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

Well done

 

Is this type of thing common?

 

Not player written articles, projected top 10 draft picks writing a published letter to nfl gm’s before the draft.

 

I have no idea how his pro career will turn out, but I am a big Anthony Richardson supporter and fan.

 

I find this interesting. He could obviously have written this and sent it, in private, to teams. His advisors and he obviously felt it should be sent publicly. Interesting why? No harm and not saying it is bad, just thinking what his advisors and him believe a letter like this achieves?

As for AR, obviously all the physical tools in the world. In addition, kid has never been in trouble and seems a good guy. Were I a GM and AR was available in the mid/late first round, I'd take him. He will not be, and good for him. He needs to prove that he has the intangibles we all question (and he speaks to): reading defenses, touch, short routes, when to run, anticipation. He is young and anybody precluding him achieving high level at the above is foolish, but I wouldn't bet the farm based on his on field production.

But question to me about AR would be his his lifetime goal stated in the article: "make the NFL." That, to me, is a great, but purely personal achievement. It is NOT the goal. Developing to help your team win every week is THE goal. Making the NFL is the product of THAT work. The great ones, those who franchises are built on, do not want to "make the pros", they want to dominate the game they are playing THAT week. They want titles and despise losing. Is he THAT guy? Hope so.

All the above is COMPLETELY UNINFORMED by any direct experience with AR and I hope he is a hall of famer and I am proven appropriately not employed by the NFL! Just thoughts that came to me reading this article.

 

He needs to spend time in the XFL. I don't trust this guy.

 

My goal is to grow old and die happy with a loving family….has nothing to do with my job. That’s just a way to get to my goal

 

That is great for you! Some folks love to work more than anything. Some folks love to work AND love their families. And some folks do not get satisfaction from work. We are all different.

I'm guessing those that are truly exceptional at work make sacrifices in other parts of their lives. The point of my query was is AR going to be "truly exceptional" as a top draft pick? I hope he "grows old and is happy". That has nothing to do with his draft position. Just look at the NFL hiding CTE for all the proof you need of that.

 

Great article. Will be rooting for Anthony's success at the next level.

 

Meh

 

It's all about how you market yourself sometimes

 

Nothing in there to the effect of “Granted, I quit on my college team. But worry not, GMs, that was just so I could save myself to not quit on yours!”

 

Not sure but boss move and absolutely love it. Why I like the kid so much. Tells you who he is and what he’s about. No way no how is this a gamble with regards to how this dude will represent himself and a team. Just writing the letter shows courage.
Stud. Sure gonna miss him.
Thanks for how you represented and best of luck!!

 

Just an excellent young man that I’ll be rooting for. Hope he makes it big but if he doesn’t he’ll succeed with something else because of the person he is.

 

Richardson is a first class human being. No doubt about it.

The beginning of the article confirms what I’ve suspected about him as a football player:

“I promised myself that I would do everything in my power to GET to the NFL.”

There it is. The one and only goal. GET to the NFL. Then what? You got there, mission accomplished, then what? Combine warrior, measurable wonderkid, but what about actual performance in games?

Playing through injury put getting to the NFL at risk. So he didn’t play in any UF bowl game. He also held himself back from running the ball last season. The risk of injury put the goal of getting to the NFL at risk, therefore don’t risk it.

Compare that to Tebow in 2008 or even Wuerffel continuing to get back up after F$U echo of the whistle late hits. There is a reason they had champiomships and Richardson had 0.500 records.

I don’t knock Anthony for pursuing his dreams. But he stated very clearly, the dream is to get there. What drives you and motivates you once there? Not being cut? Simply making the roster? That equates a person that works just hard enough not to get fired, not a person like Tebow or Wuerffel who were truly great because they put team goals above any personal ones.

 

Virtually every prospect says this. Heck every person in a job interview says this.

 

TJ nails it above me. Just nails it.
But to add on...
As I was reading the letter I bought in- I got excited and it had the desired effect on me.
I was especially in love with his kind words about Kyle Trask. I thought that was really cool.

But after having a day to digest- it frankly betrays immaturity and child-like view of the world.
He's more like a 15 year old not understanding that he doesn't know what he doesn't know.

Some items that support that...

• "One of the things I’m the most proud of about my college career is how much I was able to grow and learn about myself." Really? I wonder what Tebow or Danny W would be most proud of about their college career? I'm thinking not personal growth.
• He "hears the critics" about his accuracy, his touch, short game, etc but to "watch how hard I work." So he didn't work that hard on these things in college, but now he is??
• "I keep hearing that the NFL isn’t like college. It’s a different level. It’s more mental. Nothing’s going to be handed to you. I can tell you right now, if that’s what it takes then I’m ready." Wow. So he wasn't ready in college, he wasn't ready for Kentucky to eat his lunch, but he's ready for NFL level defenses every, single week.

Look, I'm human, and I'm a Gator. Only a monster couldn't be moved by AR's story and his personal struggles. I definitely was.
But wow- if I was an NFL GM this would be yet another red flag in a field of red flags.

From the beginning I've said that AR is a kid- a big very athletic kid, but still a kid. (A good kid, no doubt.)
But I'm not sure that the NFL is welcoming to an immature kid.