NFL Players Demanding Trades/Waivers Is Not New
Sep 19, 2019, 12:11 PM | Updated: 12:16 pm
Kalen Ballage #27 of the Miami Dolphins reacts after causing an intereception in the foruth quarter against the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium on September 15, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – After Steve Young’s rant about the NFL turning into the NBA another former, local quarterback chimed in. Scott Mitchell, former Ute, said this is nothing new, the NFL has always been this way.
Young’s comments came in reference to Antonio Brown’s near-constant drama and the Miami Dolphins players who requested trades after their team lost the first two games by more than 40 points each.
“Every guy that’s on a bad team is like ‘get me outta here, get me to the Patriots, get me to the Chiefs’,” Young got heated.
MORE:
- Steve Young Rants About Today’s NFL, Compares To NBA
- Building The Ultimate NFL Quarterback With Scott Mitchell
- Listen to Helmets Off podcast
Brown, a wide receiver, has dominated NFL headlines since the beginning of NFL training camp. From holding out over wanting to wear an outdated helmet to when the Raiders finally released him after an altercation with their General Manager – the saga seemed to come to an end when the Patriots signed him.
A few days later, multiple women accused Brown of sexual misconduct so it seems the drama is just beginning for Brown and his new team.
“It is now the NBA…obviously Antonio Brown proved it,” said Young, during the pregame show for Monday Night Football.
Not New News
Scott Mitchell who spent time as the quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals said this is nothing new, there have always been players behaving this way, and it’s not the league’s responsibility to change it.
Steve Young says the NFL is heading towards being like the NBA with big-name players demanding trades. pic.twitter.com/KOxzbqhNB1
— ESPN (@espn) September 17, 2019
“Quite frankly, I don’t know why Steve Young is saying this now because this isn’t anything new,” said Mitchell on his podcast Helmets Off.
He provided examples of players who have flexed some muscle to be put in a better situation or simply the situation they preferred.
John Elway basically refused to play for the then Baltimore Colts threatening that he would instead play baseball, according to Mitchell.
“John Elway wasn’t going to go play baseball, he just used it as leverage,” Mitchell said.
Another example he provided was Eli Manning, who was originally drafted to the San Diego Chargers. Manning’s agent informed the Chargers he would sit out if the team drafted him so eventually, he was traded to the New York Giants for Phillip Rivers and some draft picks.
Mitchell pointed out that even Young, the former BYU quarterback, found himself in a similar situation when he entered the NFL.
“Steve Young – FYI – actually went to the USFL and said – meh – I’m not going to go to the NFL, I’m going to go where I can make more money,” Mitchell recalled.
#getoffmylawn https://t.co/FDn6nRF8vA
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 17, 2019
Playing For A Bad Team Sucks
“I don’t blame the guys in Miami, I don’t blame Antonio Brown. You have one go around the NFL,” said Mitchell.
Mitchell is of the mindset that players should be able to go where they get the best opportunity to have success.
“Nobody wants to be on a bad team,” Mitchell concluded.
Listen to the full episode of Helmets Off below. If you enjoy it, you can subscribe wherever you find podcasts or on sports.ksl.com.
