Posted: Aug 5, 2014 | Updated: 3 years ago
When news broke yesterday of Andy Dalton’s brand-new six-year $115M deal Bengals Nation should have rejoiced. Instead many Bengals fans were most likely like myself left scratching their heads and asking one simple question, why?
When Andy Dalton was drafted as Cincinnati’s number one pick in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft Bengals fans were certain that they had their franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future and yesterday’s big contract extension says that management still believes that to be the case; which to me honestly makes no sense at all!
Although Dalton has led the Bengals to a playoff appearance in each of the last three seasons he’s lost all three games. The team won’t make money without fans in the stands and I can assure you that Bengals fans only care about one thing just as fans of any sports franchise do; winning!
This isn’t the Oscars and there’s no political correctness in sports where fans are willing to say that making the playoffs is their version of oh it was just an honor to be nominated, the playoff appearances mean absolutely nothing without a championship ring to back them up!
It seemed as though Bengals management came to the same conclusion when they drafted former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback AJ Mccarron in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL draft. It’s one of the oldest adages in sports, if an athlete is underperforming you bring in another athlete in their position to push them and Mccarron seemed to be the perfect choice to do just that.
His presence on the team should have shown that Dalton had the ability to rise under pressure or it would have eventually shown that he would have folded under the pressure and the job of starting quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals would’ve went to Mccarron.
So why then did the Bengals sign Dalton to such a lengthy and hefty contract extension? The simple answer is; they hit the metaphorical panic button. The NFL product has become so offense oriented over these past several years that if a team doesn’t have a quarterback they panic and feel they have no chance at all to succeed long-term.
As such instead of doing the smart thing and offering Dalton something like $25-$30M over three years and subsequently seeing how both he and Mccarron would work out; they gave Dalton the huge payday rather than risk allowing him to walk.
What’s done is done and the Bengals will have to try to live in the bed they have made. However I can promise you that Bengals fans won’t care about the franchise losing face with all the money they have given Dalton if he continues to fold under the pressure of the big game. They will insist that Mccarron gets the chance to start and they should; why?
Simple, Mccarron did something in college that Dalton couldn’t; win a National Championship. Granted The Rose Bowl is a somewhat big game too but a National Championship it is not. NFL football more than ever as I’ve already said is the quarterback’s game and if your quarterback doesn’t help you win, you’ll be forced to make a change.
No matter how the situation in Cincinnati plays itself out one thing remains certain. As long as team ownership in every sport is willing to pay their star athletes such outrages salary, situations like this one are going to occur. The sad but true tale is that the teams themselves can’t be blamed because they are just doing what they have to do to survive within a flawed system.
Nothing would make me happier than to see Dalton lead the Bengals to multiple Super Bowl championships. However even if he does as the old saying goes the buck won’t stop with him. The system will still remain flawed until the NFL gets a commissioner that forces team owners to fix it.
2 Shares More Posted: Mar 8, 2024 | Updated: 2 weeks ago The NFL is a brutal spectacle. We marvel at jaw-dropping athleticism, but the flip side of those gravity-defying feats are the injuries – the wince-inducing moments that remind us even these superhumans have limits. That’s where wearable tech…
Continue Reading...
Travis Kelce is a household name in American football. He has not only made waves on the field but also in the realm of wealth accumulation. As one of the most prominent tight ends in the NFL. Kelce's prowess on the gridiron has translated into a significant net worth. In…
Continue Reading...
The 2023-24 NFL season culminates in an eagerly anticipated showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. As two powerhouse teams clash on the gridiron, narratives of redemption, legacy, and historical feats abound. The apex of the 2023-24 NFL season
Continue Reading...
2 Shares More Posted: Jan 22, 2024 | Updated: 2 months ago They just can’t get over the hump. Groundhog Day comes early for the Buffalo Bills and their loyal fans, especially since 2021 when the familiar nightmare that is Patrick Mahomes continuously haunts them. Make that three out of…
Continue Reading...
58 Shares More Posted: Jan 21, 2024 | Updated: 2 months ago Before this season, the Detroit Lions hadn’t won a playoff game since early January 1992. Now, they’ve won two in the last seven days. Dominating the Divisional Round: Detroit Lions vs. Buccaneers The Detroit Lions defeated the Tampa…
Continue Reading...
26 Shares More Posted: Jan 20, 2024 | Updated: 2 months ago After 18 weeks of a regular season that was full of action, drama, and concerningly many quarterbacks injured, the NFL Playoffs are upon us. 14 teams have a dream to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy at the Super…
Continue Reading...
19 Shares More Posted: Jan 16, 2024 | Updated: 2 months ago Fantasy football is a game of strategy and skill, and one of the most important aspects of success is managing your team’s waiver wire. This is where you can pick up players not currently on any team in…
Continue Reading...