Josh Norman
Photo : Stars24
One would think the Panthers would have moved mountains to keep him on the team , but because of the Panthers ’ salary cap at the time , Norman found himself cut loose after the best season of his life . This time , though , the offers poured in . As many as 16 teams came after him , according to Sports Illustrated ’ s Emily Kaplan .
It was the Redskins who gave him the full-court press . Owner Dan Snyder and at-the-time general manager Scot McCloughan ( who ’ s no longer at the helm of the team ) jumped at the chance to add a worldclass cornerback to the team . After all , this is where Darrell Green , the legendary Hall of Famer and one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play the game , spent 19 years showing the world just how that position should be played . The team ’ s front office knew that every Redskins fan had been waiting since Green retired in 2002 for the next great corner to come along — Josh Norman was that man , and as he told SI , they made him an offer he just couldn ’ t refuse .
“ Being on a good team , being around good people , being around competition [ was what I wanted ],” he said . “ In D . C ., I felt I could be my own person , and I could take my career further .” Not to mention the fact that Washington , D . C ., is one of America ’ s top 10 media markets , with a rabid fan base and a quick flight for his Atlanta-based mother and four brothers to be at the home games . All those points sold Norman on the city ; it wasn ’ t just the huge amount of cash on the table that convinced him to make the Redskins his new team .
“ Believe it or not , some teams offered me more money than the Redskins ,” he revealed to Sports Illustrated . Gaining the national stage was certainly a factor in his decision . Norman is known for his willingness to speak his mind about the game itself , players throughout the league ( particularly on Odell Beckham , Jr .), the commissioner and his rulings and much more . As such , he quickly inked a one-year deal with Fox Sports to serve as an on-air contributor to their NFL coverage . That will be his second job again this season , as he revealed to # FlyWashington . “ It was an amazing experience , and I ’ m returning to Fox Sports again this season and I think it ’ s going to be the best
Josh Norman
Photo : Washington Redskins
season ever ! More entertaining , more informative , more excitement all around ,” he said .
Being an on-screen commentator is a part of Norman ’ s plans . While Darrell Green defied the odds with his lengthy NFL career , most professional football players only last for about 3.5 seasons , according to the NFL Players Association . Norman ’ s career has already surpassed
FLYWASHINGTON . COM 6 AUTUMN 2017