Brandon Marshall says he didn’t understand why he was being deactivated for Sunday’s game until the media told him the reason.
"[Josh McDaniels] hasn’t really said anything to me,” Marshall said. “He just came in today and told me that I was going to be deactivated, he was making an announcement today and you know, I have to respect that.”
Just like the Jay Cutler situation last offseason, there seems to be a disconnect between player and coach. The two men spoke Friday, yet McDaniels seems to be sending his message through the media.
McDaniels pointed out that Marshall didn’t try to talk the coach out of the decision. That remark is telling. It likely speaks to the type of attitude driving the coach crazy during a huge week for the organization.
“It’s disheartening to have to deal with something like this at this point in time,” McDaniels said. “But we want the guys on the field that are dying to play as hard as they can play with whatever, to try to get us in the playoffs.”
McDaniels is questioning Marshall’s toughness very publicly, a surprising tactic. We have to think the issue has been addressed in private more than Marshall is letting on.
“There’s a lot of players that play with things that are more difficult to play with than what he has,” said McDaniels.
Ouch. That quote might be difficult for Marshall to forget in the months ahead.
