Is the NFL rigged?
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That's what fans across the Internet have been asking since former NFL star running back Arian Foster called the league "scripted." What that means is anyone's guess, but here's how the four-time Pro Bowl player described it on his Macrodosing podcast with PFT:
"That's what practice was about, it was practicing the script," Foster said. "It was like the WWF so it's like you know what's gonna happen, but you still gotta put on a show."
Now, this could all be complete B.S. and just a way to go viral. But if this is true, I have questions. Like why did Foster follow the part of his script where injuries all but cut his incredible career short and forced him to retire at 30? Did the "producers" write him out of the show once he came out and said he didn't believe in God? He did, after all, lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 2010 and 2012.
I don't believe the NFL is scripted, and neither do other players on social media.
Reading the End of the Script for 2012 https://t.co/DeuLz9ISnq pic.twitter.com/LP9waIx2pc
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) February 1, 2023
Totally scripted 🤷🏼♂️ https://t.co/rVZzUGt1Q5 pic.twitter.com/xhrZiaZ21l
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) February 1, 2023
Anyway, if it is, it's the best damn show out there. Here are five of the greatest acting performances NFL fans have had the privilege of tuning in to in recent years.
Antonio Brown
Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
I mean, where do we even start here? Oh, that's right. The time he went full meltdown against the New York Jets, stripping off his jersey and storming out of the stadium. I'm not even sure if he rehearsed that brilliant part of the script, but it deserves endless Oscars. Everything from his riff with the Pittsburgh Steelers to his bizarre time in Oakland to coming for Tom Brady's ex-wife was simply genius screenwriting.
Jameis Winston
Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images
Remember the "eat a dub" pregame speech? Totally scripted. Definitely not an original piece by Winston. A couple years after the odd finger-licking pep talk, Winston went out and became the only quarterback ever to throw for 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in a season, while also leading the league in passing yards. A torn ACL and losing the New Orleans Saints starting job just happened to be unlucky scriptwriting.
Colin Kaepernick
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Even Donald Trump made a cameo. What a fun and thoughtful surprise by the NFL's writers! I don't even need to get into the specifics here, but Kaepernick's kneeling was definitely for ratings. That's the only explanation. Obviously. Totally. Oh, and who can forget the Super Bowl blackout against the Ravens? Masterful acting.
Jason Pierre-Paul
Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images
I wonder what JPP was thinking when he was handed his script in 2015, the year he lost part of his right hand in a Fourth of July fireworks accident. The fact that he went along with it, was fine with being fingerless and kept playing? Not even Shakespeare could have dreamt that up.
Jason Pierre-Paul reading his 4th of July script https://t.co/CVcYWbCXGg pic.twitter.com/BEQ3hhCg1f
— Julio Lopez (@juliolopez01) February 2, 2023
Tua Tagovailoa
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
What if Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa never actually had any concussions and he was actually just faking it the whole time? According to Foster, that might be the case. Way to be a team player, Tua. Thank you for following your script, no matter how damaging it might be to your brain.
In all seriousness, though, I'm not trying to make light of any of some of these serious situations. I am most certainly making light of Arian Foster's idea that the NFL is scripted. Fans love to say the NFL is rigged after controversial calls made by referees, but I think we can all agree that entire seasons being written out is outrageous. But then again, maybe this article is all part of the script...
The NBA, on the other hand.... The NBA is definitely rigged.
