Everybody is talking about Ndamukong Suh and what his decision will be. If you open up your Twitter or you’re Facebook you will see it. If you look at your favorite sports app or turn on ESPN it’s there. Most articles will ask “what do the Lions have to do?” others will ask “where will he end up?”, I ask “why would he leave?” Why would Suh even want to go is a question nobody wants to talk about. Here are some reasons I believe you don’t have to return your Suh jersey.
MONEY
The most popular thought is that Suh is looking to get paid and get paid big. Every time a high-profile defensive lineman signs a contract a new article about Suh is written. Sure I believe he will get big money and I believe he deserves it. The Lion’s will be able to pony up the dough.
THE TEAM
Ask yourself realistically “why would he not want to play for the Lions?” The common theme may be that the Lions have only made the playoffs twice in his career. I believe during that time the team has been a mess. With the exception of this season it’s pretty clear that it took time to build up to this. The Detroit Lions are for real now whether the fans are ready to admit it or not. Why leave a contender to go to one of the teams that have been listed this week? I don’t care how much the Jaguars offer, it’s not worth it.
THE CITY
When I say the city I’m not just talking about the fans. Suh has been a major part of the rebuilding project this city is undergoing. While he has not constructed anything, he is a big-ticket. Because of that he brings more fans to the games which gives more Detroiters jobs which ultimately stimulates the economy. For that Suh is beloved in the city of Detroit. If he were to go to New York he would be just another big name in the big city.
Aug 22, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions cornerback Bill Bentley (28) defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (94) defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (90) defensive end Jason Jones (91) defensive tackle Nick Fairley (98) and defensive tackle C.J. Mosley (99) pose for a picture during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Ford Field. Detroit won 13-12. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
BROTHERHOOD
We all saw the press conference. Ndamukong Suh showed emotion like we had never seen before. If you have ever been on a team for an extended period of time, then you know that you form a brotherhood with the guys in the locker room. When you reach a position where together you can achieve greatness and that moment gets ripped away from you, it hurts. You lose all sense of self and begin to care more about the common goal and focus hard on the group goal. I believe he felt that he failed his brothers and that he wants nothing more than to make it up to them.
LEGACY
Whether athletes want to admit it or not, they care about they’re legacy. If Suh were to leave it would be in my opinion just like Lebron James. Detroit isn’t Suh’s home, but it is a place that he is beloved and can easily feel at home. If he leaves he will become one of the most hated sport figures in the NFL. He is already looked at as a dirty player (A moniker he reportedly hates). Imagine throwing traitor into the mix. Not only is he dirty but he’s also only about the money. Doesn’t sound like something that somebody would want their legacy to be.
COME ON PEOPLE FOLLOW THE SIGNS!
The signs have been there all along. The hard play, the emotions, the repeatedly telling reporters this is where he wants to be. Before the season started Suh said some dumb stuff. Lost in all of that was the fact that he said he wants to be here and he wants to win here. Even Martin Mayhew knows that Suh wants to be here. For all the rumors you hear about Suh wanting a lot of money or Suh wanting to play in New York, we’ve never actually heard him say those things. The one thing we have heard from his mouth is that he wants to be here. Forget all the “my agent” this or “I could have avoided that”. He literally said he wants to be here.
THE LIONS WON’T LET HIM LEAVE.
I’m convinced Martin Mayhew would give away his first-born child to keep Suh in Detroit. There are plenty of options other than that though. They could offer a big contract full of nice incentives or they could franchise tag him. The franchise tag seems crazy and many fans think its dumb but it is in the cards. To tag Suh would give the Lions another year to come up with the money and let the cap continue to raise in their favor.
Aug 22, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (90) is announced prior to the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Ultimately I believe he isn’t going anywhere. I believe he stays on a contract and the Lions continue to make great offseason moves. Watch out for this Lion team next season.
So what do you think? Take what you think you’ve heard before this and move it to the side for a moment. Really ask yourself then let me know.