A Different Perspective

Photo via USA Today

We talk about it all the time, football is a tough sport and injuries are inevitable. Situations like Earl Thomas' are a chance for fans to see a different perspective when it comes to injured players. 

Thomas chose not to attend OTA's, training camps, or play in preseason games because he wanted the Seahawks to fairly compensate him for his skills, or at least be traded to a team who would compensate him properly. After neither of those scenarios came through during preseason, Thomas ultimately decided to play the regular season for the Hawks on his last year under contract with the team. 

Thomas wanted to extend his contract with the Hawks, he wanted to play for this team, but more importantly, he wanted to play for a team who knew his talents, appreciated them and would compensate him fairly for them. Now, as he faces a potential season ending injury as he enters a free agency year, his future with the Hawks and the NFL is more uncertain than ever. 

As fans, we sometimes forget the sacrifice these players make to their bodies for their teams. It is important we look at players like Thomas and Bell and seek out their perspectives. Le'Veon Bell may have put it best in a recent tweet, "sometimes a simple "thank you" can go a long way...I feel like too many people take me for granted...". These players feel their skills aren't being appreciated when teams choose not to compensate them fairly.

​Thomas left the field clearly frustrated, and this frustration stems from the uncertainty he now faces. Regardless of how you may feel about the money involved in these scenarios, Thomas' future as a professional athlete may be over because of one play, and a franchise's inability to come up with a new and fair contract.