Why was Sammy Watkins a bust?

[dpberr]

Both the Bills and Sammy Watkins share responsibility for the trajectory of his career.

 

Watkins had a history of chronic foot injuries that were well-known before he was drafted. His selection at a high draft position placed significant expectations on him, despite the risk that any serious hit or misstep could exacerbate his foot issues, which ultimately hindered his performance as a dynamic wide receiver. The chronic pain likely led to the use of painkillers, which further complicated his career.

 

*Had* Watkins been drafted in later rounds with lower expectations from both the team and fans, his career might have followed a more positive path. However, his persistent injuries would likely have kept him from achieving superstar status.

[GaryPinC]

On 6/12/2024 at 6:47 PM, BADOLBILZ said:

 

By the time Watkins got to KC he was set in his ways, one of the highest paid WR in the NFL and his injuries were mounting.   He still had his moments.........often in the playoffs........but he wasn't the same quality of player that he had been in his first two seasons in Buffalo.

 

The idea that he was too much of a screwball to have been great is wrong though.   He was a beast at Clemson.   A real gamer.   But like I said, he didn't know what he didn't know.   A big part of that was how to take care of his body.

 

He played his final college game on a bad knee.   It wasn't a game for anything but pride.......but he went out there and hung 227 on the Buckeyes on 16 very physical catches limping around on a sore knee.  He didn't understand the concept of letting your body recover.   That is exactly the kind of thing that having vets around can teach a young knucklehead. 

 

 

Sometimes a player ruins their great potential by not listening to their body.    Don Mattingly should have been a first ballot HOF'er in baseball.   Had to take like 1,000 swings every day because he was brought up thinking that hard work was the answer.   Ended up ruining his back.    

College is not the NFL.  He was too much of a knucklehead to be great and his NFL career proves it, along with demanding more targets at multiple stops(without earning them) and leaving KC because he wanted a better chance to be a number 1 receiver.  Horse crap.  Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid?  There's no better chance of becoming a number 1 if you're getting open and executing on the field.  Sammy has never been dedicated enough to doing what it takes to be top of his profession.  Somewhere between college and the early Pros he decided his talent was an entitlement.  The NFL has seldom been his #1 life priority.  His quote about people working their "little jobs" says it all.  I know along the way he's had locker room vets and coaches try to help him as you suggest.  But here he is.  Too set in his ways?  Just an excuse for knuckleheaded as his career comes to a disappointing close.

 

He's never been accountable.  Wrong environment, coaches, players, negative energy, blah, blah, blah.  I respect much of what you post and know all too well you can't admit error in your opinions, so we'll have to agree to disagree about the shining vet-on-the-hill transforming naive Sammy looking for a mentor.   I agree that he needed a mentor, but you have to actually want one.

 

See how much knucklehead you can take, here's a whole lot of it:  https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2889029-what-sammy-watkins-believes

[ghostwriter]

Sometimes there’s things off the field that cause a player to decline. Alcohol, drugs, a death in the family and so on and so on. Factors that us fans cannot see.

[amprov56]

On 6/14/2024 at 9:41 AM, GaryPinC said:

College is not the NFL.  He was too much of a knucklehead to be great and his NFL career proves it, along with demanding more targets at multiple stops(without earning them) and leaving KC because he wanted a better chance to be a number 1 receiver.  Horse crap.  Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid?  There's no better chance of becoming a number 1 if you're getting open and executing on the field.  Sammy has never been dedicated enough to doing what it takes to be top of his profession.  Somewhere between college and the early Pros he decided his talent was an entitlement.  The NFL has seldom been his #1 life priority.  His quote about people working their "little jobs" says it all.  I know along the way he's had locker room vets and coaches try to help him as you suggest.  But here he is.  Too set in his ways?  Just an excuse for knuckleheaded as his career comes to a disappointing close.

 

He's never been accountable.  Wrong environment, coaches, players, negative energy, blah, blah, blah.  I respect much of what you post and know all too well you can't admit error in your opinions, so we'll have to agree to disagree about the shining vet-on-the-hill transforming naive Sammy looking for a mentor.   I agree that he needed a mentor, but you have to actually want one.

 

See how much knucklehead you can take, here's a whole lot of it:  https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2889029-what-sammy-watkins-believes

In ten years Sam Watkins is going to realize he blew it and it will depress him. He could have been so much more!