Dominate the Super Bowl-Chapter 1569 - 1568: By Any Means Necessary

Adrian Peterson, Dez Bryant, Randall Cobb, Jimmy Graham, Jason Witten, Kyle Van Noy, Stephen Gostkowski, Jamal Adams, Calais Campbell, Frank Gore.

And so on, and so forth.

These noteworthy names all appear on the transfer list, not as ordinary players, but truly talented and capable players, yet their names populate the trade list amidst the league-wide arms race, showcasing the determination of the entire league.

Moreover, beyond these names, there are more sensational ones, perhaps not up to the likes of Brady and Watt, yet still stir waves throughout the league.

Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams running back, just two years ago was the highest-paid running back in the league, then refused to stand shoulder to shoulder with Le’Veon Bell in fighting for more benefits for running backs, arrogantly believing himself to be a special exception, yet was abandoned this offseason, transferring to the Atlanta Falcons.

Emmanuel Sanders, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver, performed brilliantly at the Super Bowl stage earlier this year, once again shining under Shanahan, yet still failed to earn his contract, and this offseason transferred to join the New Orleans Saints, set to become Brees’ passing target.

Nick Foles, the "Saint Nick" of the Philadelphia Eagles from the fifty-second Super Bowl, after a short stint transfer to the Jacksonville Jaguars, packed his bags again moving to the Chicago Bears, where he will strive for a true professional career under coach Nagy’s command.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, in the face of interests, no player can be an exception, as the whole league operates at high speed.

However!

In this storm, despite the invisible barriers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers demonstrated their determination and tactics, proving their relentless pursuit.

Antonio Brown, after a series of scandals and chaos with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders, and New England Patriots last season, is notorious, and no one is willing to give this exceptionally talented superstar wide receiver another chance, until Brady extended the olive branch.

When Brown confirmed joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the league gasped: Brady makes unscrupulous means for victory, even if stained with scandal like Brown, still dares to take him under his wing, all for the Super Bowl pursuit.

Analysts say, one of Brady’s biggest discontent in his last two years at New England Patriots was Belichick’s disregard for the offensive group, selling off each wide receiver regardless of their state or capability fluctuations, leading to Brady inevitably reworking the wide receiver’s coordination every time.

But the problem is, Brady isn’t Big Manning, he needs capable wide receivers to respond, he needs the wide receivers to rely on their own ability for more yards, leading to Brady’s production capabilities cliff-diving in the past two seasons, facing a desperate situation with no available options.

Therefore, after joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brady’s first promise fulfilled is a talented receiving team.

Apart from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ own top-tier wide receiver Evans, Brady has pulled a retired Gronkowski back to the professional field, followed by roping in notoriously infamous Brown, creating a formidable receiving lineup, its paper strength piercing the skies, truly daunting.

And this is still not the end.

Brady also needs a running back, a powerful running back, a running back who can relieve pressure and break the stalemate in ground combat.

This time, Brady sets his sights on Li Wei—

After all, who can ignore Li Wei?

Precisely because Li Wei is an enemy, a rival, Brady needs to acknowledge Li Wei’s ability as the only correct way to defeat him.

However, it’s not Li Wei himself, but the three drivers of the 2016 NCAA, capable of par with Li Wei’s pace:

Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey.

Unfortunately, the altogether rebuilding Carolina Panthers refuse to completely tank, McCaffrey is viewed as non-tradeable, unwilling even to discuss.

Numerous attempts by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to strike a deal failed, instead, it was the Carolina Panthers showcasing decisiveness, and an upcoming four-year McCaffrey just completed negotiation a year early, over a four-year, sixty-four million US dollar contract retaining McCaffrey.

Despite the sixteen million US dollar annual salary not surpassing Li Wei, the running back market slightly warmed yet ultimately failed to completely break shackles; yet McCaffrey still showcases his comprehensiveness and talent, evidently becoming league’s running back twin stars with Li Wei.

Thus, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ target shifted to Fournette.

Once upon a time, Fournette firmly believed he was the 2016 NCAA’s strongest running back, drafted right after Li Wei as fourth overall, a recognition turned into humiliation, persistently sharpening his skills to prove himself on the professional field—

He would be a better running back than Li Wei, he would be the one disrupting the league to achieve greatness, those honors should belong to him.

But the result?

Not just Li Wei’s three consecutive Super Bowl crowns, even McCaffrey has fully surpassed, while Fournette remains awkwardly stationary.

Now, everyone knows Li Wei and McCaffrey in the league, yet nobody remembers one of the three drivers, Fournette.

Evidently, Jacksonville Jaguars feel the same way—

Jacksonville Jaguars refused to execute Fournette’s fourth-year contract option, unsuccessfully seeking a trade, announcing Fournette’s release.

Fournette, overnight became unemployed, facing worse plight than Newton, after all, quarterbacks still have a bit of a market; but running backs?

Youth in a bowl, once losing a job, returning to the league proves mountainous.

The past two years, from Li Wei to McCaffrey, from Henry to Barkley, running backs fully erupting, this position once disregarded, despised throughout the league revived, repeating consecutively regular season MVP achievements, in some ways more impactful than three consecutive Super Bowl crowns. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

After all, Super Bowl is the jewel in the crown, but regular season is the foundation of all.

Everyone lamented, running backs have regained their foothold, from Kansas City’s Cheating Motion to San Francisco 49ers’ modern outside zone offensive system, everything is granting running backs more value, forthcoming running back values will escalate substantially, ushering in a new era.

However, all just an illusion—

McCaffrey’s contract ultimately failed to surpass Li Wei, Fournette directly cut, sweepingly thrown into the trash pile tarnished.

This too was unforeseen for Fournette, aspirations turned into nothing, worse yet, hardly anyone truly concerned.

No one cares.