We all know that the NFL has an image problem. That's not really news. Domestic violence is prevalent. Performance-enhancing drug violations. Protests. Arrests. The President tweeting negatively about it. CTE.
And yet it marches on. It gathers no moss as it continues to roll down the proverbial hill. It definitely begs the question: are we enabling this giant every time we tune in? Every time we draft a fantasy football team? Every time we sign up for the NFL package? When we buy a jersey? If so, why?
I don't have the answer, to be honest. What I can say is that while I'm still fairly invested in the NFL, sometimes because I have to be, but also sometimes because I want to be, it does leave me scratching my head as to why.
Even though I'm from Texas, I don't have much emotional connection to football. I never really played the game much. One season of spring ball which, frankly, didn't last long. My dad went to Notre Dame, so it's always fun to root for the Irish, but I no longer plan my days around it like I do baseball.
And now here we are, on the cusp of the kickoff of the 2019-2020 season and one of the game's biggest names walks away at the age of 29. To say I was shocked by Andrew Luck walking away is an understatement, which is not a hot take at all. When he talked about the cycle of injury, recovery, injury, it totally made sense as to why he'd walk away now.
Today on the show, Ben brought up the timing of the whole thing and the more I thought about it, to me it wouldn't matter. If I was one of the guys on the 53 man roster, it would sting for about 10 seconds, then it would be back to business. Because, and I mean this honestly, if you're having doubts about the job at hand, it's probably best you walk away. Be in or be out. No in-between. But we as fans have the luxury of being like me: planning family outings on Sundays, swimming with my son, meandering to my phone. Living our lives. I'm happy for Andrew and frankly, I think the NFL deserves any backlash that comes its way, honestly. Trust me...they won't miss a beat.