Not paywalled.
Kid is making strides on the field still believe he and Campbell will be the starters next year if not by end of the season.
From the article:
During the first two years of Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes’ career, he questioned whether he belonged in the NFL.
“Early in my career, I think I lost sight of myself and my confidence,” Barnes said. “I had to sit back and regroup, think about how far I’ve come. I’ve been doubted my whole life. I kind of felt, at one point, I didn’t deserve to be in this league, that I wasn’t good enough.”
…
He texted his position coach, Kelvin Sheppard, after midnight on draft night, expressing those doubts. Sheppard didn’t sugarcoat the situation, but he assured Barnes no matter how much money a player was making or where they were drafted, Sheppard intended to run his room as a true meritocracy. He challenged Barnes to make it undeniable he deserved to play.
…
The fact the team stuck with him through his ups and downs — not only continuing to believe in his abilities, but giving him a true shot to earn back playing time — has meant the world to Barnes.
“Man, it’s something different here,” he said. "I know I haven’t been anywhere else, but you talk to a lot of guys in this locker room, and it’s not like this everywhere. It’s not like you can get every opportunity. Even the guys on the practice squad. When you’re in Detroit, you’re not just on the practice squad; you’re waiting for your name to get called to go play.
“It meant a lot to me and it really showed me what type of people Dan (Campbell), Brad (Holmes) and coach Shep are,” Barnes said. "Did I have doubts? Yeah, I thought there was no way I’d be able to come in here and start over a guy who started last year or a guy we just drafted in the first round. I got in my head a little bit about that, but when I sat back and thought about who I am
Seems as though Dan and the coaching staff wasn’t really the problem all along.
Derrick doubted himself before he even got to Detroit, the coaching staff built him up and got him prepared to play. The End.
Hopefully you can stop with your conspiracy theories and crazy talk now.
Where did you read that’? The article stated “Early in my career, I think I lost sight of myself and my confidence.
AND During the first two years of Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes’ career, he questioned whether he belonged in the NFL.
Not before he came to Detroit, it was definitely while in Detroit and playing for the Lions that he lost his confidence. You can believe what ever reason you want, but the truth is there were players playing in front of him and consuming all the snaps that fed into the loss of confidence. I assured Derrick that I still believe he was the best linebacker on the team, he just needed to believe that himself. However that is hard to believe when you have other linebackers,( for whatever reason) playing in front of you.
Derrick Barnes was a very confident linebacker coming out of college.
Conspiracy theory is your term not mine, and anyone that states I used that term is a liar.
I don’t think anybody is accusing you of using that term. However, it’s pretty obvious from the outside in, listening to you over a period of time… that’s exactly what you were positing as a theory.
Whatever the case, it’s in the past, and I think everybody here is excited with how Derrick Barnes is playing now.
you didn’t use the term “conspiracy theory” yourself…
but you did call Anzalone a “pet” of the coaches….
and did say MCDC was playing “favorites” by playing Anzalone….
even though several posters pointed out that Anzalone wears the green dot and it is normal for players wearing the green dot to not leave the field.
Now… Barnes is openly crediting the coaches for playing the guys who earn it…. regardless of draft position.
His own words contradict what you have argued on this forum.
Everything that has happened in traing camp, week 1, and now this story clearly show you were wrong about Barnes not getting fair treatment.
I am thrilled Barnes has earned the job, and looked really good in week 1 against the Chiefs. I want him and Campbell to beat Anzalone out for the top 2 LB spots! That would allow the Pions to have Anzalone take a pay cut in year 3 of his deal… or possibly even move on from him.
You do know Barnes and Rodrigo both wore the green dot in the first game yet Anzalone out snapped all the other linebackers 2 to 1. Do you really think Anzalone is that good? I don’t. I stand by my statements about Anzalone for 75 % of the first two years. He got better last year near the end of the season and that was a product of his numerous snaps. You can whine conspiracy theory all you want about MY OPINION, that will not change it.
[quote=“RickOShea, post:9, topic:26064”]
I don’t think anybody is accusing you of using that term. However, it’s pretty obvious from the outside in, listening to you over a period of time… that’s exactly what you were positing as a theory.
Whatever the case, it’s in the past, and I think everybody here is excited with how Derrick Barnes is playing now.
[/quote
I was not posting any theory just my opinion on an opinion forum.
Quote from Barnes himself, before practicing down 1 @Cap: He texted his position coach, Kelvin Sheppard, after midnight on draft night, expressing those doubts. Sheppard didn’t sugarcoat the situation, but he assured Barnes no matter how much money a player was making or where they were drafted, Sheppard intended to run his room as a true meritocracy. He challenged Barnes to make it undeniable he deserved to play.
Barnes was filled with self doubt, our staff groomed him into an NFL LB.
We have heard that Barnes had been struggling with the mental part of the NFL game. Glenn is not going to undermine himself by putting inferior performers on the field, that’s not how coaches keep their jobs.
Anzalone is the coach on the field that Glenn knows he can trust to see the same things as he did. You know, because Glenn knows he works in the Not For Long league. Trust is critical.
I really think that’s the beginning and the end of it. Now Barnes has caught up and is earning more trust.
We agree on the doubt, but what you are missing is that the doubt was created by the coaches, playing a six round draft choice in front of him and drafting a linebacker in the first round will create doubt. I never doubted that Barnes was the best linebacker in the room, long before he got the starting nod this year, why do you think that was. I KNEW THE PLAYER AND HIS ABILITY REGARDLESS OF THE COMMENTARY AROUND HIM.
As far as grooming Barnes groomed hisself. You guys make these coaches out as being gods. They are not.They didn’t get their act together until the second half of last season. Barnes played due to injury, it had nothing to do with the coaches having a higher opinion of him. They were forced to play him and he played well. The same thing is going on with Houston, the coaches don’t value him the way that should. He is one of the best defenders on the field. These coaches also made a mistake trading Swift. So while you are giving them all this praise I think they are an injury or two away from another disastrous season. There is no Belichick on this coaching staff ALL BEGINNERS who have made numerous mistakes along the way, That’s reality. Campbell is lucky he didn’t get fired during that losing stint, other coaches on other teams would have and did. So don’t preach to me how great this coaching staff is, they are JUST TURNING THE CORNER.
