APDwight Freeney, who spent the first 10 seasons of his career as a defensive end in a 4-3 front, is in his first year as a linebacker in Indy’s 3-4. He’s also in the final year of his contract.
So what happens next year?
“Well I mean you never know what’s going to happen,” Freeney told Erik Kuselias of Pro Football Talk. “While I’m here my thoughts are really just being here and doing the best I can for this organization. At the end of the year they’ll decide what they want to do and I’ll decide what I want to do and hopefully I’m here.”
If he’s there, or anywhere, he hopes that it won’t entail Thursday games, even though every team is now playing one short-week game per season.
“I really do believe that the body needs a break,” Freeney said. “And 16 games are hard enough but now you cut that week short. Some guys really just can’t even run on Wednesday and if it wasn’t just for an amazing job the trainers do and what ever forces you’re calling in to get yourself playing on Thursday, it’s amazing, but to be honest it’s not good for your body.”
Regardless of the days of the week on which the games are played, Freeney has a specific number in mind for the balance of his career.
“I think 15 is a great number,” Freeney said. “It just really depends on how the body feels. And I really do take it one year at a time.”
This year is shaping up unexpectedly to be a very good one for Freeney and the Colts.
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NFL players sure like to complain a lot about short weeks and the possibility of an 18 week schedule, yet CFL players seem to manage just fine with both…
I wonder if the owners would trade the removal of the Thursday night games in part for an 18 game regular season? Probably not as Thurs games are being used to pimp the NFL Network. Nonetheless I don’t like the Thursday games either
He is right. There is a good reason why the road teams have lost the vast majority of the TNF games this season.
The biggest problem with Thursday games is your left with two crappy matchups Sunday afternoon. The other problem is they play even worse games on Thursday.
Thursday games are just dreadful. The level of play is lacking relative to weekend play. The Steelers lost to the Titans this year on a Thursday. ‘Nuff said.
Thursday, short-week games are no doubt hard, but the flip side of that is that players have a very long week that follows.
I love Freeney…..and he is definitely a beast. But unless his contract is severely re-worked, he won’t be a Colt next year. Sad, but true.
As a Patriots fan I hate this guy.
As a Football fan I love this guy.
Thursday night games are bad for your body? So is playing pro football.
Fans love Thursday games and it creates a boatload of revenue for the NFL. Thursday games aren’t going anywhere.