While the Oakland Raiders sit at 6-4 through their first 10 games of the 2019 season, it hasn’t been easy as the team has seemingly been surrounded by drama all year.
Whether it be Antonio Brown‘s release, Vontaze Burfict‘s suspension or a number of different key players getting injured, it always seems like there have been distractions surrounding the Silver and Black. Credit to the Raiders though as they have been able to overcome it all and are in the mix for a postseason berth in the AFC.
If they do make the playoffs, they will be without Burfict as he was suspended for the entirety of the season due to a helmet-to-helmet hit in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts. The hit itself wasn’t that bad, but because he is a repeat offender, the league made an example of him and suspended him for the rest of the season.
Burfict has gotten a label as a dirty player, but in his short time in Oakland, there has been nothing but positive things said about his play on the field and his leadership off it. He was the Raiders’ defensive captain and signal-caller, which made that loss that much tougher to overcome for a young team.
While Burfict’s contract only lasts through this season, he is planning on returning to the Raiders next year when his suspension ends, via Vic Tafur of The Athletic:
“Yeah, I’m coming back,” he said, “The NFL can’t kick me out like that. They are going to have to kill me. I am too strong for that. …
“I didn’t do s— wrong, I hit a tight end. It could have been a fine, whoopy-de-doo. But there’s people out there assaulting people with helmets. That’s an assault with a deadly weapon.”
While Raiders head coach Jon Gruden wouldn’t commit to Burfict returning to the team next season, he was understandably upset about the suspension and stated that he hopes to get the chance to coach him again:
“I’m appalled by (the suspension), ticked off by it, but what can I do?” Gruden said in a conference call. “He came in and did everything we asked him to do. What happened to him was unprecedented in the history of football and I hope someday we get to coach him again.”
It is clear that Gruden is building a culture in the Raiders organization and it seems like he wants Burfict to be a part of it next season.
