CB Jalen Ramsey is one of the top players in the NFL and this week he made some news locally and nationally with his perceived controversial statements to a reporter and GQ. Check out our debate on this week’s show along with a bonus interview with Andy Carlson of PurpleFTW where we preview the Jaguars visiting the Vikings in week two of the preseason. 

Jalen Ramsey was the number one trending topic this week both locally in the Jacksonville market and then again nationally when his interview in GQ was released.

For many fans nationally, the GQ article where he criticizes nearly every QB on the planet was the first time they’ve heard about the star CB for the Jaguars. But earlier in the week, Ramsey made local news by being suspended by the team presumably for remarks made to a local reporter.

As a bit of background, a practice fight broke out among a couple Jaguars players and when a reporter started filming the altercation, Ramsey stepped in and told him to stop filming.

The same reporter posted the video later on to Twitter–which is where Ramsey took offense.

For some fans who see these kinds of statements along with a tell-all GQ interview, it can uncomfortable. We haven’t had a vocal NFL player since Richard Sherman therefore it’s fair to say most NFL players tow the company line.  However, other athletes in other major sports like the NBA, being outspoken isn’t frowned upon—it’s encouraged.

Therefore it’s been interesting to see which fans hate this honesty from a star player and which fans get upset by it. If you fall into the latter category, I’d have a bit of advice: This is only the beginning.

Ramsey has always been an outspoken player and in today’s world of coach speak and PR crafted answers, you should appreciate an athlete who’s willing to put his honest opinions out there and not just own them—but double down on them after facing criticism.

We live in a world where fans still want players to shut up and play football. But athletes aren’t doing that anymore; nor should they be. They have the ability to speak their truths and you have every right to agree or disagree with him.

With all that said, I know I’m not alone in this thinking. And I know there are others who disagree with me. Which is why this was a major topic on this week’s Helmets and Heels show as well an interview I did with Andy Carlson of PurpleFTW, a Vikings blog.

You can listen to both of these discussions in a new podcast format found below. And if you’d like to watch the video portion of Andy and I’s interview, you can find that below as well.

Where do you stand on athletes being vocal? Do you love it or hate it? Send me a Tweet and share your own truths!

Blythe is a sports and entertainment broadcaster based in Jacksonville, Florida. When she’s not pumping out marketing how-to’s on Brumleve Brands, she’s covering sports and culture in the North Florida market and beyond.

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