In what is usually a dull time in the NFL news cycle, Cowboys’ rookie Jaydon Blue sparked headlines after a back-and-forth with some newfound criticism this week.
The former Texas Longhorn and recent Dallas fifth-round draftee has been working with his new squad as they sort out the running back depth chart. It is a major opportunity for Blue to earn starting snaps.
There is only one problem: a former Cowboys coach thinks he isn’t working to do that, and he has made his thoughts very public.
Those comments to the media captured fans’ attention and forced the rookie into addressing the rumors.
In short, Blue and Glenn Smith, an offensive assistant with the franchise from 2000-2001, made for some interesting entertainment over the past few days, so let’s talk about both sides of this summer feud.
Glenn Smith’s Comments: Blue is “lazy,” not working hard
Let’s begin with where this random saga started: Smith, who has been out of the organization for over two decades, told the Locked on Cowboys podcast that the team thinks Blue is “borderline lazy.”
He cited their frustration with his work habits, and this has led to fans and the media calling back to some character concerns that leaked out pre-draft.
Now, because of those earlier rumors and the fact that Blue is only 21, it is understandable that these comments have sparked intrigue.
It wouldn’t shock anybody to hear this about a young kid with character red flags.
That said, we’re talking about a player being “lazy,” and the team hasn’t even started training camp yet. Is it really fair to publicly question a rookie to that extent when all he’s done in the NFL is minicamp?
Jaydon Blue Fires Back: Calls article “fake,” claims attention-seeking
How did the young running back respond to all of this? Well, let’s just say Jaydon Blue, and a prominent teammate, shared my skepticism with Smith’s comments.
On Friday, Blue took to social media, first calling the report “fake” and all for attention. As all modern-day athletes seem to be great at nowadays, he followed that up with an in-action picture and cryptic quote, essentially saying his production will quiet the noise.
Is it the expected response to claims like this? Yes.
Is it also enjoyable to see this kid stick up for himself a little? Also, yes.
As Blue alluded to, his practice, production, and on-field work are what should make the headlines and sculpt what fans think about him, not comments from the media or coaches from twenty-five years ago.
The Bottom Line: Trust In-House Voices, Not Random Ones
If you’re looking for something to take away here, it’s this: if you, or the team, want to keep an eye on Jaydon Blue and his work ethic, that’s more than fine. He is young, and as those pre-draft reports indicated, potentially on the immature side.
Where this train runs straight off the rails is when Glenn Smith, who, once again, hasn’t been inside the building for quite some time, starts throwing random haymakers.
Dallas, for all its flaws, has run a tight ship in recent years; to think that coaches are calling an important rookie lazy to Smith is more than far-fetched.
I think this is a clear case of hearing one thing from one source and expanding it to make it fit into national headlines. One anecdotal thought from a Cowboys-adjucent guy may be the “coaches” in question regarding Blue’s alleged poor work ethic.
In short, trust the actual voices from inside the house. When the call is coming from outside of it, the reliability of the information often plummets.
