Rashard Mendenhall

Rashard Mendenhall, The “fumble-prone” label is one that hits a ball carrier, often long after the time is actually applicable. A lot of runners at some point in their careers are prone to coughing up the pigskin or at least perceived.

More often than not, they will eventually have to fix, and go on to have a healthy career with soccer balls secured. Either that, or simply going to disappear from the NFL all together. The really talented to fall into the first group.

Which brings us to Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall (notes). Stuck with fumble-prone label early in his rookie year. He is still trying to break out of it. By Scott Brown in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

When Mendenhall was fumbling issues during his first spring training in 2008, veteran players took over a soccer ball around the training facilities of the Steelers – and fined if someone was able to hit out of reach.

On the play of the fourth preseason game, Mendenhall went through an opening on the right side, but had pushed the ball away from him by Lions safety CC Brown (notes).

[...]

“He did not fumble the ball, he is out of the house,” wide receiver Hines Ward (notes), he said. “It’s starting to become a hit on him now. One thing to handle is that the Steelers did not beat the Steelers.”

Fumbles are a strange thing. As fans, second, any runner leaves a soccer ball, screaming: “Idiot! How can you be so careless? Eat some bank, idiot. ”

What we do not have in mind is that every time he touches the ball run again, eleven of the poorest in the world, more motivated, the winners of the most antagonistic genetic lottery are willing to negotiate their first child to get the ball hands. It’s a miracle that there is a turnover on every play. If you or I had 20 carries in a game of NFL football, you know how many times we fumble? I’d say around 20.

Not that that excuses Rashard Mendenhall or anyone else. Bead Companies are also very motivated and genetically blessed. They are paid well to hang in football. That is what the massive forearms are for.

Mendenhall will eventually get worked out. He’s too good not to. In the meantime, however, it becomes more difficult before it gets easier, because the more is known as a fumble; the defense is difficult to separate him from the football. It’s something to do, as Mendenhall becomes a workhorse back for the Steelers.