It's Time to Stop Jordy Nelson's Sadness Tour
The Jordy Nelson Sadness Tour continues. He interviewed with Jason Wilde on ESPN 540’s Wilde and Tauscher – here’s the money quote:
“I think the hurt part, to be honest, was the unwillingness to try to make it work. Then again, it’s a business and they have to do what they think is best and what they need to do to be able to move forward and prepare for the future of the Packers.”
Nelson, of course, is speaking of his release from the Packers and their apparent unwillingness to restructure his contract so he counts less against the cap.
He was asked during the interview if there was a dollar amount he would have felt comfortable accepting, and in reality the monetary issue was one of several deterrents that lessened the desire to stay in Green Bay:
“I think the number was part of it, but also the conversation that I had in the meeting. I met with Brian and had discussions because I had to get a feel for not just the pay cut, but what their plans were going forward. After that meeting, there wasn’t, I don’t think, much desire there (to keep me). I think it was a combination of both. We decided what was best for myself and our family as they decided what was best for them and the Packers.”
Why do we hear about how sad it made Jordy Nelson to be cut by the Packers and not how sad it made the Packers to see Jordy Nelson put up 7.2 yards per catch in the second half of the season last year?
I know why. Because that's not how it works. When a player gets cut by an organization, you have the feel good tour for the player. That's fine, but there are two parts to this equation.
As I said last week, it is okay for either side involved in these decisions to make their decision based on money. It's fine if the Packers want to move on from Jordy Nelson for money-related reasons, or because they don't think he can contribute anymore. That’s okay, just as it is okay for Jordy Nelson to decline to stay and play for the veteran's minimum.
We need to balance things out in terms of whose perspective we’re always adopting here. We always adopt the player's perspective, and we almost always back the player in these situations.
I get tired of seeing online that Jordy Nelson doesn’t feel good because the Packers cut him. I think we've all been in undesirable work situations and had to go through things like this. Sure, not all of us get fired and have our contract negotiations aired for public discussion on websites, TV shows, and the radio.
There is a very limited overlap between an NFL player’s job and everyone else’s job. Still, I understand it from Jordy Nelson's perspective, I just wish that we could have some sympathy for the team that makes a sizeable investment in a player and didn’t get a big return on their investment.
This post is an adapted transcript of the most recent episode of Blue 58, a Packers podcast from The Power Sweep. Listen to the full episode below, and don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, CastBox and more to stay on top of the best in Packers news and analysis.