Snider: Jordan and Alex Should Step Aside
In a perfect world, Jordan Reed and Alex Smith should be sitting in Dan Snyder’s waiting room today. Each will need only two minutes with the owner.
Reed goes in first.
Snyder: “Jordan, it’s time to say goodbye. You need to retire. I know you gave everything you had to the game, but no more. Seven concussions? That’s six more than you should have ever taken.
“Jordan, I take no pleasure in releasing you. It’s because I want you to live a happy and healthy life that I’m letting you go. Now, you’re a grown man. You can play elsewhere if you like, but I’m not having your blood on my hands. You’ve made enough money to never work again. Go find something else that makes you happy.”
Reed shakes Snyder’s hand and exits, telling Smith to go in next.
Snyder: “Alex, did you hear what I just told Reed? Well, ditto to you with your leg. I know you’re a tough guy and want to come back, but we’re talking about you literally walking away from the game. I can’t watch you get hurt again. You almost died last time. For your own safety, it’s time to say enough.
“You can play elsewhere if you like, but I’m not having your blood on my hands. You’ve made enough money to never work again. Go find something else that makes you happy.”
It’s really that simple for the Redskins. Saying goodbye to two playmakers stinks, but if the NFL is serious about player safety, they need to force retirements. There’s plenty of exit pay for both. Smith still accounts for $21.4 million this season against the salary cap even if he doesn’t play one snap. Given Dwayne Haskins is the future and the 3-13 team is at least two years away from contention, there’s no reason for Smith to return aside trying to prove something to himself. Well, the Redskins shouldn’t let him do so at the expense of his health.
The Redskins owe their players more than money. They owe them honesty and help to make such a tough decision. Life will never be more exciting than playing in the NFL and it scares the hell out of players thinking about life after the game. But someone has to make the hard decision and if the players don’t do it then the team needs to do so.
Teams need to be guardians of the game. It’s a heartless sport where very, very few ever walk away completely intact and satisfied with their career. Darrell Green planned to retire after 19 seasons and then decided to play one more. Nobody wants to go.
It’s hard to say goodbye to playmakers the team desperately needs, but the risk is too much. If Reed and Smith play elsewhere to bad endings, at least the Redskins know they did the right thing trying to force them into the right decision.
Rick Snider is an award-winning sports writer who has covered Washington sports since 1978. He first wrote about the Redskins in 1983 before becoming a beat writer in 1993. Snider currently writes for several national and international publications and is a Washington tour guide. Follow Rick on Twitter at @Snide_Remarks.
