Would you walk if you were Steven Jackson?

[TheRammer]

by D'Marco Farr

If you are Steven Jackson, why would you want to stay in St. Louis? Why would want you stay with the St. Louis Rams and possibly end your career without ever winning a championship or even qualifying for the post season? You would be essentially wasting all of your considerable talent playing for a team whose window for winning has been nailed shut for the foreseeable future.
Instead of traveling down the same Hall of Fame road as some of footballs immortalized hero’s like Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith and Marcus Allen, guys who were workhorse backs but were ultimately rewarded by being crowned as a Super Bowl Champion, Steven Jackson’s career path would more resemble William Andrews, Christian Okoye or Earl Campbell. Great RB’s whose NFL careers were cut short due to overuse and have been largely forgotten as the years go on. Earl Campbell was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991 but could be considered as the poster boy for great RB’s that were run into the ground with little to show for it at the end.

• William Andrews ATL (1979-83) 8,384 Yards for scrimmage 40 TD, 4x Pro Bowler, 0-2 postseason.
• Christian Okoye KAN (1987-92) 1,246 attempts 4897 Rushing Yards 40 TD 2x Pro Bowler & First Team All Pro, Retired as Chiefs All Time leading rusher in 92
• Earl Campbell HOU/NO (1978-85) 2,187 attempts for 9407 rushing yards 74 TD 5x Pro Bowler & 3x First Team All Pro

So far Steven Jackson has out rushed Okoye (6,707 to 4897) and out gained Andrews (8,994 to 8,384) in almost the same number of seasons played in the NFL. Earl Campbell carried the ball with more frequency (273 carries per season) but SJ39 isn’t that far behind with an average of 253 rush attempts per season.
How much does Steven have left in the tank? Will the Rams be in position to win before Steven is used up? If you are Steven Jackson do you start thinking of forcing your way out of a bad situation and into the the waiting arms of a team that lacks one great player to become a Super Bowl contender?

[AtlantaRamFan]

Re: Would you walk if you were Steven Jackson?

Absolutely not. He's getting paid millions of dollars, his family is in St. Louis (to the best of my knowledge). I'm sure he has friends and teammates he's close with.. He knew what he was getting into when he signed the extension he was holding out for. If he wanted out, then that was his chance to do it. It seems pretty clear to me he has every intention of sticking around.

The Rams are a few key positions away from competing again. They finally have a good Head Coach and a GM. Why would he want to uproot himself, move across the country to a new city he doesn't know and play for a head coach he may or may not like? And even then, it's no guarentee he ever makes it to a championship.

[Bralidore(RAMMODE)]

Re: Would you walk if you were Steven Jackson?

Absolutely not. He's getting paid millions of dollars, his family is in St. Louis (to the best of my knowledge). I'm sure he has friends and teammates he's close with.. He knew what he was getting into when he signed the extension he was holding out for. If he wanted out, then that was his chance to do it. It seems pretty clear to me he has every intention of sticking around.

The Rams are a few key positions away from competing again. They finally have a good Head Coach and a GM. Why would he want to uproot himself, move across the country to a new city he doesn't know and play for a head coach he may or may not like? And even then, it's no guarentee he ever makes it to a championship.

i completely agree, If i were him id stay and finish what i started. the good direction the organization is headed in would encourage me and I would give it my all for this team or none at all. Any compensation we would get for SJ would be a ripoff. I'm the type of guy who likes to make my team better. If i have an established system, head coach, home, and fanbase around me im staying put.

Its not all about Championships, I wouldn't even enjoy it as much if i jumped on the wagon of some team I just got on the year before.

Lets stop the trade Sj talk because its getting old. He's worth more to us then any body else and we'd not get fair trade value for him.

[NJ Ramsfan1]

Re: Would you walk if you were Steven Jackson?

First of all, Steven Jackson is under contract. In the NFL, a player can't just decide in the middle of a contract that "he wants out" because the team is down. That wouldn't fly on any level. And athlete with any personal pride would never do this.

Secondly, the days of the "Herschel Walker deal" are long over. Teams are built thru the draft, and by dealing away a king's ransom for one player you are gambling away your future.

And third (and hopefully once and for all) it would be assinine for the Rams to trade their best player. They are trying to assemble a competitive team and you don't do that by trading a star player for guys who MIGHT become good 3-4 years from now.

[tomahawk247]

Re: Would you walk if you were Steven Jackson?

I really dont think Steven Jackson will mind being mentioned in the same sentence as Hall of Fame RB Earl Campbell

[C-Mob 71]

Re: Would you walk if you were Steven Jackson?

Back when he was getting his contract extension Steven said that he wants to stay a Ram, and he wants to bring a championship to St. Louis. Now, why would such a skilled player say that, about a team that you say will never win a Super Bowl? Could it be that he sees the direction this team is headed, and understands that he might be a part of something special. The great thing about the NFL is that you can go from the second worst record in the league to Super Bowl Champs in four years... see New Orleans Saints.

[txramsfan]

Re: Would you walk if you were Steven Jackson?

It would be tempting to walk, I'd have to admit. We as fans view things as a sport, a tug of the heart. Players at this level view it as a business first. They aren't as emotional (well, most aren't) as we are as fans. Why should they? They sign 5 year contracts with only bonus money guaranteed, and then get cut with two years left on their contracts most of the time.

Jackson has to think in the back of his mind what if he played for a contender? How would it feel?

Could you blame him? By the time this franchise gets better, he's probably on the downside of his career.

[AvengerRam_old]

Re: Would you walk if you were Steven Jackson?

Aren't you the same guy who started a thread in May 1999 titled: "Why should a guy with Marshall Faulk's talent agree to play in St. Louis?"

[Azul e Oro]

Re: Would you walk if you were Steven Jackson?

I had a terrible feeling when SJ's contract negotiations stalled before the '08 season. Leaving my fan heart out of it, I thought he might have wanted out & I couldn't have blamed him. I think it says something about the extraordinary amount of unexpected setbacks this team has suffered in the last few years that he didn't seem to feel the same.Apparently, not even an insider like Jackson saw the collapse of the core of the roster due to injury & age & mismanagement.

Of course I'm just guessing but I don't think personal loyalty had much to do with it.The fortunes of teams in the parity-driven NFL change so quickly & dramatically that I think he probably felt that his chances of being on a winner were as good in St Louis as anywhere.

The stuff about being a part of building something uniquely special, connections to the city, or passion for The Rams doesn't ring true for me. Spags was not even on Ram radar at that point & Devaney wasn't really in charge of the FO, his family as far as I know is based in Vegas, and he has said publicly that he was disappointed not to have been drafted by The Cowboys.

[Bralidore(RAMMODE)]

Re: Would you walk if you were Steven Jackson?

I had a terrible feeling when SJ's contract negotiations stalled before the '08 season. Leaving my fan heart out of it, I thought he might have wanted out & I couldn't have blamed him. I think it says something about the extraordinary amount of unexpected setbacks this team has suffered in the last few years that he didn't seem to feel the same.Apparently, not even an insider like Jackson saw the collapse of the core of the roster due to injury & age & mismanagement.

Of course I'm just guessing but I don't think personal loyalty had much to do with it.The fortunes of teams in the parity-driven NFL change so quickly & dramatically that I think he probably felt that his chances of being on a winner were as good in St Louis as anywhere.

The stuff about being a part of building something uniquely special, connections to the city, or passion for The Rams doesn't ring true for me. Spags was not even on Ram radar at that point & Devaney wasn't really in charge of the FO, his family as far as I know is based in Vegas, and he has said publicly that he was disappointed not to have been drafted by The Cowboys.

check out sjax's videos on his website leading up to the 2009 season. He goes over why he wants to stay with the Rams. I wont spoil it if you havent seen it.

[Trevor]

Re: Would you walk if you were Steven Jackson?

Steven Jackson is one of those guys who are very loyal to a team.

[HUbison]

Re: Would you walk if you were Steven Jackson?

If you are Steven Jackson, why would you want to stay in St. Louis?

Because I'm under contract.

[TheRammer]

Re: Would you walk if you were Steven Jackson?

Sorry about that, that was a article written by D'Marco Farr and not me and didn't notice I didn't put by him at the top of the story line... sorry.

[unorthodox1999]

Re: Would you walk if you were Steven Jackson?

First of all, Steven Jackson is under contract. In the NFL, a player can't just decide in the middle of a contract that "he wants out" because the team is down. That wouldn't fly on any level. And athlete with any personal pride would never do this.

Secondly, the days of the "Herschel Walker deal" are long over. Teams are built thru the draft, and by dealing away a king's ransom for one player you are gambling away your future.

And third (and hopefully once and for all) it would be assinine for the Rams to trade their best player. They are trying to assemble a competitive team and you don't do that by trading a star player for guys who MIGHT become good 3-4 years from now.

I dont think Farr was suggesting he try and opt out of the contract but merely asking a hypothetical question..

If I were Jackson I wouldnt dwell on it too much. I had my chance to leave but CHOSE to stay and help bring another championship to the team.

[Ahmedrams81]

Re: Would you walk if you were Steven Jackson?

No way he wants out! He's dedicated to helping this team rebuild to it's golden day of the GSOT. I have mad respect for Jaxx.