Loyalty is absolute in today game of the NFL. 3/2/09 – 3/8/09

When your team has to move on with certain Iconic players; that have been the face of their respected franchise for a long time, it’s a tough decision.

As everyone generally wants that Iconic player to remain with the team till he retires from the game. The situation is this, either the team has a new head coach or the team has a player that is on the rise, and is ready take over the position of that iconic player.


Those two situations are what the fate of that player will came down to. Just with in the past two weeks the: Colts, Jaguars, and Buccaneers had to make the decision of letting go of their iconic players. First up, it was the Jacksonville Jaguars who parted ways, respectfully with the greatest Jaguar of all time in running back Fred Taylor.

It was respectfully done, as the Owner of the Jaguars Wayne Weaver flew down to Taylor house in south Florida, with General manger Gene Smith and Head Coach Jack Del Rio to tell Taylor in person of the decision before it was made public. The decision had been in the process slowly as the Jags had to move on with Maurice Jones – Drew as the starting running back.


Second up was the Indianapolis Colts who were in a sticky situation, the new head coach wanted the player who is wide out Marvin Harrison back, but Marvin did not feel as if the team wanted him back. As he wanted a new contract, the team said no at first and Marvin started going public about how he wanted to be released from the Colts, so the colts granted him his wish and now he will be looking for a new team this off season.


Finally, it was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers turn this past week. They have a new thirty two year old coach as well as a new young general manager. They said they wanted to get young and they did. They parted ways without a person-to-person talk, and let go of: Derrick Brooks, as well as Warrick Dunn and three others.


Derrick Brooks is an eleven time pro bowler with an almost certain first time ballot to the hall of fame. He was the player that not only brought back respect to the Bucs, but he also gave them a new life as an organization, that before him was the joke of the NFL.





Well not all Loyalty is lost, but you can be sure that when any team cuts an Iconic player, it was because of two reasons either it was time to move on or their was a new head coach involve. What are absolute in today game are not only players staying with one team, but Iconic ones staying with their original team their whole time while playing in the NFL.



RJINTAMPAWSA@AOL.COM