Packers rookie prefers Green Bay’s practice squad to playing for the Viqueens
The Minnesota Vikings wanted to add a player to their shallow receiving corps for the meaningless stretch run of their 2011 season. They reached out to Tori Gurley of the Green Bay Packers practice squad, and gave him the opportunity to play in real NFL games and earn real NFL paychecks.
Gurley’s response: Nah, I’m good.
His reasons: he’s learning a lot, and the season’s almost over anyway.
As a member of Green Bay’s practice squad, Gurley makes $5200 a week. A lot, especially for a 24-year-old, but he’d make four times as much on an active roster.
So what the hell?
- He’s going John Galt, refusing the greater tax liability;
- Minnesota just sucks that bad;
- He was hoping to be part of the Packers’ drive for perfection.
Minnesota made the offer last week, before the Packers lost to the Chiefs. I wonder if Gurley would make a different decision, now that the “drive for perfection” is officially over? Or is getting into the playoffs and, hopefully, another Superbowl enough, even if he doesn’t actually get to play?
Here’s a better reason: playing with a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers is good for a receiver’s career. Staying with Green Bay, maybe he makes the active roster next season. His decision may look odd short-term, it might be really good long-term.
But it’s probably just that Minnesota sucks that bad.
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