Nick Piccone
When Sam Bradford returned to the Eagles yesterday, some people breathed a sigh a relief. Others didn’t like it. And three people didn’t care.
The whole Bradford saga these last few weeks have taken a toll on me. I’m an emotional wreck. I hate Bradford but I want him to be the starting quarterback this season. But I like Carson Wentz. Chase Daniel… hey, pal. Lots of people have weighed in on their thoughts and feelings about Bradford’s trade demand and subsequent holdout of voluntary practices. [Honestly, if you’re the starting quarterback and leader of a team, you should be at every workout unless there’s a vacation planned or some other event. But, that’s just me.]
You’ve all let us know how you feel about the situation on social media and in the comment section. Why didn’t Bradford just retire? Gah. NFL analyst, Ron Jaworski, laid out exactly how he feels about the situation.
I think it’s kind of insulting to the city, I think it’s insulting to the Eagles and I think it’s insulting to teammates,” Jaworski said on SportsNet Central Monday night in an interview with Comcast SportsNet’s John Clark.
“I think when a player literally walks out on a team, he’s got some apologizing to do when he walks back in that locker room. And I’m sure he’s done that, he’s a standup guy.”
Now, that sounds all well and good. I generally agree with that assessment because I wanted Bradford gone the moment he got his feelings hurt when the Eagles drafted up to the second overall draft pick weeks ago. Nobody should have that sensitive of a person on their team. Thick skin. That’s what sports are. Are they human? Sure, obviously.
But, there’s something interesting about Ron Jaworski saying these things, seeing as he held out from Eagles training camp 30 years ago. Jaworski himself held out for four days back in 1986, so maybe he should be careful about casting stones. Thanks, internet archives.
Ron Jaworski ended five months of painstaking, problematic negotiations with the Eagles yesterday by agreeing to terms on a new four-year contract that could earn him more than $2 million.
The 13-year veteran quarterback is planning to sign the deal this morning and to rejoin the team for this afternoon’s training-camp workout at West Chester University, where he will have to win back the starting job that he lost during a four-day holdout.
….
The relief that was shared yesterday by Jaworski and the team’s front office apparently was not felt by coach Buddy Ryan, however. When told of the accord, he reacted with a shrug.
Asked if the Jaworski talks had been a distraction, Ryan said: “I haven’t heard anybody mention anything about people coming in or going out around here. They’re all too damned busy trying to learn their business.”
When camp opened on Thursday, Ryan immediately promoted backup Matt Cavanaugh to the starting job and said Jaworski would have to win back the No. 1 position that he had held for the last nine seasons.
Yesterday, Ryan reiterated that decision with a snarling, “Hell, yes, he’s got to win his job back.”
Oh, Buddy Ryan. How Philadelphia loveth you so. Yeah, maybe Jaworski isn’t exactly the best guy to ask about this Bradford stuff, even if it was 30 years ago. Were both of their situations different? Sure. Bradford had just signed a contract and then wanted out. Jaworski wanted a new contract after outperforming his current one, which still happens today. But, the holdout is similar and that’s what Jaworski was aiming at, not necessarily the fact that Bradford had originally wanted a trade. Why is Jaws so angry?
Good times in the Eagles’ offseason.