Depending on your perspective, college football’s current landscape when it comes to paying players is either too radical or doesn’t go far enough. From my perspective, the conversation is on the goal line and wishes a little push. Thank goodness for former NFL linebacker Reggie Bush recreating one in all his most iconic players game.

Bush’s final push is lawsuit against his alma mater, USC, the PAC-12 and the NCAA, looking for damages for the usage of his name, image and likeness during his time with this system. According to Bush’s lawsuit, these entities continually made money from him – while he was a student-athlete, an NFL player and beyond.

Bush’s attorneys also said in a press release that after Bush left USC to play within the NFL, the three entities continued to financially profit from his popularity “without any recognition of his contributions.”

“This case is not just about seeking justice for Reggie Bush,” said Evan Selik, one in all the lawyers representing Bush. “This is about setting a precedent for fair treatment for all college athletes. Our goal is to right this injustice and pave the way for a system where athletes are rightly recognized, rewarded and treated fairly for their contributions.”

Today’s gamers could make decisions that previous generations lacked. UNLV quarterback Matt Sluka and point guard Michael Allen announced they’ll redshirt and be out for the remainder of the yr on account of a NIL dispute.

“I committed to UNLV based on certain representations made to me that were not maintained after my enrollment” – Sluka published on X. “Despite the discussions, it has become clear that these commitments will not be implemented in the future. I wish my teammates all the best this season and look forward to continued success in the program.”

Sluka has the leverage and subsequently the conviction to make this very difficult decision: give me my money or I won’t attack. However, if Sluka was promised something and didn’t receive it, it’s an injustice just like what Bush’s lawyer described.

Injustice. Now we’re talking. Paying college players is not just a labor rights issue – it’s a civil rights issue.

In 2022The National College Players Association has filed a civil rights grievance with the U.S. Department of Education against Division I schools. “This multibillion-dollar sports enterprise imposes discriminatory practices that disproportionately harm Black athletes while mostly white coaches and administrators earn millions of dollars,” Ramogi Huma, the association’s executive director, said in a statement.

The concept of the “student-athlete” was created by the NCAA within the Nineteen Fifties to avoid having to treat college athletes as employees. Ray Dennison, a Fort Lewis A&M lineman, suffered a skull contusion during a game in 1955 and died. When his widow applied for the death profit, it was initially approved but was rejected on appeal. Why? Because Dennison was neither a “student” nor an “employee.”

What would the NCAA do to perpetuate the lie? Simple. Smear black athletes.

OJ Simpson, who worked at USC from 1967-68, was allowed to maintain his Heisman Trophy after he was convicted of armed robbery charges in 2008. Bush was stripped of the trophy for 14 years, only getting it back after The NIL made his excommunication an unquestionable hypocrisy. USC treated him like a pariah, though his highlights remain in our imaginations. Bush didn’t give the sport a black eye, he gave it a black eye – pride and distinction. NCAA prohibited the news can be black.

Michigan forward Chris Webber and his great five brothers suffered a similar fate on the university after it was discovered that he and 4 other players had borrowed $616,000 from Michigan State coach Ed Martin. Webber first said he had no financial relationship with Martin, but then said he had borrowed money from him. They were crushed when the university initiated a long separation from the group missed victories and imposed sanctions on itself in 2002. Mary Sue Coleman, then the university’s president, called it a “day of great shame.” Webber responded to college sanctions saying, “It was just heartbreaking because we gave everything to Michigan. They recruited us, asked us to come there, and we wanted to.”

The rhetoric about “unacceptable benefits” has never convinced me identical to Jalen Rose and Webber’s comment An ESPN documentary during which the 2 lamented that they didn’t receive a dime from T-shirt sales. Like Bush, the Fab Five were icons, and the true crime was their inability to money in on their fame.

When Cam Newton was Auburn’s quarterback – should you’ll let opposing SEC fans say it back then – he was a cheater. The truth is that, like Michigan coach Ed Martin, Cecil Newton, Cam Newton’s father, saw through the student-athlete’s lie. According to the documents, Cecil Newton and former Mississippi State player Kenny Rogers demanded between $120,000 and $180,000 for the Bulldogs quarterback to contract, but didn’t ask every other school for money. “Cecil Newton’s Gap” which allowed Cam Newton to play in Auburn’s 2010 national championship game became a legend (or a lie, depending on your viewpoint) and, after initial uncertainty, was deemed eligible to play.

From my perspective, there was one other lie beyond the student-athlete narrative.

While Newton, the Fab Five and Bush were criticized, quarterback Johnny Manziel, who played at Texas A&M, was respected though his father had the identical forward-thinking philosophy as Cecil Newton. Manziel won the Heisman Trophy as a freshman in 2012, which earned him $37 million in media coverage, based on the Netflix documentary. Texas A&M raised a record $740 million in donations through the fiscal yr Manziel won the Heisman, which was $300 million greater than he ever raised.

“It’s spring 2014, December 2013.” Manziel said on the show episode Shannon Sharpe Podcast. “I’m preparing to make a decision if I’m going to enter the NFL draft or stay… My dad went to fulfill Kevin Sumlin. And I actually reached out to him personally and said, “We’ll take $3 million and stay for the next two years.” The university turned them down and Manziel declared for the NFL draft.

In my opinion, Bush should not be the one player demanding compensation for ZERO money lost.

Some see the NIL era as opening Pandora’s box, but evil has already been built into the language of not paying college athletes. Maybe it is the three-letter acronym NIL, which stands for name, image and likeness, but I still don’t see zero within the proposition of paying players because those funds are paid by third parties, not schools, conferences or the NCAA.

This is mental dishonesty at best and blatant robbery at worst.

However, Pandora’s Box will not be only a story about evil, but additionally about hope. How fitting that the story began with a basketball player from USC’s rival, UCLA. Forward Ed O’Bannon took on the NCAA and won in 2014 when a the judge ruled that the NCAA cannot stop players from selling the rights to their name, image and likeness, which might pave the best way for NCAA Policy Change in 2021.

Now, in line with the familiar promotion, Bush has finally pulled as much as The Heisman House. But that is not enough. He wants the entire neighborhood and I hope a few of his famous brothers follow suit.

Not one for hyperbole, Washington franchise legend Doug Williams selected his words fastidiously.

After greater than 46 years within the NFL, Williams has seen enough to know that one great game doesn’t guarantee a Pro Football Hall of Fame profession. He’s the established, starting quarterback for the Commanders Jayden Daniels caught Williams’ attention.

“When you draft a quarterback as high as we did, you have to be happy with what you’ve seen so far,” Williams told Andscape on Tuesday. “But really, considering what he’s doing… I’m still trying to know the way it all happened. And one night you only don’t see it in a young guy.

After his breakout performance in a 38-33 road victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on , Daniels is each the talk of the league and a (very) early favorite for the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award. How could he not be at the highest of the list after dealing a series of crushing blows to the Bengals?

Completing 91.3% of his passes – he did not connect with Washington receivers only twice in 23 attempts – Daniels set an NFL rookie record en path to being named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week. He also had 254 passing yards, two passing yards and one rushing touchdown, while continuing to display exceptional pocket presence and elite elusiveness as a running back.

In just his third profession start, Daniels led Washington in scoring on all six possessions (excluding kneels). The Commanders have been out of punts since Week 1 and haven’t committed a turnover this season. Add all this up and it’s no surprise that the team starts the match with a 2-1 record.

The Commanders and their long-suffering fans were eagerly waiting for a passer to steer them out of the NFL desert. While Williams is not yet able to anoint Daniels because the Commanders’ savior, he said Daniels looks as if the fitting person for the job.

“We have a starting quarterback, a rookie, and we’ve not hit the ball in two weeks. said Williams, senior adviser to the commander. “(Monday) night was really something. You don’t expect that after the last two matches without points. But really, you’ll be able to’t ask for more from a rookie in all three games up to now.

Entering week three, Daniels, the second overall pick within the 2024 draft, was already off to one of the best start amongst six signal-callers chosen in the primary round, tying a record set in 1983. a canyon-sized gap between Daniels and the remainder of the pack: The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner leads the NFL in completion percentage with a formidable 80.3%.

With the Arizona Cardinals scheduled to host the Commanders in Week 4, Washington’s charter plane headed straight to Phoenix after the team’s victory over Cincinnati. The next morning, Williams woke up desperate to watch game film.

After graduating, Williams had much more reasons to smile.

“Even if he misses a player or two here or there, he makes up for it with a positive streak or something like that,” Williams said. “Every time they scored, we scored. He was all the time capable of answer the bell. And once I have a look at this guy, he never gets offended.

“What really stands out about him is that he’s on top of things in any respect times. He’s never in a rush. This is unheard of for a novice. Again, you only don’t see novices having that much composure, especially (after just three starts). Believe me, I do know.

Williams’ iconic, myth-busting Super Bowl performance got here when he led Washington to a 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII in 1988. Williams became the primary black passer to begin within the Super Bowl and won the sport’s MVP award.

Although Williams was not drafted by the brass and only played 14 games for the team over 4 seasons, the entire black quarterbacks on the team accomplish that in his shadow. The club also drafted Jason Campbell (2005, twenty fifth overall), Robert Griffin III (2012, 2nd overall) and Dwayne Haskins (2019, fifteenth overall) in the primary round.

Williams understands there will likely be no tempering of expectations amongst Washington fans immediately. That’s not realistic after Daniels’ first signature performance, “but he’s still going to have his ups and downs,” Williams cautioned. “He will still must undergo some things. He’s not immediately inducted into the Hall of Fame after Monday night.

“You also understand the work he does. You’ll be hard-pressed to see a rookie quarterback doing what he’s doing after just three games. And what he does, he does due to the person he’s. No matter what happens, he’s the identical guy each day. He’s cool. He is selective. That’s what I’m going to say about it.”

Enough said. For Washington, Daniels does the heck out of it. And Williams is here for it.

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Three weeks into the recent NFL season, there was a sense of rejuvenation and reinvention in Minnesota, with Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold becoming the epicenter of a great redemption story.

Darnold, on his fourth NFL team, enters the league’s fourth week ranked second in the league in passing yards, first in touchdown passes, fifth in yards per attempt and has just two interceptions in three games.

After three disappointing seasons with the New York Jets, Darnold was sent to the Carolina Panthers, and after a disappointing performance in Carolina, he was sent to the San Francisco 49ers as a backup.

While Darnold’s performance to date has been a revelation, the most impactful story in the NFL could also be on the other side of the ball in Minnesota, where defensive coordinator Brian Flores has shaped the Vikings into one among the most dominant defenses in the league.

Flores is the talk of the league ahead of Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers, together with praise for his unique — some might call it revolutionary — defensive style. Through the first three weeks of the season, the Vikings lead the NFL in sacks (11) and quarterback hits (19), and lead the league in quarterback pressures with 36. The Vikings are third in points allowed. After a 23-17 loss to the Vikings on September 15, the 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy I met Flores on the field and told him, “Your plan is crazy.”

However, there’s a difference between Darnold’s redemption story and Flores’ story, which may very well be called a vindication quest. While Darnold is doing something he has never done in his NFL profession, Flores is doing what everyone knew he could do, or quite what was expected of him. He is a cruel and no-nonsense defensive coordinator who made his mark early in the season.

The greater query looming over Flores is whether or not he’ll get a second likelihood to grow to be an NFL head coach.

Flores is just not your average coaching candidate. Not only was he already an NFL coach, but he also became involved with the league and had the courage to sue it over the long-standing issue of hiring African-American coaches.

In February 2022, Flores filed a class motion lawsuit against the NFL, alleging racial discrimination. His allegations included specific claims against the New York Giants, Denver Broncos and Houston Texans, and he was later joined by two more former NFL coaches. Currently, most lawsuits are pending in NFL arbitration.

There was immediate speculation that Flores would receive the same treatment as former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who was essentially barred by team owners from playing in the league again in 2016 after he protested by kneeling during the national anthem. However, there’s a significant difference. Kaepernick used his platform to bring attention to injustice outside the arena. Issues discussed included police violence and economic injustice.

Flores, on the other hand, was simply difficult the NFL team to keep its vow to ensure fair and equal treatment for African-Americans who aspired to be coaches.

No matter what the Vikings defense does this 12 months under Flores, his lawsuit is hanging over his head.

“I think common sense dictates that as long as the suit is available, it will be in people’s minds, if not at the forefront of their minds,” Rod Graves, executive director of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, said in a telephone interview. on Wednesday. Since its founding in 2003, the Fritz Pollard Alliance has actively fought, especially to promote African Americans as coaches and front-office executives in the NFL.

Whether Flores gets one other head coaching job depends upon a referendum on how long the league chooses to hold a grudge – or whether it holds a grudge in any respect and easily commits to doing the right thing.

“Just the fact that he’s a coach in the National Football League is a positive sign that the league has made progress and is actually willing to do that,” Graves said.

Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 to 2021. After filing the lawsuit, Flores was hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers as a senior defensive assistant. I talked to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin a few months ago and he said the hiring of Flores didn’t occur just because Flores had an exceptional defensive mind, but because he couldn’t stand by and watch Flores lose the ball.

“If I hadn’t hired this guy, man, would he be employable right now?” Tomlin said.

Flores interviewed with the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns before accepting a position with the Vikings in February 2023.

During his introductory press conference with the Vikings, Flores was asked about his lawsuit. Although he didn’t go into details, he said: “Of course, diversity can be necessary to me. I actually have no intention of running away from this. But after I walk into this constructing, there is really comprehensive diversity in every department. That’s exciting too. So these are things which are a work in progress. Of course, the lawsuit is pending, but I stand my ground. Right now my feet are here in Eden.

The topic got here up again this spring when Flores met with reporters in Minnesota. He was asked if he was involved in the recent rounds of coaching interviews that resulted in the hiring of 4 African-American coaches.

“I didn’t have and don’t really have any control over this situation,” he said. “I’ll say that I’m very joyful where I’m. It was a great off-season. It’s been a very long time since I spent a lot time with my family in the off-season without moving. It’s been a while, but to answer your query: no. But I’m in a great position, I’m very joyful and excited to work with our guys and coach my boys.

Did he think his lack of opportunity had something to do along with his lawsuit?

“There is no way to know,” he said. “It’s not something I spend a lot of time thinking about. I try to stay where my feet are, here with the Vikings. I try not to worry about the things that I can’t control and focus on the things that I can control or some of the things that I can control, like making plans for these players, for this team and doing the best I can, where I am.”

​In so many words, Flores said he still wants to be a coach. “I just do the best I can where I’m. And wherever the chips fall, that is where they fall,” he said. “There are a lot of great coaches on this league. So I feel all I can do is prepare, do the right thing, give it my all, help the team as much as I can and I’ll let the odds fall where they fall.

In three seasons in Miami, Flores had two winning seasons and reported conflicts with the front office and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. We didn’t know the extent of the rift with Tagovailoa until August 19, when Tagovailoa made a statement about Flores on the podcast and went so far as to say Flores is a “terrible person.”

Tagovailoa issued a variety of complaints to Flores. The bottom line was that Flores was not as supportive and caring as he would have liked. Flores responded to Tagovailoa at his own press conference shortly after the podcast aired. He said he was joyful for Tagovailoa and wished him the best.

“Look, I’m human,” Flores told reporters. “So it hit me in a way that I would not say was positive for me. But at the same time, I actually have to take it and say, “Hey, how can I grow from this or how can I be better?” And from this perspective, that is where I’m at.

“Do I feel like this is me? NO. But how can I grow from this situation and create a world where that’s not the case when someone says that about Brian Flores?”

Perhaps Flores’ decision to go to Minnesota reflected an understanding that there was still room for growth, which he alluded to when referring to a Pittsburgh pastor who said, “you can either have control or you can have growth.” And you possibly can’t have each.”

In May, Flores participated in what the NFL calls its accelerator program. which allows potential coaching candidates to connect with former CEOs through a series of mock interviews. Graves was there and the feedback he received about Flores was impressive.

“He was outstanding. I mean, he was special in every way,” Graves said. “I feel what touched me most was how humble he was and the way honest he was about the lessons he had learned.

“When he crossed the threshold, there was no trace of anger or bitterness in him. He didn’t make me feel like I deserved anything or anything like that.”

Graves said they didn’t discuss Flores’ lawsuit. “He just wanted to come in and show that he was ready to lead and very capable of providing leadership as a head coach, and he did that,” Graves said.

Darnold and Flores have a good distance to go this NFL season. The quarterback is in search of profession redemption, the coach is in search of justice for himself and future Black coaches.

If Flores is given a second likelihood to coach in the NFL, his hiring can be truly significant and a milestone in the league’s conflicted relationship with hiring black coaches.

“That would be an indication that the league is in a different place,” Graves said. “If he can get back into the chair, I think we have to consider it a significant improvement. The question is whether this will get us to where we need to be for consistency remains to be seen.”

Darnold and Flores have a long season ahead of them and a very steep mountain to climb. But the league also has the burden of proof.

We often discuss the importance of second possibilities. In Flores’ case, a second likelihood would even be a key benchmark for the NFL.