Athletes and football players alike employ many different tactics intended to provide additional motivation. For some players, it’s being told they’re not good enough. For others, it may be smack talk from an opponent that eventually becomes locker room bulletin board material.
For former Ravens safety Bernard Pollard, his determination will be driven by termination.
NFL Network’s Albert Breer tweeted a photo of Pollard’s locker, now a member of the Tennessee Titans. Pinned inside the locker is a Notice of Termination sent by the Baltimore Ravens on March 14, 2013, a day after news broke of Pollard’s release.
The notice reads:
You are herby notified that effective immediately, your NFL Player Contract with the Club covering the 2013, 2014 and 2015 football season has been terminated for the means checked below:
(X) In the judgement of the Club, your skill or performance has been unsatisfactory as compared with that of other players competing for positions on the Club’s roster.Â
Club: Baltimore Ravens
The letter was signed by the Ravens Vice President of Football Administration, Pat Moriarity.
The ploy by Pollard is hardly shocking. He shied away from voicing his opinion about as often as he shied away from delivering a crunching blow to an opponent. In other words, NEVER.
As a Raven Pollard would often hold court around his locker. He is magic to the ears of media members who are always on the prowl for a sound bite. Now the Titans press can happily transcribe venomous future bites directed towards the Ravens and more specifically head coach John Harbaugh who Pollard is rumored to hold in fairly low esteem.
Pollard had issues in coverage and this coupled with the club’s desire to get faster and younger led to his release. His opinionated ways probably did little to help his cause.
Some of the criticism aimed against Pollard could be looked at as unfair and unjustified. He did after all lead the team in tackles and he made plenty of big plays contributing to the team’s successful run through Super Bowl XLVII.
Just ask Patriots’ running back Stevan Ridley.
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