Many of today’s football players have lived with years of pent up aggression. There’s childhood pain left from parental abandonment, poverty and years of violence inside and outside of the home. It is not uncommon for young men to participate in the game of football to release the rage that infuses them. Once a young man is on the field, the pain and the rage are redirected to the opposing players without recourse. But what happens when the player is off the field? Where do the rage and pain go if there are no means of releasing it?
While fans from all over the world cheer for their favorite NFL teams hoping to see them make it all the way to the Super Bowl, the real life struggles of NFL athletes rages on inside their dark world. The pain and anger released on the field now has to be contained off the field and it doesn’t take long for an eruption to occur. In the year of 2014, domestic violence, rape, child abuse, wanton endangerment, assault, battery, disorderly conduct, and murder was displayed throughout the NFL.
The NFL Walk of Shame Legacy
In the wake of the murder conviction of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez and the recent indictment from a 2012 shooting, it behooves the NFL organization as a whole to implement yearly evaluations of their players and their current state of mind. When the news of Hernandez’s arrest was released to the media, some were shocked while others said it was inevitable. Hernandez showed immense promise during the 2011 season along side fellow tight end Rob Gronkowski. This dynamic duo of talent ultimately attained a Super Bowl ring that year.
But the signs of an inner struggle were there within Hernandez. It was evident in his youth and spilled into his college years at the University of Florida. During his Combine, Hernandez admitted to the use of marijuana and failing a drug test. But because he was candid about his use and about himself to interested draft teams, it didn’t seem to matter in regards to what he could do on the field. Obviously, inside Hernandez was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.
Now move forward to 2015, just weeks before the NFL Draft. Outside linebacker Randy Gregory admitted in March that he tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Combine. He had told reporter Kimberly Jones that he also tested positive twice in Nebraska in January 2014 and April 2014. He was a projected first-round pick but was not chosen by any team on the first day of the draft. He had tarnished his character, causing teams to wonder if he would be a future problem. He was later drafted in the third round by the Dallas Cowboys.
Even the number one pick in the draft, Jameis Winston of Florida State University, was accused in 2012 of raping fellow classmate Erica Kinsman, after meeting her in a Tallahassee nightclub. Winston claims that the sexual encounter was consensual, contrary to Miss Kinsman’s recollection. He is now being sued by Kinsman on several counts including “intentional infliction of emotional distress arising out of forcible rape.” Chicago Bears defensive lineman Ray McDonald is in a similar situation. Both players are suing the alleged victims for defamation of character.
Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice probably wishes he had the proper counseling in his youth. Maybe it would have prevented the violence that he inflicted on his then fiancé, Jenay Palmer. His actions cost him his job and the respect of fellow players and fans. Even though he married his victim, it doesn’t erase the visual impact seen by all in the now infamous Valentine’s Day video.
Patterns like this should never be ignored. Winston and Gregory will be introduced to more money than they have ever seen, and the desire for recklessness may follow. Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel is the product of such recklessness. He managed to damage his reputation as a serious athlete in his first year in the NFL, resulting in the need for off-season rehab. Fortunately, Manziel recognized there was a problem early and acted in a mature manner by accepting help.
If not dealt with under proper counseling and leadership from veteran players, Winston and Gregory may fall victim to the NFL’s walk of shame, which has included players such as running backs Ricky Williams, Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson, offensive guard Nate Newton, wide receiver Justin Blackmon, and how can we forget quarterbacks Todd Marinovich and Ryan Leaf. These young rookies of the 2015 draft have a future, but it is not very bright when temptation dangles in front of them like a carrot to a horse.
The NFL must acknowledge that domestic violence isn’t the only problem. A player’s mental condition changes every year. If a player feels as if they have no way to deal with personal issues, the problem becomes bottled up, ready to spring forth like Old Faithful. Rookies need veteran leadership and training to adjust to their new life. A great place to start is for every rookie to be assigned a veteran player who has proven character and can educate them in how to be successful in the NFL, without the drugs and the violence.
These young men need to be trained properly as to how to handle fame and fortune, what proper conduct looks like on and off the field, and how to display what a role model looks like. With such strong leadership in a veteran pool of brothers, it’s the right thing to do. Education shouldn’t stop in college, and with the proper training, rookies can avoid the NFL walk of shame legacy.
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