Adrian Fedkiw
I used to like Sam Bradford. I was patient with him. Even after his 10-for-10 preseason performance against the Green Bay Packers, I knew he would struggle early on. I knew that it would take him more than a few games to get back in the swing of things after basically missing two years with a pair of ACL tears. I gave him a pass for his sub-par first half of the season and then he went and had a solid second half.
Then the last month happened. And I’m done. I felt just like Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett while watching Bradford at the podium during his press conference Tuesday.
“I just almost threw up … I can’t believe Sam Bradford is complaining about making $40 million in the next two years, and because he actually has to compete for a position. This guy, this guy right here definitely sets a bad tone of what a player should be.”
He’s right and, oh yeah, there’s more.
“How can you play with a guy that doesn’t want to compete at a high level and feels like his position should be solidified without even putting up the stats or the wins to back that up?”
This is my big dilemma. What has Bradford ever done to be “given” the starting job and be “the man” in Philadelphia? There’s a reason why the Los Angeles Rams and Eagles picked number one and two in the NFL Draft and selected quarterbacks!
Bradford has the 11th most starts (63) by a quarterback without a postseason appearance since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. The guy hasn’t even made the postseason, let alone win a playoff game. He got outplayed by Kirk Cousins with the division on the line against the Washington Redskins.
Kirk freaking Cousins!
The following quote from Bradford Tuesday was the most uninspiring. It was when he talked about the quarterback competition between he and Wentz.
“The competition is what it is,” Bradford said. “I think if I play at a high level each week on the field, if we continue to win games, I think I will be the starting quarterback and be out there. With that being said, I’m not completely naive … At some point it’s probably not going to be my team.”
I loved the part about him saying if the Eagles to continue to win games he’ll continue to be the starting quarterback because it’s true. It’s been what I wanted to here for weeks! It was what he said after that I didn’t like, the “I’m not completely naive” and “it’s probably not going to be my team” part.
This tells me he’s insecure, that he doesn’t believe in himself enough to compete with Wentz and beat him out. Say the Eagles go 12-4 this year because of Bradford and win a playoff game or two; guess who’s starting next year?
That’d be Bradford, not Wentz.
Bradford’s job should’ve been to make the Eagles’ decision of potentially letting him go the most difficult one they’ve had to make in the history of the franchise. And if he proved himself, he could’ve went on and been “the man” elsewhere. He should’ve made it as tough as when the San Diego Chargers elected to start Philip Rivers, who they drafted two years prior, instead of re-signing Drew Brees.
Bradford also threw his agent Tom Condon under the bus and said that his dry trade market was “partly” the reason why he decided to rescind his trade request.
Partly. Are you kidding me?
Philadelphia is going to eat Bradford alive this summer during training camp and preseason. That’s going to continue into the regular season. And after what I’ve seen the last month, I don’t think he has the mental capacity to handle the adversity. He’s never proven he could handle it before, why would that change now?
The shut up and play approach would’ve served him a lot better.
The crybaby act doesn’t fly in Philadelphia.