Sep

5

It’s your fault, Daunte Culpepper.

Posted by The Jazzy One

September 5, 2008 |

So Daunte Culpepper retired this week, huh?   (read the AP article here)

Holy cow, did he come across as a whiner in this whole ordeal or what?!?  Daunte is a decent QB who could still have some life in the NFL if it wasn’t for his inflated self worth.  His ego, not his knee injury, destroyed his career.

Daunte had a great season in Minnesota in 2004, putting up near MVP numbers.  Before the 2005 season, he signed a large contract extension with the Vikes.  He played very poorly in 2005, probably dealing with some nagging injuries, until part way through the season he tore 3 ligaments in his knee, putting a disappointing end to a disappointing season.

Sometime between his injury and the start of the next season, Daunte fired his agent and decided to represent himself.  This is where things went downhill for him very quickly.  He was irritated that the Vikings fired coach Mike Tice, and decided to make it nearly impossible for the new coach Brad Childress to meet with him.

An agent might have advised him to act a little more mature in this situation.

He also refused to rehab his knee injury in Minneapolis where team trainers could keep an eye on the situation.  Instead he chose to rehab at a strip mall clinic in Orlando, where he would demonstrate his progress to Vikings officials in a Walmart parking lot.

An agent might have advised him against this.

After an ugly situation, the Vikings finally traded him to Miami where he wanted to prove that he was tough.  He started playing before his knee was at 100%, and he looked terrible.  He was very upset when the Dolphins decided to bench him to let him continue healing.  During the next offseason, he got into several arguments with the Dolphins coach which led to him getting escorted off the field by security, and quickly traded to Oakland.

Both situations were caused by his ego getting in the way.

After a non-interesting year with Oakland, he tries out the free agent market.  Green Bay offered him 1 million for 1 year to back up Rogers.  He felt he was worth more, and walked away.

An agent might have advised him to take that job.

He had a tryout with Pittsburgh to be the backup to Roethlisburger along side Byron Leftwich.  Many observers say that Culpepper performed better.  He was offered a job for $730,000 for 1 year.  He felt that he was worth more, and walked away.

An agent might have advised him to take that job.

Then he releases a letter that is basically a whine-fest and completely goes into “poor Daunte, the league doesn’t understand me” mode.  He talks about how no one wanted to give him a fair chance?  He talks about how no one wanted to offer him a job even though he turned down two?

An agent might have advised him not to send that email.

An agent probably would’ve had a job for him going into this year.

Daunte Culpepper ruined himself.  I find it hard to believe that he couldn’t have been a backup on numerous teams this year if he had a good agent working for him.  How many teams can say they have a backup with more ability than him?  Not too many, if any.  There are some teams that he could’ve STARTED for this year.  Can you honestly tell me that the three guys in San Fransisco fighting for the starting job are better than Culpepper?  How about Matt Ryan in Atlanta?  Joe Flacco in Baltimore?  Brody Croyle in KC?  Kyle Orton in Chicago?  If Culpepper had a good agent, he would’ve had no problem finding a job.

But instead he had his ego to represent him.  Poor Daunte.


Comments

1 Comment so far

  1. Joe on September 6, 2008 8:23 pm

    Great synopsis. He was once a great QB in the league, or at least on fantasy football rosters…

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