This really bothers me.
It’s cutdown day in the NFL.
Every team in the league needs to have its roster whittled down to 53 men by 3 o’clock this afternoon.
By the time it’s all said and done, almost 1,000 players league-wide will be out of the job.
It’ll be a euphoric day for players who make the cut.
It’ll be devastating for those who don’t.
That’s not what bothers me, though.
That’s simply a harsh reality that comes along with the league we all love so much.
What bothers me is hearing people say that today doesn’t matter for the Green Bay Packers.
In theory, there’s an element of truth to that statement.
Most of the Packers’ starting spots are secured by veteran players.
Today is likely not going to make or break their 2021 season.
But don’t tell me it doesn’t matter to Kurt Benkert, the skateboarding 3rd string quarterback, who’s done everything right and still might be on the outside looking in.
Don’t tell me it doesn’t matter to Reggie Begelton and Malik Taylor, who have been battling at receiver, head-to-head, day-in and day-out for weeks.
Don’t tell that to Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst, who are going to spend their entire day breaking hearts.
And don’t tell that to Aaron Rodgers, who’s been irked by notable cuts in the past.
Dudes are waking up in Green Bay today knowing that a lifelong dream is going to die with the buzz of a cell phone.
It may not matter for your football team as a whole, but it matters to the human beings in that locker room.
Keep that in mind at 3 o’clock this afternoon.