How could this guy NOT find a job?


Daunte Culpepper, unable to land a starting or backup job this offseason, announced his retirement at the age of 31.





Culpepper On Retirement
Former Vikings, Dolphins and Raiders quarterback Daunte Culpepper announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday. He issued the following statement:

When free agency began this year, I had a new sense of excitement about continuing to rebuild my career in the same way that I had rebuilt my knee after my catastrophic injury in 2005. Unfortunately, what I found out was that the league did not share any of the optimism about me as an unrestricted free agent that I expected. In fact, there was an overwhelming sense that there was no room for me among this year's group of quarterbacks; whether in a starting, competing or a back-up role. No matter what I did or said, there seemed to be a unified message from teams that I was not welcome to compete for one of the many jobs that were available at the quarterback position. It seems that the stance I took in both Minnesota and Miami regarding my rights as a person and player has followed me into free agency.

After taking a long look at my career and my personal convictions, I have decided to begin early retirement from the NFL effective immediately. Since the beginning of training camp I was told that my opportunity would come when a quarterback gets hurt. I cannot remember the last time so many QB's have been injured during the preseason. I have been strongly encouraged from family, friends and league personnel to continue to be patient and wait for an inevitable injury to one of the starting quarterbacks in the league. I would rather shut the door to such "opportunity" than continue to wait for one of my fellow quarterbacks to suffer a serious injury. Since I was not given a fair chance to come in and compete for a job, I would rather move on and win in other arenas of life.

The decision I made in 2006 to represent myself rather than hire an agent has been an invaluable experience. I now understand why so many people within the NFL community are uncomfortable with a player really learning the business. The NFL has become more about power, money and control than passion, competition and the love of the game. Regardless of this shift, player's rights are still supposed to be a part of this league. Since I will not be given the opportunity to honor the memory of Gene Upshaw by wearing a patch on my uniform this year, I will instead spend some of my energy applying what he taught me about standing up for what is right and not sitting down for what is clearly wrong.

I want to thank my family and my fans for their unwavering belief in me as a person and a player. I embraced both the peaks and the valleys of the game and my career. I am a better person today as a direct result of the experience of playing in the NFL. I can now focus on the enjoyment of watching some of the greatest athletes in the world play the game I love without the distraction of waiting for those elusive return phone calls.

Thankfully,
Daunte Culpepper

...about f@cking time.

uPtoWnNY said:

This guy is better than every QB on the Bears right now.

Graycap23 said:

Thats true

Graycap23 said:

Yeah but so am I

Graycap23 said:

Dude, that's not saying much. Physically, Dante's shot.

uPtoWnNY said:

Is he? He claims that he is healthy.

His "retiring" is only semantics.
No one has picked him up and the phone isn't ringing.

SUPRMAN said:

Semantics 2 u. To him there are retirement benefits involved.

He should be in a Uniform.

He's said that he's willing to be a backup. He said that he's not expecting the huge money.

He can be a starting quarterback, but he's pretty much blacklisted. I really wanna know why. Is it because he's a dick? Is he a distraction? Is he not as good? Is he unable to pass the physical?

That is my point. This guy can still play.

Graycap23 said:

I meant it in the sense that unlike Farve whose team would have been happy to keep him Culpepper is retiring because there is no work.
And I doubt he's worried about retirement benefits just yet.

I saw this guy play last year and he can still perform on the field. I don't get why there is no place 4 him. If Rex Grossman is still employed, so should Culpepper.

Two things: bigger hands and commitment to his team. Didn't seem like he had either of those before leaving the Vikes.

Daunte Culpepper says he's retiring, effective immediately.
He doesn't have an agent to talk him out of it. "Since I was not given a fair chance to come in and compete for a job, I would rather move on and win in other arenas of life," Culpepper said in an emotional letter he sent to the media. If not for acts like this, Culpepper had a great chance to get a job eventually, especially if he hired representation. The 2004 MVP runner-up hasn't been the same since his 2005 knee injury, but he was competent enough in Oakland last season and is only 31.
Source: Profootballtalk.com

Graycap23 said:

I heard he was turning down gigs because he wanted a chance to start and no teams were offering him that. Then I heard he was turning his nose up at offers because he felt his services were worth more. I heard he turned down 1 million.

But that goes to show you how Randy Moss can turn a QB into SUPER QB. Look what Moss did for him in Minny. Then look what Moss turned Brady into last season - SUPERDUPERBRADY.

Pity the Raiders didn't have a real O-line to protect him, last season. But, as he was, he seemed a shadow of his former self.

But still with the small hands.

Still, his comments about the power dynamic sounds familiar, doesn't it?

The brother just wanted to own his masters.

1999 NFL Draft QBs (1st Round)

1. Tim Couch
2. Donovan McNabb
3. Akili Smith
11. Daunte Culpepper
12. Cade McNown

I'm sorry to see Daunte go. I still can't believe he was drafted after Tim Couch and Akili Smith! Predictably, Donovan McNabb is the last man standing.

SUPRMAN said:

Daunte was a victim of the "Madden Curse".

uPtoWnNY said:

.....and his ego it appears.

The Star-Tribune's take on it:

http://www.startribune.co...=KArksUUUU

I thought he still had a lot left in the tank but teams werent giving him a chance....poor dude.

TMPletz said:

I may have 2 agree with this article.

Graycap23 said:

Same here.

thepope2the9s said:

I have a feeling he will be back next year. I bet some players wish the XFL was still around.

kpowers said:

I will take him on the Bears 2night.

Graycap23 said:

What do you mean...you dont like Kyle "neckbeard" ORton or Wrecks Gross-man?
Maybe Caleb Hanie will pan out in a year or two.

thepope2the9s said:

Rex Grossman is NOT even an NFL waterboy.

Culpepper 2 New England?

Graycap23 said:

Have they EVER had a black QB? I don't think so, and it ain't happenin' now.