Cris Carter to NFL rookies: get a fall guy

Late last week, ESPN released a profile story on former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Chris Borland. In that article, Borland said he was appalled by two prominent NFL retirees’ advice of hiring out fall guys to take the blame for any crimes the rookies may commit.

On Sunday, NBC’s ProFootballTalk revealed the two advising players were former Minnesota Viking and Miami Dolphin Cris Carter and former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Warren Sapp.

The ESPN profile did not name the retired players, as Borland refused to relay that information, however PFT found that the rookie symposium from 2014 was on the NFL website with a video of Carter’s “fall guy” diatribe.

Once that information was published, the NFL quickly took the video down. Throughout the day, the NFL, ESPN, and Carter admonished the comments.

However, videos of the symposium still remain on the internet.

During his speech, Carter could have brushed off his comments early on as he got a big laugh out of the crowd and Sapp.

But he just kept going.

He called Teddy Bridgewater up to the stage and used the now-starting quarterback for the Vikings as an example. He even asked Bridgewater if he had someone who would take care of him. Bridgewater awkwardly smiled and said “yeah.”

Carter wrapped up his spiel by saying “If you gonna have a crew, make sure they understand: can’t nothing happen to you. Your name can’t be in light, under no circumstances.”

In its official statement, the NFL said that Carter’s “fall guy” comments were not repeated in the 2014 AFC Rookie Symposium and this year’s rookie gatherings as well.

But that cannot undo the damage already done. These comments are morally appalling.

Borland didn’t have an outlet to express his concerns. He wanted to get up and leave, but knew he couldn’t without causing a scene. A young employee of the NFL was put in a very uncomfortable situation by someone who should know better.

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Comments like these have no place in any workplace, especially that of a professional sports league where children watch and hope to emulate the players.

This is not the way to set the example for young players coming into the league.

How about the advice of if you don’t do the right thing then you lose your place at “the lottery,” as Carter referred to it later in the symposium. How about not taking this opportunity for granted and ruining it by doing the wrong thing?

Instead of saying “and just in case you decide that y’all are not gonna do the right thing, get yourself a fall guy” how about the message of:

In case you don’t do the right thing, be prepared to carry the burden and ramifications of doing the wrong thing. This is an opportunity that few people get but many dream about. Don’t waste it on something you know you’re not supposed to be doing.