Chapter 945: 944 Scattered to the Ends of the Earth

Year after year, there’s always bombshell news, always great drama.

The NFL offseason never disappoints, and this year is no exception.

Little Beckham, the league’s top rising star outside the quarterback position in recent years, had become the face of the new generation before Li Wei’s meteoric rise. Off the field, he was drowning in endorsement deals, and for the New York Giants, he was their box office golden boy. Yet no one expected it–

The transfer happened without any warning.

Reason?

The rumor mill churned endlessly, but the most credible one suggested that the New York Giants were ready to burn it all down and rebuild from scratch, aiming to select young talent from the draft and capitalize on rookie contracts to build a competitive team.

Clearing out Little Beckham was, on one hand, to free up cap space, and on the other hand, to clean up the locker room and prepare for the rebuild.

And the most absurd and laughable part? Little Manning stayed.

Everything points to Little Manning preparing to play the babysitter role, nurturing young quarterbacks for the New York Giants. Little Manning, like an overworked cow, devoted himself tirelessly–even at the twilight of his career, he was burning out the last of his energy for the Giants.

In this situation, you’re not sure whether to pity him or admire him.

Little Beckham’s transfer was merely the opening act of offseason chaos.

Flacco moved to the Denver Broncos, officially saying goodbye to the Baltimore Ravens.

The baffling part? The Denver Broncos had only acquired “Cinderella” Keenum from the Minnesota Vikings last season, yet after just one year, they traded Keenum to the Washington Redskins and brought in Flacco–

Since Big Manning’s retirement, Denver Broncos have been struggling with their quarterback woes.

Brown finally got what he wanted, leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers for the Oakland Raiders. The trade only cost a third-round and a fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft. Compared to Brown’s worth, it was a major underdeal.

And the recipient was the Oakland Raiders.

Clearly, Pittsburgh Steelers were eager to offload this troublemaker as soon as possible.

Looking back at last offseason, Brown was rallying for the Pittsburgh Steelers while calling out Bell in a heartfelt manner, presenting himself as the image of a loyal teammate. It feels like an era ago.

Similarly, Bell wasn’t spared either.

The Pittsburgh Steelers swiftly cut ties with Bell, finalizing a deal with the New York Jets. Bell fulfilled his dream of signing a lucrative contract–

Four years, 52.5 million US dollars, with 35 million guaranteed.

The 13 million annual salary made Bell the league’s second-highest-paid running back, trailing only the Los Angeles Rams’ Gurley.

Bell was fired up and raring to go, ready to return to the field and showcase his abilities. He could hardly wait to step onto the New York stage and prove himself.

The Steelers’ iconic trio that once dominated the league eventually dispersed, leaving Roethlisberger as the sole figure holding onto the Steel Curtain.

But alas, Roethlisberger was no longer that carefree young star. Much like the demise of Seattle Seahawks’ “Bombing Corps,” the Pittsburgh Steelers could never regain their aura of dominance. Later, after Seahawks head coach Carroll resigned and Steelers quarterback Roethlisberger retired, it marked the end of an era.

Years later, reflecting on the 2017 and 2018 seasons, Bell said:

“I was pretty foolish.”

During an interview, Bell revealed that negotiations between him and the Steelers for the 2018 offseason had nearly reached an agreement, with guaranteed money being the sole sticking point.

Bell wanted a deal that surpassed Gurley’s to assert his status, but the Steelers refused. Bell felt the Steelers lacked sincerity, leading to a stalemate.

“I consulted Li Wei for advice at the time. Li Wei thought I should sign and not let it drag out over a slight difference in guarantees–it would be wiser to take the long view. I accused Li Wei of being timid and hung up the phone.”

Social media had leaked a contract and accused Bell of being arrogant, turning down the Steelers. But the truth was far from that; the salary offered by the Steelers was much lower than the rumors on social media. Regardless, Bell’s focus was solely on the guaranteed money.

After all, a salary is just a number–it’s the guaranteed money that goes straight into your pocket.

“Looking back now, Li Wei was right.”

“Missing an entire year at my peak over a million or two in guarantees–that was fatal.”

“Li Wei also mentioned the coaching factor–it’s different for quarterbacks and running backs alike. At the time, I thought Li Wei was talking nonsense, but evidently, I was wrong.”

But it was too late.

Of course, all of this was hindsight. Just as Bell couldn’t foresee the future, neither could the Steelers or Roethlisberger.

Later, leaked reports from the Steelers’ locker room revealed that Roethlisberger had long been a toxic presence–a tyrannical and lazy figure who, backed by team executives, operated without restraint.

The Steelers’ downfall certainly wasn’t solely due to Bell.

Additionally, Foles left the Philadelphia Eagles for the Jacksonville Jaguars, while the Jaguars’ former quarterback Bortles headed to the Los Angeles Rams as a backup for Goff. This quarterback couldn’t maintain his starting role in the end.

So much happening, so much chaos.

In the midst of this frenzy, reigning champions Kansas City Chiefs made moves too. Last season’s starting linebacker Dee Ford was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2020 draft.

This was just the beginning as the free market got underway–a series of bombshells, and the shifting tides of the 2019 season already loomed with anticipation.

And everyone knew that the challenges facing Kansas City Chiefs this year would increase exponentially–

Though the Chiefs cashed in on rookie advantages and built a young squad, after their championship run, the players’ mentalities would inevitably shift. With the rigid salary cap looming, the front office now faced the daunting task of deciding how to renew contracts, restructure finances, and manage the salary cap.

It’s not just about managing 53 players on a football team–even in the NBA, with its five-player starting lineup and a locker room of eleven, every individual has their own agenda. So the reigning champions’ locker-room issues are easy to imagine.

The human heart is always the most unpredictable and unfathomable variable.

The departure of starting linebacker Ford is merely the crack in the dam; rumors of a meeting between Kroenke and Li Wei, which had sparked heated speculation, were just subtle signs of the turbulent undercurrents.

The excitement of the offseason is just beginning.

“Rookie…”

“Rookie!”

From afar to near, the calls came riding the wind, carrying irrepressible joy and excitement, finally crashing into the villa’s poolside living room next door. Upon seeing the figure inside, the caller skidded to a brief halt.

“Hey, Justin, Eric.”