Tale of the tape
Josh Gordon:
WR, Cleveland Browns
2 years in the league
4 year $5.3M contract
suspended 1 year for 2nd violation of NFL’s substance abuse policy
A young and talented player with a bright future ahead of him.
Tanard Jackson:
S, Tampa Bay Bucs, Washington Redskins (though he has never played a single snap for them)
4 active years in the league
has earned roughly $5M
suspended indefinitely (likely forever) for 4th violation of NFL’s substance abuse policy
A mediocre player who probably only had a year or so left of NFL-quality play in him.
Apparently neither player can get off the weed.
On the one hand, there’s the young, emerging star player who is potentially throwing away a lucrative career. On the other hand is the older veteran who has already earned a good deal of money but is giving up at least a couple more decent paydays before age and declining skills force him out of the game. *
Now, on the surface it would appear that Gordon is the bigger fool here, as his potential future earnings easily dwarf what Jackson has already and will ever earn, but personally I feel that Jackson is the one who may needs those paychecks more. Even without the drug suspensions he probably didn’t have more than a couple years of NFL ball left. He doesn’t have a potential big payday in his future; that ship already sailed. If he hasn’t put away a big chunk of his earnings, he may be making a long-term appearance at your local McDonald’s (though it’s my understanding they drug test too :smack:).
What do you think?
- On a third hand, they’re clearly both fools for obvious reasons; if they can’t put down the joint for a few years, set up themselves and their families for life, then smoke themselves retarded after they retire, I suppose they deserve what they’ve gotten.