these players say they don’t follow these reports or other teams, they aren’t lying. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real Buffalo Joe Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 I do gotta say, I feel bad when I read about a guy who found out he was cut or traded from a public source before being talked to by the team. Shady found out from ESPN I think, and never got a chance to be told by Chip Kelly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 I loved the story this week about Louisville running the announcement that Bobby Petrino was fired on a crawler during the airing of his weekly coaches show! ? Of course, the show was taped earlier so it wasn't like that's how he found out. But still. These careers can be cruel and ruthless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob in NoCal Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 4 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said: I loved the story this week about Louisville running the announcement that Bobby Petrino was fired on a crawler during the airing of his weekly coaches show! ? Of course, the show was taped earlier so it wasn't like that's how he found out. But still. These careers can be cruel and ruthless. I hadn't heard that Petrino was fired. Good offensive mind, maybe.................Nahhhhhh!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 5 hours ago, Irv said: It's not like you just got dumped by your girlfriend and you hop on the interwebs to get a new one. Link? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonbus23 Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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