Welcome back to “NFL’s Believe It or Not.” This week, I will focus on controversial comments from Arthur Blank, Mark Sanchez, and Josh McDaniels.
Arthur Blank
I will start with Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who said, “I think it will start with an increased number of games. That will be translated into a very successful series of games, and eventually, I think a franchise. And maybe more than one. London’s a big city.” Does every NFL investment need to be solely about profit? How can the NFL expect a team to play on a Sunday somewhere in the West Coast, fly overseas and play another game the following week in London, and then fly back to the East Coast to play a third game? I thought this league was dedicated to protecting the players. The time differences would be detrimental to the players by decreasing their ability to perform. Playing against a team who is adjusting to a huge time difference would be an unfair advantage. That’s not even considering Thursday Night Football, which would make the situation even worse. Let’s keep the NFL in the United States and avoid these major complications, Mr. Blank.
Mark Sanchez
Next up, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez recently said, “I love being here. This is the best place I could have landed.” I guess Mark Sanchez doesn’t care about playing time anymore. Nick Foles will be the Eagles’ franchise quarterback for many years to come, and he cemented that status last season. At best, Mark Sanchez can hope to become a formidable backup in Philadelphia. Is that really the best situation to be in? Wouldn’t a team like the Texans, Raiders, or even the Cardinals provide Sanchez with a better situation in which he could compete for a starting position sometime soon? Most players strive to be the best, but that is impossible if the player never gets to play. It is a bit disappointing that a former fifth overall pick has no desire to play anymore.
Josh McDaniels
Finally, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels discussed wide receiver Danny Amendola’s ability, saying, “Danny’s not dissimilar to the rookies. He wasn’t here before, and he had an opportunity to get a foundation and a system last year. And now it’s his second year, and it will be exciting to see Danny’s growth. Any time you’re in your second year in a system, you’re more comfortable. We’re excited to see what he does.” While learning a relatively new system would help any player, that player must be able to stay healthy first. Amendola has played in 24 games in the last three seasons combined. Even when he has been on the field, he is usually injured in some way that limits his full ability. He should be more comfortable during the 8-10 games he will probably end up playing, but the Patriots are definitely concerned about his health (SIA Profile). Why else would they re-sign Julian Edelman, who plays basically the same role as Amendola, to a four-year contract? If Amendola’s body can’t shake the injury bug, his time in New England might be short.
Make sure to leave your own comments on these controversial topics below and come back next Thursday for another edition of “NFL’s Believe It or Not.”
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