Former TE Jordan Cameron: 'A lot of guys don't really love this game'

[Gas2No99]

Former TE Jordan Cameron: 'A lot of guys don't really love this game'

 

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  Pat McManamonESPN Staff Writer

 

The scouting season for free agency and the draft is a time when players are asked a common question: Do you love football?

Former Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins tight end Jordan Cameron, who recently announced that he will retire after he incurred four concussions in six seasons, called that "a great question."

"I don't think a lot of these guys love football, to be honest," Cameron told ESPN. "A lot of them don't. You play for other reasons, and every guy has their own reason. They know why, and as long as your why is really important, you keep playing without really loving football.

"Because really, who loves to get hit in 10-degree weather by a 280-pound person? Really, no one likes that. 'Do you love football?' I couldn't stand when people asked me that."

"I don't think a lot of these guys love football," says former TE Jordan Cameron. "You play for other reasons, and every guy has their own reason. They know why, and as long as your why is really important you keep playing without really loving football." Winslow Townson/AP Images for Panini

Cameron, who went to the Pro Bowl in 2013, wasn't saying that because of his concussions, though he admitted the constant thought of them changed the way he played. Cameron said he played more timidly because he thought about his concussions.

"You're playing physical and you're playing an intense, violent game," Cameron said. "You have to gear yourself up for that, but it's hard to gear yourself up if you're thinking about getting hit or what the implications might be."

Cameron said he appreciates what football gave him, and there were facets of it he enjoyed, especially the competition. He also had special thoughts for many of his teammates, with whom he still has a bond.

"Some of the best people I have ever met have been football players," Cameron said. "Every single guy talks about the locker room and how that's the thing they will miss. It's so true. Some of the most down-to-earth, intelligent human beings are in there."   (how sentimental, lol)

But though he loved his teammates, he can't look back and say he loved the game.

"Do you really love football?" he said. "A lot of guys don't really love it. There's a few guys that love it. Ray Lewis loves football. Peyton Manning. They love it. But a lot of guys don't really love this game, and there are players that will read this who will understand exactly what I'm talking about."

[Warfish]

The NFL is full of Kwame Brown types who play purely because they have some talent and can make money.  

Those who love the game are materially outnumbered by those for whom it's just a very-well-paying job they could never in a million years equal using their brains.

[Jetster]

The Jets need to find guys that LOVE FOOTBALL! You LOVE football when your successful. Tom Brady LOVES FOOTBALL, Gronk LOVES FOOTBALL, Edelman LOVES FOOTBALL. But these guys have been WINNING for a long time.

I'm pretty sure in the NFL when your 2-12, your not LOVING FOOTBALL, lol. Not many Jets last year after losing 5/6 straight were LOVING FOOTBALL, or when Fitz threw 6 picks, Geno sulking on the sideline, Brandon & Sheldon having out in the locker room I'm sure is not conducive to LOVING FOOTBALL. 

Being a coach in the NFL isn't easy man. Especially if you have no QB, no leader. Bowles had NO ONE to lead last year! Who's gonna follow Fitz giving away the ball & the defense running BACK ONTO the field after every turnover? Who's gonna follow Petty who gets hurt everytime he gets hit? Zero leaders! The best LEADER is Harris but he's way on the downside of his career. 

Revis wasn't a leader, Mangold wasn't a leader. We didn't have a leader playing safety. Look at the Pats! Brady/Leader, Solder/Leader, Hightower/Leader, McCourty/Leader, Butler/Leader, Slater/Leader. Leaders on EVERY SINGLE SIDE OF THE FOOTBALL including Special teams. 

The Jets were a rudderless ship last year, a Frankenstein team. Sometimes I think Bowles wooden Indian act was just his way of not losing his f*cking mind! If you could see his real thoughts with bubbles above him, we might have a new appreciation for the man. He was in a NO WIN position after his hand picked Vet QB fell completely apart.

 

[Tinstar]

Taking this article into consideration and going by what transpired in the Jets locker room last yr, who would you say loves Football and who's hoping for a pay day ?

[LAD_Brooklyn]

8 minutes ago, Warfish said:

The NFL is full of Kwame Brown types who play purely because they have some talent and can make money.  

Those who love the game are materially outnumbered by those for whom it's just a very-well-paying job they could never in a million years equal using their brains.

There's really nothing wrong with that as I don't love my profession either. I'm just in it cause I find it easy, got good grades on it academically and was able to get some money. Just cause your love for the game has dwindled doesn't mean those guys have stop working hard on their craft.

[Tinstar]

16 minutes ago, Jetster said:

The Jets need to find guys that LOVE FOOTBALL! You LOVE football when your successful. Tom Brady LOVES FOOTBALL, Gronk LOVES FOOTBALL, Edelman LOVES FOOTBALL. But these guys have been WINNING for a long time.

I'm pretty sure in the NFL when your 2-12, your not LOVING FOOTBALL, lol. Not many Jets last year after losing 5/6 straight were LOVING FOOTBALL, or when Fitz threw 6 picks, Geno sulking on the sideline, Brandon & Sheldon having out in the locker room I'm sure is not conducive to LOVING FOOTBALL. 

Being a coach in the NFL isn't easy man. Especially if you have no QB, no leader. Bowles had NO ONE to lead last year! Who's gonna follow Fitz giving away the ball & the defense running BACK ONTO the field after every turnover? Who's gonna follow Petty who gets hurt everytime he gets hit? Zero leaders! The best LEADER is Harris but he's way on the downside of his career. 

Revis wasn't a leader, Mangold wasn't a leader. We didn't have a leader playing safety. Look at the Pats! Brady/Leader, Solder/Leader, Hightower/Leader, McCourty/Leader, Butler/Leader, Slater/Leader. Leaders on EVERY SINGLE SIDE OF THE FOOTBALL including Special teams. 

The Jets were a rudderless ship last year, a Frankenstein team. Sometimes I think Bowles wooden Indian act was just his way of not losing his f*cking mind! If you could see his real thoughts with bubbles above him, we might have a new appreciation for the man. He was in a NO WIN position after his hand picked Vet QB fell completely apart.

 

The problem with Leaders is they usually say thing that people don't want to hear . A real leader usually doesn't have many friends, but they usually have a ton of secret admirers  . 

When you love what you do, you will usually have a problem with anyone working with you who don't share your kind of love

[JiFtheOracle]

This dude played for the Browns and Dolphags.  No sh*t nobody loves playing Football there.

And WTF does he know?  He's been in 2 lockerrooms for 6 years.  STFU

 

[Freemanm]

Hey, I don't really love my job either. I go to it everyday because I have a master's degree and it's what I've been trained to do, and it pays the mortgage and feeds my family. If I had my way, I'd hit lotto and leave it. So what Cameron says here is no big deal.

[chirorob]

21 minutes ago, JiF said:

This dude played for the Browns and Dolphags.  No sh*t nobody loves playing Football there.

And WTF does he know?  He's been in 2 lockerrooms for 6 years.  STFU

I think he's probably correct.

Once you start being paid for something, it becomes a job, not a recreational activity.  NFL players are hurting all the time, get yelled at by coaches all them time, and are constantly looking over their shoulder about losing their job. 

Does it have perks?  Of course.   Working in an office does not compare to 80,000 screaming people cheering for you.  He was paid very well for his job, and had tons of other perks.   He's also going to have some degree of chronic pain going forward, and may have Alzheimers 20 years earlier than he would have otherwise.

[The Crusher]

1 hour ago, Tinstar said:

Taking this article into consideration and going by what transpired in the Jets locker room last yr, who would you say loves Football and who's hoping for a pay day ?

Sheldon loves the ho's.

[The Crusher]

1 hour ago, JiF said:

This dude played for the Browns and Dolphags.  No sh*t nobody loves playing Football there.

And WTF does he know?  He's been in 2 lockerrooms for 6 years.  STFU

 

Winning cures all ills.

[Komba]

Shouldn't be surprising to anyone... There are hall of famers who didn't even care much about the game.  Was a great way to earn money and I don't begrudge them for that.

[flgreen]

IMO most of the players love football when they come out of college.  After a few years in the NFL they quickly realize it is a muti-billion dollar business, and a short career.  The smart ones start playing for the money.

With that said playing for a team that is continually competing for a Super makes it a lot easier to play a game that is extremely demanding on your body. 

[Fantasy Island]

[Jetster]

2 hours ago, Tinstar said:

The problem with Leaders is they usually say thing that people don't want to hear . A real leader usually doesn't have many friends, but they usually have a ton of secret admirers  . 

When you love what you do, you will usually have a problem with anyone working with you who don't share your kind of love

Have you ever seen Brady yelling at his WRs when they don't know the play, or are in the wrong spot, or running the wrong route? Bradys got pelts! Dude is like a coach on the field. If you F up in New England they just CUT YOU. Keeps players on their toes. They will cut or trade ANYONE on that team other than Brady.

LEADER. We can make fun of Brady all we want but when they get to the playoffs & he walks up & down that sideline screaming "LETS GO!" He's like EF Hutton & they are all focused and listening. If you follow Brady Belichick, you have a chance at a Super Bowl every year you are a Patriot. That's pretty damn cool even though I hate them with such passion, its because I also admire & respect their results.

[Matt39]

Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called everybody, and they meet at the bar.
 

[Integrity28]

3 cheers for the under appreciated MANGINI GUYS!!!

[Integrity28]

2 hours ago, JiF said:

This dude played for the Browns and Dolphags.  No sh*t nobody loves playing Football there.

And WTF does he know?  He's been in 2 lockerrooms for 6 years.  STFU

 

2 locker rooms that are typically "give no sh*ts" teams.

[Jetster]

2 hours ago, Matt39 said:

Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called everybody, and they meet at the bar.
 

lol! Yea, and the only difference between them & us is if they play their cards right unlike us they'll have a few million in the bank. But I do feel sorry for them & their plight.

[bitonti]

3 hours ago, Jetster said:

Have you ever seen Brady yelling at his WRs when they don't know the play, or are in the wrong spot, or running the wrong route? Bradys got pelts! Dude is like a coach on the field. If you F up in New England they just CUT YOU. Keeps players on their toes. They will cut or trade ANYONE on that team other than Brady.

LEADER. We can make fun of Brady all we want but when they get to the playoffs & he walks up & down that sideline screaming "LETS GO!" He's like EF Hutton & they are all focused and listening. If you follow Brady Belichick, you have a chance at a Super Bowl every year you are a Patriot. That's pretty damn cool even though I hate them with such passion, its because I also admire & respect their results.

 

Tom Brady is a twice caught cheating son of a bitch. That's why he wins not cause he tries hard and is extra gritty. Cause he cheats and cheats and cheats. And the league lets him do it. 

 

 

[nyjunc]

22 minutes ago, bitonti said:

Tom Brady is a twice caught cheating son of a bitch. That's why he wins not cause he tries hard and is extra gritty. Cause he cheats and cheats and cheats. And the league lets him do it. 

 

 

[JoJoTownsell1]

6 hours ago, Warfish said:

The NFL is full of Kwame Brown types who play purely because they have some talent and can make money.  

Those who love the game are materially outnumbered by those for whom it's just a very-well-paying job they could never in a million years equal using their brains.

Exactly. Those talents that don't love the game get weeded out in High School, College or early in the pro career. It's nearly impossible to play the game at a high level unless you are playing the game with passion. 

[Tinstar]

53 minutes ago, bitonti said:

Tom Brady is a twice caught cheating son of a bitch. That's why he wins not cause he tries hard and is extra gritty. Cause he cheats and cheats and cheats. And the league lets him do it. 

 

 

That guy is going to leave a stink on the HOF that a ton Febreze can't get rid of  .

[T0mShane]

Not to be the big ol cynic here, but don't these stories always end up the same way? Guy quits, says football is savage and the NFL is bullsh*t, and then after a year of selling insurance and watching his Land Rover get repo'ed, his agent is calling the 49ers and Texans trying to get him a workout.

[jetscrazey]

I think its obvious most NFL players are in it for the money, not because they love football.  Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, etc are the exception, not the rule.  You think these guys want to live in pain, not only during their career, but for the rest of their lives?

[SoFlaJets]

I sort of know what he means, I USED to love football, NFL football but the game has drastically changed and not for the better.

[Beerfish]

You do have to have that 6th sense as a gm these days as to who will check out as soon as they get paid, like mo  wilk and soon to be shelrich.

[#27TheDominator]

7 hours ago, Warfish said:

The NFL is full of Kwame Brown types who play purely because they have some talent and can make money.  

Those who love the game are materially outnumbered by those for whom it's just a very-well-paying job they could never in a million years equal using their brains.

Exactly.  For every one of them, there are 100 guys that absolutely love the game and couldn't possible sniff the league because they don't have the talent. 

[TuscanyTile2]

Somewhere in this Joe Rogan interview of Arian Foster, Foster talks about how at the end of his career he would stand on the sidelines and think to himself "I don't care who wins this game". It's a great interview btw. 

 

 

[Snell41]

Julio Jones blatantly said he does not like the game at all. He still goes and gives his utmost. Who cares if the guys are playing hard.

Hell I hate my job, but I'm good at it.


Sent from my iPhone using JetNation.com mobile app

[Gastineau Lives]

I've posted thousands of times about an endeavor in which the actual participants do not care. Oy ******* vey.

[ljr]

2 hours ago, Snell41 said:

Julio Jones blatantly said he does not like the game at all. He still goes and gives his utmost. Who cares if the guys are playing hard.

Hell I hate my job, but I'm good at it.


Sent from my iPhone using JetNation.com mobile app

Julio plays like he j*rks off 10 times a day thinking about how to win the game , lol

[Jet Life]

Nothing new here.. pretty obvious stuff . It's their job 

[Fantasy Island]

5 hours ago, TuscanyTile2 said:

Somewhere in this Joe Rogan interview of Arian Foster, Foster talks about how at the end of his career he would stand on the sidelines and think to himself "I don't care who wins this game". It's a great interview btw. 

 

 

Foster was the same way when he played at the University of Tennessee.  Quitter extrodinaire.

[TuscanyTile2]

6 hours ago, Fantasy Island said:

Foster was the same way when he played at the University of Tennessee.  Quitter extrodinaire.

Haha, he mentioned in the interview that people from Tennessee don't like him.  He said "the other day" someone came up to him and mentioned a fumble he had at Tennessee.  He was like "I was like 18 years old".  If you listen to the interview AF is a really good dude.