School Could Delay Matt Johnson’s Return

[Risen Star]

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys' rookies will be back before the start of Organized Team Activities (OTA's) on May 22, but it appears fourth-round safety Matt Johnson will have to wait until June to rejoin his new team.

Johnson's alma mater, Eastern Washington, has a quarters-based academic calendar that concludes in mid-June. That means Johnson could miss the Cowboys' 10 OTA sessions, but word is he should be back June 11 in time for the veteran minicamp.

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[TheCount]

Not good for a guy already making a huge leap in competition but not much that can be done about it.

[1LoyalCowboyFan]

Can he bust a Big Ben? He just graduated from Miami of Ohio

[CCBoy]

He doesn't have a choice...nor do the Cowboys. He will be studying in the mean time...and he better be very focused. It could mean a lot, unless he is pure instinct and a natural at the position.

[kmp77]

Could he just "drop out"? Seems this is more important.

[Doomsday101]

I have no problem with Johnson finishing up his education. He will still be here for the June 11 for the veteran minicamp and well ahead of training camp.

[jimnabby]

Seems to me there's a guy or two in this position every year. Nothing new.

[burmafrd]

Except for the guys on the edge for which those OTA's might just be the difference between sticking and getting cut.

They ought to allow clubs to have special sessions for those guys after School is out.

[AdamJT13]

Could he just "drop out"? Seems this is more important.

No, it's an NFL rule. You can't join the team until your school is out, even if you are not taking classes. (A lot of draftable guys drop out early to focus on training.) You are allowed to attend one rookie orientation/minicamp, but that's it until after the semester.

[AbeBeta]

Could he just "drop out"? Seems this is more important.

If he drops out he still can't join the team. Otherwise players would be dropping out all over the place.

That you think a few OTAs is more important than a college degree makes me question your priorities

[DCBoysfan]

If he drops out he still can't join the team. Otherwise players would be dropping out all over the place.

That you think a few OTAs is more important than a college degree makes me question yCour priorities


This^^^^^

[kmp77]

If he drops out he still can't join the team. Otherwise players would be dropping out all over the place.

That you think a few OTAs is more important than a college degree makes me question your priorities

You can question whatever the %@!$@# you want. I don't know why you even had to throw that jab in there. Always one person like you have to throw in some insults to other posters. Good job man. If that makes you feel better then so be it.

And this is his job. Or he's trying to make it his job. Just sad school can interfere with you trying to move on and start your career. And it was just a question. Not like going back and taking a few classes is a big deal anyway.

[AbeBeta]

You can question whatever the %@!$@# you want. I don't know why you even had to throw that jab in there. Always one person like you have to throw in some insults to other posters. Good job man. If that makes you feel better then so be it.

And this is his job. Or he's trying to make it his job. Just sad school can interfere with you trying to move on and start your career. And it was just a question. Not like going back and taking a few classes is a big deal anyway.


Actually "going back and taking a few classes" can be a huge deal. If these are courses in his major designed for seniors, they are going to require knowledge and understanding of all the material that came before it. It isn't like that knowledge just stays there. It fades quickly if you don't use it.

When players don't graduate, it reflects poorly on their schools. Particularly when the player is going to a small school like Eastern Washington. "Gee, thanks for paying for my education for four years ... I'm bailing on my last few weeks. I don't need you anymore."

Johnson started a "job" at Eastern Washington. Good for him for finishing it.

[burmafrd]

This is stupid. There are a lot of players that go back years later and get their degrees. If he cannot make it in the NFL now he can go back.

THE POINT is that he is a player who needs all the OTA and such that he can get to MAKE THE TEAM.

And this is a serious disadvantage to him.

And like was pointed out- most of the degree programs most football players at the major college level are on are not anything to write home about.

[unionjack8]

lets be quite honest Johnson is 95% certain to make this team. Its hardly a deep position on our team.

[arglebargle]

This is stupid. There are a lot of players that go back years later and get their degrees. If he cannot make it in the NFL now he can go back.

THE POINT is that he is a player who needs all the OTA and such that he can get to MAKE THE TEAM.

And this is a serious disadvantage to him.

And like was pointed out- most of the degree programs most football players at the major college level are on are not anything to write home about.

The Point is that these are the NFL rules. They put them in to stop players dropping out immediately upon getting drafted/picked up by NFL teams. The NFL thinks it would look bad. And it would certainly bring more focus on the NCAA being the unpaid farm league for the NFL, which could also bring it's own troubles.

Sucks for Johnson, but if he is any good, it won't stop him.

[burmafrd]

The Point is that these are the NFL rules. They put them in to stop players dropping out immediately upon getting drafted/picked up by NFL teams. The NFL thinks it would look bad. And it would certainly bring more focus on the NCAA being the unpaid farm league for the NFL, which could also bring it's own troubles.

Sucks for Johnson, but if he is any good, it won't stop him.

Does not mean that it is right. There are a lot of NFL rules that are for PR purposes only and have no real substance to them.

What this basically means is that possibly vital training time is taken away from these players when they need it the most.

[rocyaice]

lets be quite honest Johnson is 95% certain to make this team. Its hardly a deep position on our team.

Wait a minute now. Those numbers are pretty high. It may be a concern but as of now he is not even guaranteed to make the roster.

[arglebargle]

Wait a minute now. Those numbers are pretty high. It may be a concern but as of now he is not even guaranteed to make the roster.

IIRC, not many fourth rounders get cut after training camp their first year on any NFL team. Haven't run the odds recently, but he has a very good shot of making the team, regardless of when he gets back to practice.

[arglebargle]

Does not mean that it is right. There are a lot of NFL rules that are for PR purposes only and have no real substance to them.

What this basically means is that possibly vital training time is taken away from these players when they need it the most.

Yeah, it is probably a PR stance. Tough. You fight the wars with the weapons you have, right? It's not like its a special rule only applicable to a few teams, ala 'spirit of the salary cap'.

The NFL also does have to consider the NCAA opinions in this.

[speedkilz88]

Wait a minute now. Those numbers are pretty high. It may be a concern but as of now he is not even guaranteed to make the roster.
Have you seen any of his play in games on youtube? Have you seen the Cowboys other safeties? Dude is making the team.

[Risen Star]

IIRC, not many fourth rounders get cut after training camp their first year on any NFL team. Haven't run the odds recently, but he has a very good shot of making the team, regardless of when he gets back to practice.

He would have to really be lost in camp to not make the team this year, I agree.

[AbeBeta]

You act like he's studying to become a doctor or engineer. :rolleyes: Most athletes major in lightweight subjects like marketing, finance, kinesiology, etc. Those degrees are utterly worthless in the real world.

He's a Mathematics Education major who is likely to graduate with honors.

[Hostile]

He's a Mathematics Education major who is likely to graduate with honors.:laugh2:

[Illini88228]

The point of the rule is to keep teams from pressuring kids to drop out. It's a laudable idea. The average NFL career is less than 5 years, and most don't make a fortune doing it. The rule protects marginal players who don't have a great chance of making a roster, but might very well drop out to try to give themselves a better chance. And you might say that's their choice, but a system with that option quickly looks like "voluntary mini-camps" the players who don't drop out would be at such a disadvantage that the pressure to do so would be overwhelming. This gives them a chance to finish out their degree so that they have a much better chance of finding alternate employment when they wash out.

BTW, not that I majored in it, but finance is a very real degree that a lot people use to get into investments/banking before they go back to get an MBA. And, the people I knew in college who majored in it were some of the smartest people on campus.

Accusing every athlete of getting a blow-off degree is just another form of the dumb-jock stereotype.

[casmith07]

Well this thread has been eye-opening.

[speedkilz88]

The point of the rule is to keep teams from pressuring kids to drop out. It's a laudable idea. The average NFL career is less than 5 years, and most don't make a fortune doing it. The rule protects marginal players who don't have a great chance of making a roster, but might very well drop out to try to give themselves a better chance. And you might say that's their choice, but a system with that option quickly looks like "voluntary mini-camps" the players who don't drop out would be at such a disadvantage that the pressure to do so would be overwhelming. This gives them a chance to finish out their degree so that they have a much better chance of finding alternate employment when they wash out.

BTW, not that I majored in it, but finance is a very real degree that a lot people use to get into investments/banking before they go back to get an MBA. And, the people I knew in college who majored in it were some of the smartest people on campus.

Accusing every athlete of getting a blow-off degree is just another form of the dumb-jock stereotype.
That is a fallacy pushed by the nflpa that arrive at the number by including college players that had a cup of coffee in the nfl and showed they did not belong.

[Risen Star]

That is a fallacy pushed by the nflpa that arrive at the number by including college players that had a cup of coffee in the nfl and showed they did not belong.

Great point. That's exactly what it is.

If you have NFL ability, you're not having a 5 year career unless it's cut short by injury.

[Illini88228]

But, college kids who proved they can't cut it are the ones the rule protects the most. It doesn't matter that real careers last longer because early minicamps aren't attended by only people who are going to have full careers.

[DallasEast]

You act like he's studying to become a doctor or engineer. :rolleyes: Most athletes major in lightweight subjects like marketing, finance, kinesiology, etc. Those degrees are utterly worthless in the real world.He's a Mathematics Education major who is likely to graduate with honors.This is pure gold.

[DallasEast]

Yep, a lightweight degree. Just as I suspected.
Mathematics majors helped put man on the moon.

Either this is trolling or a cry for help.

[pgreptom]

Sigh; I guess some people don't read Cowboy news in the offseason. This happens almost every single offseason. It's not a big deal, if the guy is smart enough to graduate college with a mathematics degree.. he's probably smart to be delayed a few weeks on OTA's.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Yep, a lightweight degree. Just as I suspected.

You're right. Stochastics, linear algebra, differentials, and topology are easy. :rolleyes:

[Hostile]

Yep, a lightweight degree. Just as I suspected.Do you have any idea how bad you painted yourself? My guess is none whatsoever.

[casmith07]

Do you have any idea how bad you painted yourself? My guess is none whatsoever.

Told you the thread was eye-opening.

[morasp]

It could be worse, we could be the Colts. Stanford is also on the quarter system. As far as getting the degree it's a no brainer, he needs to finish his education for a number of reasons.

[Phrozen Phil]

Told you the thread was eye-opening.

This is the kind of thread that appears after the draft and before training camp. There's not much to talk about, so even issues that we would not normally worry about will raise their questionalbe heads. I'm waiting for more of the "June 1st cuts" that will not occur.

For the record, I want every player to graduate. NFL careers are more often short, but the college education you can get will last the rest of your life. Hopefully, you can use both to mkae your life better. I'm not worried about a few weeks of OTA's. If he's a football player, it will show.

[myslamsareolder]

Do you have any idea how bad you painted yourself? My guess is none whatsoever.

He is a troll. :bang2: