Written by Mike Tanier at Bleacher Reports.com
Poor Robert Griffin III. He was anointed a franchise savior, his face plastered on billboards and Metro buses. He was declared “superhuman” by medical experts and placed at the center of the NFL’s marketing campaign. Even his socks were national news. But he crashed back to earth because—get this—he wasn’t “humble” enough.
Now, the NFL is just not that into him.
Alas, Ryan Fitzpatrick. He was the heir apparent to the Doug Flutie throne of middle-aged white guy wish-fulfillment quarterbacking. The mason-jar segment of the NFL fanbase admired his Ivy League gumption, television producers loved displaying cutesy graphics of his career journey across the NFL map, and he even delivered a genuinely impressive season in 2015.
But the flight of FitzMagic is indefinitely grounded, because the NFL is just not that into him.
Woe to Colin Kaepernick, who came within five yards and some close calls of winning a Super Bowl four seasons ago. He should be dueling Russell Wilson and Cam Newton for the NFC crown the Seahawks barely wrestled from him in 2013. Instead, would-be trade suitors haggle over his dowry with little fear of losing a quiet and seemingly non-intense bidding war.
The NFL is just not that into him.
Johnny Manziel? He’s in a separate category of his own making. When Jerry Jones starts spouting therapy-culture wisdom about someone’s personal situation, it’s time to really seek help. There’s more at stake than just the NFL not being all that into you.
The Four Horsemen of the Unwanted Quarterback Apocalypse are unappealing leftovers, and they cannot afford to let their egos be bruised too deeply by their status. Still, it must be difficult.
A kid with seven career starts named Brock Osweiler was just handed $37 million guaranteed by the Texans (contract numbers per Spotrac). The Eagles gave perpetual prospect Sam Bradford $22 million guaranteed and Chase Daniel, the Beethoven of meaningless Week 17 starts, a deal that could grow to $36 million over three years if he ever starts playing regularly before Christmas. Kirk Cousins is on a one-year retainer for nearly $20 million. Yet guys who played in Super Bowls or threw 31 touchdowns last season go begging.
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