A Lesson On Leadership

It’s no secret that the Denver Broncos have become a "drama-queen" in terms of media coverage this NFL offseason.  Shanahan’s departure, Cutler’s bitter exit and now the Brandon Marshall trade speculation continue to provide writers with more fuel for more headlines.

While some have directly attributed reactions of Cutler and Marshall to the rocky transition at the top of Rocky Mountain High, the brunt of blame rests on the players.  How they’ve carried themselves throughout the whole escapade doesn’t exactly scream the words " team leader."  Personally, I wouldn’t want to root for a team represented by that kind of behavior anyway.

If those players don’t wish to be leaders after all, where does that leave the Broncos?  A team in transition needs more than just Pro Bowl performances from a leader.  It needs steadfastness, commitment and a mature demeanor.  With the upheaval caused (or seemingly caused) by the recent coaching change in Denver, where can the Broncos - a team already in need of a "leader" prior to this offseason – look to for leadership? 

It’s easy to get swept up in the drama, but all you have to do is step back for a second and you’ll find what you’re looking for right under your very nose.

The Broncos did something this offseason that’s not getting the press this time of year.  Pat Bowlen and company brought in a 13-year NFL veteran loaded with experience and, most importantly, with pure class: Brian Dawkins.

Dawkins recently addressed former teammate Donovan McNabb’s new contract in a Fox News interview.  Did Weapon-X have second thoughts about Philadelphia forking money Donovan’s way instead of his way?  Mr. Dawkins answered that inquiry with one simple sentence. 

"I cheer just as hard when someone gets a blessing as when I get mine," the former Eagles’ safety said.

Like Cutler and Marshall, Dawkins found his state of affairs in limbo this off-season.  Albeit both situations exist in entirely different circumstances (Cutler and Marshall are both under 30 years of age and Dawkins is currently 35), the right way to handle oneself remains the same in each.

Cutler wanted out.  Dawkins did not.  Cutler and Marshall started this drama on their own.  In Brian’s case, the Eagles facilitated what became a business decision by choosing not to match an offer from an outside source.  Cutler didn’t care about a matching offer. 

Furthermore, the Dawkins transaction did not spark anywhere near the same reaction in Philadelphia that the Broncos’ recent issues have in Denver.  Most fans blamed Dawkins’ departure on the team rather than the player.  Further west, in Colorado, fans have been more apt to blame the player for stoking the drama this offseason (especially in the current case of Marshall).

I know many of us are tired of the Cutler saga and have already moved past it, but I hope you’ll excuse me if I reference it just a bit more for the purposes of this write-up.

First, a quote from Jay Cutler on the situation via an ESPN.com article in March…

I went in there with every intention of solving the issue, being a Bronco, moving forward as a Bronco.  We weren't in there but about 20 minutes, [McDaniels] did most of the talking and as far as I'm concerned, he made it clear he wants his own guy. He admitted he wanted Matt Cassel because he said he has raised him up from the ground as a quarterback. He said he wasn't sorry about it. He made it clear that he could still entertain trading me because, as he put it, he'll do whatever he feels is in the best interest of the organization.

At the end of the meeting, he wasn't like, 'Jay, I want you as our quarterback, you're our guy.' It felt like the opposite. He basically said that I needed to tell him if we can't work this out, to let him know.  I thought he was antagonizing me and that was disappointing because I was ready to move on, committed as a Bronco. Really, I figured we'd hash things out, shake hands, laugh a little and move forward. What happened [Saturday] was the last thing I expected. If I didn't think it could be fixed, I never would have come back to Denver. It was painfully obvious to me and Bus [Cook, his agent] it's not something they want to fix.

Now Dawkins, from an interview on 950 ESPN Radio in Philadelphia (also conducted in March)…

"Denver came out of the jump, and we didn’t have to prompt them to offer me anything," Dawkins said. "They came out the jump just like this. Not quite where it is right now, but it was close to that. We didn’t have to ask for anything. This is what they came out with, wanting me there. They made it clear right away that I’m not a ‘want’ there, that I’m a necessity. They feel they need me here."

"I would say they opened my eyes right away that this was a business deal. That it wasn’t about me being who I am to the team. It was about my age, and it was a business decision. And that really hurt."

"I did not want to get to free agency," Dawkins said. "I’ve never gotten to free agency, I’ve never gone to free agency. I’ve had years in the past where I could have collected big bucks on the open market, but I did not want to get there. So why would I want to get there all of a sudden now on my last contract? I wanted to be an Eagle. And they denied that."

Both players "wanted" to play for their former teams…or so they said.  However, who really wanted to stay aboard?  If it doesn’t come across through the quotes, maybe it’ll register if presented in another fashion.

Jay Cutler

Brian Dawkins

Two completely different reactions.  See if you can figure out which player wanted to be a part of his team.  It shouldn’t be too hard.  And remember, before you say Cutler had reasons for not wanting to be a Bronco, ask yourself, were those reasons generated by the Broncos organization itself or harbored in the mind of the quarterback himself?

Hopefully my point has made itself clear.  No matter what else happens this offseason, Broncos fans should be honored to have a player with the sense of pride in and loyalty to the game of football that Brian Dawkins has.

I could go on and on about the leadership qualities I’ve read about and/or witnessed relating to number twenty-two, but I won’t.  Instead I shall point out one more time how a player should carry himself.  I will point out that Brian Dawkins is a leader and he comes at a time when the Broncos so desperately "need" one.

No, Dawkins may not have all that much left in the tank years’ wise, but he embodies the kind of character and positive example that players should follow for years to come.  He’s the guy you want on your team.  He’s also the guy that wants to be on your team. 

Instead of the players Denver has lost, let’s think about the players the team has gained.  Brian Dawkins may not be in Colorado for long, but his mentality and behavior should linger (not just in the NFL, but in all sports) for eternity.  That’s what the Broncos are getting and that’s the kind of example that defines a TEAM.

So I say, let’s stop worrying about what the MSM wants us to worry about and stick to focusing on what we as fans know best: the TEAM.  It’s June.  Regular season football doesn’t begin until about three months from now.  Remember, no matter what happens this offseason, we’ve still got the Broncos.