No sport is more synonymous with a national holiday than football is with Thanksgiving. It’s a magical day when red-blooded, American football-loving fans can do two of the things they love the most all day long: eat great cooking and watch some NFL.
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However, the holiday won’t be as festive for some individuals within the NFL because of poor play or gross errors in judgment. Fans of these players, teams or people would probably prefer to knock the stuffing out of these turkeys for their horrible seasons. But for the rest of us, we should simply be thankful that these turkeys aren’t on our team.
These are the 10 Biggest Turkeys this NFL season
1. Richie Incognito
No prize for guessing the reason for Incognito’s inclusion in this list. The Jonathan Martin saga is just the latest in a long line of Incognito’s transgressions. As if being labelled the dirtiest player in the league isn’t enough, he will forever be the immediately associated with the word “bully”.
Whether you believe his side of the story or if you think he’s just a jive turkey is now moot. After this season, Richie Incognito’s public perception will never be the same, for better or worse.
2. Trent Richardson
On second thought, maybe the turkey should be on Colts GM Ryan Grigson for approving this trade. The Indianapolis Colts traded for Cleveland Browns running back Trent Richardson just weeks into the season for a 2013 first round draft pick.
Eight games and a horrendous 2.8 yards/carry average later, the Browns have come away looking like thieves. The former no. 3 overall pick is set to become the latest cautionary tale of drafting a running back too high.
3. Ray Rice
Speaking of cautionary tales, Ray Rice is now the new poster boy for how quickly running backs can fall off a cliff. From being one of the most dependable backs in the NFL for four straight years (over 1,000 yards rushing and over 4 yards/carry), Ray Rice is on pace to total only 672 rushing yards at 3.0 yards/carry this year, taking the Ravens’ running game down with him (83 yards/game, 27th in NFL).
4. Joe Flacco
Rice’s quarterback hasn’t fared much better. Joe Flacco was probably super thankful to the Ravens when they gave him that massive six-year, $120 million contract which made him the NFL’s highest paid player (until Aaron Rodgers signed his extension). But he certainly hasn’t played up to his pay grade this year.
Flacco has already surpassed his career high in interceptions (13) with six games still to play, while his yards/pass (6.55) and passer rating (75.3) are also career lows.
5. RG3 & Colin Kaepernick
Remember when RG3 and Colin Kaepernick were straight up embarrassing teams with the read option/pistol offense? It was supposed to be the future of the NFL! Well, defenses have now adjusted, but as evidenced by their passing numbers, RG3 and Kaep have not.
Both sophomore starters have seen their pass percentage, yards/attempt and passer rating go down and their interception totals doubled (with six games left). As a result, the Redskins and 49ers are suffering markedly worse seasons compared to last year.
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6. 2012 NFC Division Champions
Speaking of the Redskins and 49ers, it has not been a good year for the 2012 NFC division champions. As of writing this, none of the four reigning champs – Washington (East), Green Bay (North), Atlanta (South) and San Francisco (West) – are on top of their division, and two (Washington and Atlanta) are way down at the bottom.
Green Bay has been blighted by injuries, most notably to Aaron Rodgers. Unless the Packers rally in his return, only the Niners have a realistic shot of returning to the playoffs this year. So much for defending the title.
7. Matt Schaub
The smoke signals the Houston fans sent out using a burning no. 8 jersey have made it abundantly clear that they aren’t thankful for Matt Schaub. To be fair, the former starter didn’t really give the fans anything to be thankful for, although some lucky defenders were probably very appreciative of Schaub’s generosity.
And just when you thought he couldn’t deep any bigger hole for himself, he picks a fight with the franchise’s best, most beloved player.
8. Greg Schiano
This was supposed to be the breakout year for the Bucs. They had the star quarterback and the star running back, and Greg Schiano was supposed to be a leader of men. Unfortunately for Tampa, things didn’t exactly go as planned.
The star quarterback was cut, the star running back got hurt, and Greg Schiano only led the men to revolt against him. But despite their recent resurgence, the damage has been done to the Bucs’ season, thanks in large part to Schiano’s incompetence.
9. Roy Ellison AKA The Cussing Ump
Being an NFL official isn’t exactly a dream gig. Until recently, they had an insufficient labor situation which needed a lockout to resolve. And of course, they’re the automatic scapegoats when one team loses.
But still, there’s a line of professionalism that refs and umpires shouldn’t cross, and said line was totally disregarded if the alleged cursing incident between the Redskins’ Trent Williams and umpire Roy Ellison are true. Ellison allegedly called Williams a “garbage-ass, disrespectful m—–f—–.”
Come on, Roy. If the Pilgrims and Native Americans can make peace, why can’t refs and players?
10. Dan Snyder
Last but not least, what more fitting time than Thanksgiving – a holiday some Native Americans treat as a day of mourning for the damage done by the settlers to its people – to vilify the biggest turkey of them all. You all know who it is. It’s the pigheaded, birdbrained (turkeybrained?) owner who just won’t heed the call to change his team’s downright offensive name.
So stand up and take a bow, Dan Snyder! You are the NFL’s biggest turkey. Congratulations and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
