A former four-time All-Pro and Super Bowl Champion, Simeon Rice has never been short on talent or short on opinions. The most decorated pass-rusher in Arizona Cardinals history and possible Pro Football Hall of Famer still isn’t afraid to share his thoughts on any topic.
Thursday morning he weighed in on a number of them, including NFL owners approving a new national anthem policy where players must stand on the field during the anthem or have the option to remain in the locker room if they prefer.
“Nothing surprises me at this point,” Rice said to Sports360AZ.com’s Jordan Hamm on ‘The Brad Cesmat Show.’ “Nothing new under the sun surprises me because everything is in play. [The NFL] doesn’t want to be involved in anything political. They don’t want to be involved in anything subconsciously, socially. They try to separate themselves and they’re trying to deter players from having a voice, from speaking out.”
According to Rice, who registered 122 sacks and forced 25 fumbles during his decorated 11-year career, the league is all about two things: making money and continuing to grow.
He calls the NFL simply “a business.”
“When I played for the Arizona Cardinals I was a very outspoken person on anything, on every issue that was going on,” Rice bluntly explained. “Because we live our lives as community people. We live our lives as people coming from these neighborhoods, from these places where things are happening and no one is paying attention. You try to speak out and you try to demonstrate just to give people who doesn’t have voices a voice.”
On the gridiron Rice made plenty of plays as an edge pass-rusher whose specialty was getting into the backfield and causes chaos.
Asked if he sees himself in any of the current NFL elite defensive ends, Rice’s initial answer was brief.
“Nope,” he said without hesitation before explaining his answer. “I have to say my consistency. You have to be consistent. Over a decade of dominance and just bringing it year in and year out…a defensive end that can actually win you games. I just don’t see that.”
Good to see some things never change.
