Anthony Richardson Player's Tribune article: "Dear NFL GM's"

I'm not a huge fan of AR by any stretch, but what is wrong with just "getting to the league" when your are going to make millions of $$$ after you grew up in abject poverty?

 

First, if what he desires is some "floor money" then he can get it. And then he needs to invest and spend it wisely. But mainly, this is ALL about what is in the mind of a GM and owner. Are you REALLY going to give AR a bunch of guaranteed money (IE, a first round draft pick with the possibility of a top 4 pick) to a guy who is nice but not nearly as accomplished as he needs to be?

Get him MUCH later and let him sit...a LOT. And perhaps he will astound us all. Get him in the first round and it all feels like Johnny Manziel Redux, albeit without the off-the-field drama.

 

Individual goals seldom mesh with a team sport.

 

Lots say it. AR embodied it. We all saw his body language during games. Losing didn’t bother him, but bad statistical performances did.

Like I said before if the losses pile up during his NFL career, that kind of attitude will just shrug it off and say “I’m here for the roster spot and the paycheck that comes with it.”

Hope I’m wrong, but his written words and actions say I won’t be.

 

Just this morning Kiper has Anthony Richardson moving down out of the Top 5 and possibly out of the Top 10.

Coincidence that it happened after he releases this letter?

As an employer that letter is a huge red flag.

Again, AR says his dream is to get there. He cannot articulate what motivates him or moves him once there.

This is the same as a prospective medical school candidate saying “I’ve alwayes wanted to attend medical school.” Immediate grounds for not being admitted. Med school is a means to an end. Being a doctor or a surgeon should be the stated goal, not being a med student.

Again, AR is a wonderful human being. He has a huge heart. But people won’t pour millions into you because of your huge heart.

 

It just is what it is. TBH, I'm about as fixated on AR at this point as I am on Cormani what's his name or the scooter boy. No hate, but at this juncture, I really want players who actually care at least as much about winning games for UF as they do about exploiting a disastrously jacked-up NIL system - or taking plays off at crucial moments because something bad might happen if you really put yourself out there. And before someone tells me how out of date that thinking is, please allow me to refer you to the mess in scUM town and at ATM. It would seem that character and commitment still count for something after all.

 

Agreed.

 

Except most candidates for jobs have a track record of success not mediocre performance on important metrics.
AR has a history of mediocre results in the only performance metric that matters W/Ls

He also hasnt ever shown excelling at secondary metrics like durability, alpha male leadership ever. His durability alone has robbed him of almost half of all eligible game experience outside if last year.

congrats to him for fulfulling a dream.

 

I concur...next!

 

Nothing at all and I don’t blame him. There something to be said however for players that put the team and winning above all else.

 

Your two examples show that it’s really not that common. This comes across as cringy and desperate to me. It’s not something that projected top ten picks are doing. I don’t see any way at all that this helps him.

 

It didn’t. It actually dropped him down the board per Mel Kiper.

This was a self-inflicted wound by AR.

 

Someone is overthinking it, not sure it’s me. This is something guys like Shaq Griffin do.

 

It sounded like someone who knows he has some serious unanswered questions to address and is trying to get out in front of them with a little sweet talk. I don't blame him. Of course, I have zero idea what kind of results he's likely to get. But going to people with your hat in your hand trying to finagle your way into a situation your body of work says you haven't earned, isn't a great look. Frankly, I'll be ecstatic when the never-ending AR drama-fest has finally passed from the realm of daily discussion. My final thoughts and prayers for AR are goodbye, good luck, have a wonderful life. My hope for UF is finding a QB who can complete short and intermediate passes with decent regularity and show up on game day with his head on straight with his only priority being winning a game for UF.

 

This actually speaks to the quality of outside advice he has received all year. Had he played the team game of college football winning as many games as possible by any means necessary. AR would have produced tape as a capable leader with proven ability to shoulder the responsibility of leadership.

instead he chose the route of combine warrior and solidified the doubts many have of his ability to produce at the marque position of the game with his written submission. This leads me to wonder how he really did in interviews had those been nailed a follow-up open letter shouldnt have necessary.

 

I’m over this guy. He’s an outstanding athlete, he shows it. But he is a mediocre QB. I don’t feel he is a team player. His letter? Well, as long as he’s drafted he met his goal. Then what? That letter seemed to me he’s begging to be given a chance because he really did not prove himself on the field.

 

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ...................

 

AR is gone but the question of BN as his coach remain. “How did UF go 6-7 with the potential #1 pick at QB? Bad coaching?” These questions are not just about AR, and if AR’s entire focus was the nfl last year, maybe that explains some things.

 

His entire focus during his entire UF tenure was the NFL. To get there. The one and only focus.