It’s becoming more and more difficult for NFL fans to root for their teams. It’s getting to the point, in some cases, where fans don’t even have time to bask in a big victory without some off-the-field nonsense detracting from the experience.
Take the Jaguars, for example. They finally ended their ugly two-game slide to start the season with a critical, rousing road win over the Titans in Jacksonville last Thursday night and, almost immediately, attention was turned to their disgruntled cornerback Jalen Ramsey and his selfish trade demands.
The 24-year-old Ramsey, who’s one of the best cornerbacks in the league, last week requested a trade. Since then, he has not backed down from that stance.
And now, as the work week was to begin for the Jaguars on Monday after a long weekend off because of the Thursday game, Ramsey called in sick Sunday night, according to ESPN, leading to speculation that this is a holdout tactic since his trade demand hasn’t been met.
The Ramsey case is the latest in what has become a disturbing trend in the NFL of players trying to shoot their way out of town. Troubled receiver Antonio Brown did it in Oakland, went to New England and lasted all of one game.
Chargers running back Melvin Gordon is in the midst of a contract holdout that has reportedly cost him more than $1 million. This comes after Le’Veon Bell, unhappy with the Steelers opting to place the franchise tag on him, held out for the entire 2018 season, lost out on some $14 million and signed with the Jets as a free agent in the offseason.
Last week, second-year Dolphins defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick had his trade demands met and had a big game on Sunday for his new team, the Steelers.
Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott made a training camp holdout work for him, as the Cowboys made him the highest-paid back in the league, signing the week of the regular season opener.
Texans pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney, unhappy with being saddled with the franchise tag, also made a training camp holdout work, forcing a trade to the Seahawks before the season began.
What makes the Ramsey situation maddening to Jacksonville fans is that his reasoning for wanting out is unclear.
Ramsey, who got into a sideline shouting match with Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone during a Week 2 loss to the Texans, recently told the “Uninterrupted’’ podcast, “Some disrespectful things were said on their end that made me definitely walk out and call my agent as soon as I walked out, and I told him, I said, ‘It’s time; my time is up here in Jacksonville. I want to ask for a trade.’”
So who knows if Ramsey — because of that flu — will play for the Jaguars in their game against Broncos.
Despite Ramsey’s request for a trade, the Jaguars are not interested in trading him. He’s a Pro Bowl cornerback who, if traded, must at the very least return a No. 1 draft pick and more — possibly a second No. 1 pick.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan reportedly is not interested in trading Ramsey, so that could lead to an even more contentious impasse, further damaging a Jaguars season that already was dealt a massive blow when starting quarterback Nick Foles was lost in Week 1 to injury.
Ramsey, who’s in the fourth year of his rookie contract, wants a new deal. The Jaguars cannot afford to trade him away unless they get proper market value for one of the best players at his position.
And, when and if they do trade him, it immediately weakens the Jaguars’ 2019 team, adding to the fans’ angst that already was stoked when Foles went down.
Good times.