Vontaze Burfict: A Linebacker in the Wrong Era
The boogeyman is back (1) and no one is happier than me. The NFL has reinstated Vontaze Burfict and if the league is serious about letting him play again, he is worth the risk to sign. There are a multitude of reasons Burfict would be good for the NFL and resigning with the Raiders would be the perfect way to do it.
Before I go any further, let me acknowledge the obvious: Burfict is undoubtedly a dirty player.
Hitting tight ends and receivers running drag routes is one thing; celebrating after you tear some one’s knee apart (like he did with Le’veon Bell) is another. One falls under the acceptable, old school style of defensive play; the other is borderline psychopathic and makes you question his humanity. There are compilations on YouTube showcasing his history of dirty play obviously made by people who think everything Burfict does is dirty (half the hits on those compilations are just a physical guy playing linebacker the right way).
In addition to his gnarly takedown of Bell, he put a dangerous hit to Antonio Brown’s head (which might explain his recent behavior), a penchant for hitting after the play and twisting ankles on the bottom of the pile or even in broad daylight. These are all valid blemishes on Burfict’s record but allow me to make the argument for him.
While there have certainly been a myriad of indefensible hits, much of what Burfict has done in years past could be classified as “hitting too hard”. Here is the rule of thumb in 2020 NFL or even college football: If we can HEAR a hit, a penalty will usually ensue. Take the hit on Jack Doyle that got him suspended 12 games last season. The only problem was the head placement but even so, Doyle is a runner and even if he on his knees, he was not defenseless. If there was going to be a collision that cost the hard- charging Burfict the season, I didn’t think it would be this one.
The best argument I have for the controversial linebacker, however, is he is good for the league.
The first reason for this is the undeniable reality that Vontaze Burfict can flat out play in the NFL. His brand of physicality is a great addition to any defense, even drawing comparisons to Ray Lewis from a man who knows-Marvin Lewis (2) . The truth is Burfict would have been a defensive coordinator’s wet dream 15 years ago; A “mike” linebacker willing to knock people out by any means necessary. The only thing Burfict hasn’t used to hit an opposing player is a chair and the league could use more of that.
The second reason Burfict is good for the NFL is BECAUSE of his history. A guy who plays like this is easy to despise which makes him easy to cheer against. Any golden era of a sport requires a villain. Patrick Mahomes is likeable as are most of the young quarterbacks in the league. With Burfict playing in the same division as Mahomes, that good vs. evil dynamic will be on display twice a year.
Why Burfict makes sense to re-sign with the Raiders is even easier to explain. The most obvious reason is the Raiders defense began declining shortly after he was banished. His departure left a big hole in an otherwise bland linebacking corps that was leaderless without him.
In addition to his physical abilities on the field, there were numerous reports that Burfict was becoming a leader, popular in the locker room and was maturing out of the reckless and dirty style of play that garnered him such a dubious reputation. Until the Jack Doyle hit, he had done nothing to garner negative attention.
Vontaze Burfict is a collision between the old-school style and the direction of Roger Goodell’s NFL. Linebackers today are supposed to look good in a jersey with a lean running style and their number one attribute is their ability to play in coverage. Conversely, there is nothing glamorous about Burfict’s play. He is a man out of time like a stone-age gladiator told he can’t swing his ax into someone else’s face or a hired gunman that sees the law arrive in the old west.
If you want to see the future of the NFL, it ran at the combine this past weekend. Isaiah Simmons fits the mold of a 21st century linebacker. He is the future; Burfict is the past. Regardless of this fact, Burfict is a valuable player whose hard-nosed style adds toughness to any defense he plays on. Burfict’s potential outweighs his risk and he is simply too good of a player for a desperate team to pass on.
The boogeyman is back, and I’m happy to see him.
- Michael Barnaud
