Nov 7, 2013
Once thought of as the best cornerback in the NFL, Nnamdi Asomugha has since suffered a dramatic fall all the way to the depths of current unemployment. Just three years ago, Asomugha was mentioned in the same conversation with Darrelle Revis as the perennial “shutdown” corner in the NFL. Nowadays those talks seem like a century ago, as Asomugha faces the very real possibility of never playing another down in the NFL.
On Monday, it was reported that Asomugha was waived by the San Francisco 49er’s. I can’t imagine that anyone, myself included, could have foreseen Asomugha’s career unfolding this way. After the 2006 season where he burst onto the scene with eight interceptions with the Oakland Raiders, most people thought that he was here to stay as a top corner in the NFL. He proved myself, and many NFL viewers to be right for the next two seasons; earning All-Pro honors in 2008 and 2009. During those two seasons, he was the definition of a “shutdown” corner; amazingly only allowing 37 total catches combined in both years.
The hype and respect Asomugha had earned in his time with the Raiders all culminated to the 2010 offseason where he became the most sought-after free agent in the league. He ended up signing a five-year, $60 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. I was first in line on Asomugha’s bandwagon, spouting that he deserved that contract and more, and predicting a future plaque with his name on it in Canton.
Of course I was quickly and brutally proved wrong. The Eagles were self-labeled the “Dream Team” going into the 2011 season, with Asomugha being the centerpiece. And that is when everything came crashing down. Asomugha proceeded to have by far his worst season in the league. He ended up not even ranking in the top 50 corners in the league, and next year became even worse as he was no longer even considered among the top 100 corners in the NFL.
You may ask, “How in the world does this happen to someone of Asomugha’s regard so quickly?” I don’t think any NFL executive or coach has the real answer. Some say he’s getting old, being 32 years of age. But I don’t think that’s entirely the case. I think that Asomugha completely lost all of his confidence in Philadelphia, and has simply never been able to get it back.
Now being cut by the 49er’s, we can only hope that another NFL team will take a chance on him, and just pray that he can get back to his once elite form.
***(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
