The running back position in the NFL has been going through some drastic changes recently, with teams around the league no longer valuing the position as much as they used to, with players not getting any long-term job security nor being paid what they’re worth.
This latest development, which has been coming for a few years now, could change how players see the position and may prevent players from wanting to play in the backfield in the NFL.
One player that made the transition from a wide receiver in college to a running back is Antonio Gibson of the Washington Commanders, and he had some interesting things to say when asked if he could go back, would he stay at wide receiver or still make the change to play the running back position?
Kay Adams asked Gibson this question on the Up And Adams Show, with the Commanders star giving a surprising answer.
“If I had the choice, I’d probably stay at receiver,” he said.
Antonio Gibson played WR in college before switching to RB. Would he do it differently now given what is happening to the RB position?
"If I had the choice, I'd probably stay at receiver."
📺: @FanDuelTV | @heykayadams | @AntonioGibson14 pic.twitter.com/IQeitlyOdK
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) August 2, 2023
It would be interesting to see if there was a poll taken of players that have changed their position to running back at some point in their career if they had not made that change in retrospect due to how backs are treated in the league today.
It’s safe to assume most players in a scenario like Gibson’s probably would’ve stayed catching passes downfield rather than being handed the ball in the backfield, as they would have been paid more for a more extended period while also saving their bodies from the brutal toll that backs can take in the NFL.
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