Uh
Not really? I think it got taken out of context and none of them have said any thing since he left. The only ex teammate I can find who talks bad about him is Sherman. That's it and he's a clown. He is my all time favorite on field player though too. For sake of argument it's possible some of them had an issue with his comments for sure. It seems like its the fans that don't like him not the players. I heard for years Baldwin hated him, he would've been pissed about the carrying the team comments right? Yet he just came out and spoke highly of him. I guess what I'm saying i keep hearing all these players hate him and yet we have almost zero evidence of it.
Uh, KJ has said a few times that what broke up the team was Russ's lack of accountability. He's said it on his radio segment. Cliff said the same. And the show of solidarity on the part of past players toward their old team/ coach when we played Russ... if that doesn't say enough, I don't know what does.
I think you expect them to need to outright hate him to validate the criticism he's now receiving. His former teammates are millionaires are living legends in their own right and have no need to tear Russ down further than he already is himself. Sherm said it best before the season when he was asked how he thought Russ would do in Denver. He said (paraphrasing) ' now we and he will finally see who was right all these years and who and what Russ really is... I'd he who he thinks he is or is he something less...'. They all know what the real deal is and who he is. He can still be their 'brother' with all of his flaws. That doesn't make him innocent.
For years it's been said where there's smoke, there's fire. And now, even though you can see the flames ,people still refuse to believe.
