Dear Rick,

You are not the worst player on the Packers.

I know that may be an odd way to open this conversation, which isn’t so much a conversation as a letter. Come to think of it, it’s really not a letter either… much more of a blog post-type thing. But I digress.

You are not the worst player on the Packers.

Why do I say this? Well, whoever replaced Donny Moore has decided that you’ve earned an overall rating of 42 on this year’s version of Madden.

He also decided that you’re a tight end. I know, right? Anyone who’s ever Googled you will know that you’ve never played tight end at any level of football, dating back to high school. You’re a long snapper, through and through. You deserve to be recognized as such.

Not that the good folks at EA are keen to recognize long snappers. Just look at your former counterpart, Cullen Loeffler. He had to beg and plead to get into the game at all. I don’t even know if he ever made it, but even if he did, it’s not like EA was happy about it.

Rick, there’s only one number that applies to you, and that’s 59. That’s the number you’ve worn since you joined the Packers on short notice to replace Brett Goode. That’s the number you’ll wear when you line up as the Packers’ starting long snapper this season.

We at The Power Sweep love you, Rick. And we promise to not to yell at you even if you snap a ball right into Mason Crosby’s facemask, warranted though that may be.

Long snappers are people, too, and though your Madden rating may be just 42, you’re a 100 in our hearts. And also 59. Because that is your actual number. The number on your jersey. Okay, I’m going to go now. This is getting too long. Hope you had a good weekend. Bye.

Jon