I do not know why commentators don’t address this fascinating story that provides a lot of background to why Miles Sanders, all-time scrimmage yards leader for Philadelphia Eagles rookies, was available in the late half of the second round in the 2019 NFL draft.
You never hear it mentioned during games, but through his first two years at Penn State, Miles Sanders played second string to Saquon Barkley, 2018 NFL Rookie of the Year and world record holder for quadricep circumference. Miles Sanders only had the opportunity to shine as a starter in his final season.
Why is no one talking about this?
This got me wondering what other intriguing backstories notable NFL players might have that the commentators often overlook in color commentary. Here’s some mind-blowing trivia you never hear anyone mention about some of your favorites.
Julian Edelman, second most productive post-season receiver in NFL history and middling YouTube star, played quarterback at Kent State. That Belichick sure knows how to develop them!
Ben Roethlisberger, 6x pro-bowler and professional doppelgänger for Amy Schumer, has won more games in Cleveland than any quarterback for the Cleveland Browns since 1999. Tuck that away for your next water-cooler discussion with Browns fans! They’ll love it!
Tight ends are often tall, freakishly athletic players with a great set of hands, which explains why college basketball players like Antonio Gates found the role a great fit! But did you know that Jimmy Graham, 5x pro bowler, also played college basketball for four years? Wow!
Matthew Stafford, who has twice broken his back carrying the Detroit Lions, was childhood friends with Clayton Kershaw, 8x All-star pitcher of the LA Dodgers. What was in the water at their high school, am I right!?
Speaking of baseball, if you’re a really savvy sports fan, you may know that Kyler Murray was the first college athlete ever drafted in the first round by both an NFL team and an MLB team. But you almost certainly didn’t know that Russell Wilson played a little professional baseball before returning to quarterback for the Wiscon Badgers and eventually getting drafted by the Seattle Seahawks!
Ryan Fitzpatrick, journeyman quarterback known for thrilling upsets, graduated from Harvard University. If you think that makes him smart, you’re probably right, as he’s the only player to ever achieve a verified perfect score on the Wonderlic test! Come on, broadcast booth, mention this!
Tom Brady, quarterback and son of NFL legend Nick Foles, set the record for Super Bowl wins (6!) with the New England Patriots before he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But they’ll never bring that up during a game broadcast!
Color commentary GOLD! Someone get Cris Collinsworth on the phone.