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Redskins Su’a Cravens: A kid’s perspective on a kid from California

By Ian Cummings

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 29: A Nike football sits on the field before the Utah Utes and Washington Huskies football game at Rice-Eccles Stadium on October 29, 2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Image)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 29: A Nike football sits on the field before the Utah Utes and Washington Huskies football game at Rice-Eccles Stadium on October 29, 2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Image) /
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Kids don’t get much of a chance nowadays.

It’s how life goes. You’re expected to decide what you want to do early. And once you decide, that decision often becomes your life for the next 35 years. It might not be as bad as it sounds. But mortgaging ones future is never easy from the start. That choice carries quite a bit of weight. Kids don’t have it easy, in that respect.

I should know. I recently turned nineteen, and now a sophomore in college, still undecided on a major, each choice is gnawing at me. It’s a slow fester. One that haunts the mind. Weighing the advantages and disadvantages of each decision. The things you might regret.

It’s easy to see why Su’a Cravens isn’t sold on the NFL.

The NFL scene is alluring. The fame. The greatness. The glory. Romanticized by the shiny graphic displays and the catchy music themes. Don’t get me wrong. I’m as much a fan of the game as the next guy. When the leaves turn yellow, my Sundays are booked. And when all you do is watch a three hour broadcast of the players, you start to forget that they aren’t only around for Sundays, either.

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The NFL training regimen takes its toll, as does the physicality of the game. It’s a commitment in every sense of the word, and then some. And with the recent studies on CTE and the long-term effects of concussions, we see players thinking about their future, and the health of their future, more and more. Promising offensive guard John Urschel, aged 26, recently retired for this sole reason.

Thinking about one’s future is not a crime. And yet, Su’a Cravens is being indicted for this. The situation isn’t perfect. Perhaps he should have alerted the entire team sooner, rather than later. Perhaps he should have been clear and succinct from the start, rather than cryptic and uncoordinated. But we’re so quick to forget. Su’a Cravens is just a kid.

Cravens has a whole future ahead of him. At only 22 years old, Cravens is far within reason to consider his health over his wealth. There will be plenty of opportunities down the road for a vocal, charismatic individual like Cravens. If he decides to hang up the pads in order to preserve his health and well-being, that’s of no consequence to him.

We’re so quick to forget. Su’a Cravens is just a kid.

Cravens hasn’t reacted to injuries well in the past. Following his concussion in 2016, he complained that he’d lost sight in one eye permanently, only to back away from that statement and confirm that he hadn’t lost his vision. Through injuries sustained later on in the season, Cravens showed no desire to get better quick, and he showed no desire to return to the football field. Instead, he stayed in the training facilities. With plenty of time to breathe. And plenty of time to think.

Kids around this age think about their future. They have to. It’s in this time of their lives that the decisions with the most implications are made. I should know. I’m living it right now. The sport of football has massive implications on one’s future. And at a physical position like safety, injuries are almost a guarantee. And with them, the long-term consequences.

Cravens has a month to make his decision. And who knows? In that month, his love for the game could find itself rekindled. But until he chooses to stay or go, one must do well to remember the situation that Cravens finds himself in. The future looms ahead. And in football, the future, and what it brings, is far from certain. It’s a daunting thought.

The players know the risks. More often than not, they accept those risks in order to play the game they’ve played all their lives for millions of dollars. But money doesn’t amount to the same value for everyone. For some, a clear head might be worth more than money can buy.

Next: Redskins Unheralded Players: Where are they now?

Before you call Cravens out for being soft, selfish, or whatever adjective you may prefer, just remember this. He has a future to think about. He’s just a kid.

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