UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen brings to the NFL a mindset that will prompt him to say what he thinks, and to do so in a frank, thought-provoking way. His tendency to speak his mind will make the things he says more likely to be noticed and repeated, even when the things he says are obvious.
For example, on Tuesday Rosen said this about his draft aspirations, via ESPN.com: “I’d rather be a lower pick at the right team than a higher at the wrong team.”
Every player should feel that way. Most won’t say it, however, because they’re conditioned to believe that being drafted higher is always better, given the uncanny ability of the NFL to sell to players the notion that it’s somehow an honor to be forced to start their professional careers not in the place of their own choosing but based on which of 32 companies involuntarily chooses them.
Rosen is quickly becoming the NFL’s E.F. Hutton (Google it, kids), with his candid remarks resonating for the media, even if it’s simply the rare instance of one of the supposed robots becoming self-aware and saying things that could prompt NFL teams to fear that this one could make the other robots self-aware, too.
Consider Rosen’s remarks from over the weekend regarding the decision of certain players to skip bowl games: “A lot of people bash them, but some of them have to realize that some of these guys have families. Some of these guys have kids. Some of these guys really have to support the people around them. Some of them maybe have been put in unfortunate circumstances where they can’t afford to be in school for another year. They might want to, and people in the media may not give them that shot that there’s a part of them that may want to be in college, that may want to play in this bowl game. But if they feel they’ve locked in their future earnings to take care of their kids or that care of their kid or family, sisters, brother, whatever then I think people should really look into their story and see how football is affecting their life. . . .
“Players are just starting to realize that they have a lot of power and they don’t need to be exploited when it’s to their detriment.”
Rosen is absolutely right. But there will be scouts and coaches who absolutely won’t want him to be talking like that, because that’s the kind of talking and thinking that gets other players to question things. And the NFL doesn’t want players to be questioning too many things.
There’s a certain courage, whether Rosen realizes it or not, to his willingness to speak so openly about so many institutions that have been baked into the NFL experience. For now, he has the actual or perceived talent to overcome the issues that his brain and his vocal cords may create. The moment he doesn’t, however, is the moment he’ll be labeled a “distraction” and be shunned.