Austin on the challenges facing unhappy players in the NFL | Ekeler’s Edge
As part of our Ask Austin mailbag, a viewer asks Austin about players who voice their displeasure with the situation on their current team. So our RB1 shares his take on the challenges a player could face in that position. Want to ask Austin a question on the show? Simply email your question to askaustin@yahoosports.com. Catch fresh episodes of Ekeler’s Edge every Wednesday on Yahoo Sports and your favorite social media platforms. Listen to Ekeler’s Edge on the Yahoo Fantasy Football Forecast wherever you get podcasts.
Video Transcript
AUSTIN EKELER: For us, it's our job. Like everyone sees us on Sunday, we have the same type of instances that you do. Whether you like your coworkers, you like the place that you're at. But you also have obligations too. So even if you don't like, it guess what? That's too damn bad. You can do things to try to get a trade or try to get released in some cases, but guess what? Like if that's rejected you're going to have to live on with it.
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MATT HARMON: Last one up here we've got from Mayur. I hope I'm pronouncing your name right. Hi, Austin. Thanks for recommending the Palmer pickup. He had a big game against the Falcons right after this one. Helped me win in two of my leagues. Yeah, shout out to you for that one, Austin. Curious to know about your thoughts on players who are openly unhappy with their current team/coaching staff but stuck with them.
He has a couple of examples here. Elijah Moore, Brandon Cooks, Cam Akers, Kenny Golladay. I personal and professional should be kept separate. But in your world these things are all out in the open. There's video leaks, tweets, people talking about it, media, et cetera. How do you think this type of behavior would impact your relationship with such players, especially since you personally hold yourself to such high standards on and off the field?
Obviously these four individual examples, number one, we don't know what goes into every single one of them. And just from the outside to me thinking critically about it they all four appear for very different reasons and are very different. So we don't have to talk about those four individual guys, but just generally thoughts on this.
AUSTIN EKELER: For us, it's our job. Like everyone sees us on Sunday. For Mayur, who put this in, like your work life balance. Like how do you enjoy your job? Like it's the same thing for us. We're going into the office. I was just there this morning, right, like seeing the guys, doing the workout. And it's like I'll be in there tomorrow and the next day and the next day.
And so we have the same type of instances that you do, whether you like your coworkers, you like the place that you're at. But you also have obligations too. You know whether you're on salary for X amount of years or a contracted year. Like we have business obligations. So even if you don't like it, guess what? That's too damn bad.
You can do things to try to get a trade or try to get released in some cases, but guess what? Like if that's rejected, you're going to have to live on it. That's the business that we're in. Like there's nothing you can do about it. You signed up for this, unless you just straight up just retire, which there's implications with that of you coming back.
MATT HARMON: Yeah.
AUSTIN EKELER: What matters is the business side is, hey, does the organization feel the same way? And there has to be a mutual feeling. And so if the organization is like, no, we still think that you add a lot of value. We still want you to be here. Guess what? You're going to be subject to the terms that you agreed upon, whether your feelings are hurt or not.
Look, you might be in a situation where it's not working out for you. Well guess what? That's life. Unfortunately, you know, you've got to have to push through that and then try to get it figured out probably in the off season is the best-- I would say the best chance for you to get anything figured out.
There's way too many factors that play in during the season for you to try to I feel like make too many drastic moves. I'm not saying it can't happen. It's definitely happened. And it'll happen every single year. But it's just tough.
It sucks for guys that are in a situation, just like for anyone that's in a situation, where like, man, I wish I had a different instance with my job or I want to go to a different company. Like yeah. But guess what? You better put your boots on and get out there and keep going to work because the bills-- the money's still going to keep rolling into you and so they still expecting you to go out there and do your job.
MATT HARMON: All right. That was great stuff. If you think you don't want to send in a mailbag question, you're crazy. Again AskAustin@YahooSports.com.
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