Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy announces Citrus Bowl plans
With the Citrus Bowl being a letdown for Alabama’s usual trip to the College Football Playoff, many fans and media membered how many Crimson Tide star players, especially those NFL bound, would suit up for the game in Orlando against Michigan. On Friday night, star WR Jerry Jeudy shared his plans.
“I’m playing in the bowl game. There’s no reason to not play!!!!” Jeudy tweeted.
Jeudy, long projected to be UA’s latest South Florida speedster to get drafted in the first round, leads the Crimson Tide with 71 receptions for 959 yards and 9 touchdowns. At his season average of 5.9 catches for 79.9 yards per game, he should have no trouble passing the 1,000-yard mark against the Wolverines.
Nick Saban will certainly approve of Jeudy’s decision. He was recently asked about players sitting out bowl games during a Citrus Bowl media availability.
“(The players can) look at this as an opportunity to enhance their future by playing really well and maybe improving their draft status,” Saban said. “That’s what we’ll emphasize to our older players on the team. And they’ll all have a choice to make.
“When you have guys that don’t play in bowl games and they do play in the playoffs, that in itself tells you the view of the players in terms of how they look at the bowl game. Because we have made everything about the playoffs in college football.”
The Citrus Bowl is set for 1 p.m. ET on New Year’s Day, airing on ABC.
I’m playing in the bowl game. There’s no reason to not play!!!!
— JJ⁴ (@jerryjeudy) December 14, 2019
Good news for Alabama. That’s a good teammate. I look forward to him breaking the 1000 yard mark.
Good on Him!
Respect! Certainly understand them trying to protect their financial futures but respect this more.
Happy for Jeudy and Bama but it’s kind of sad that players nowadays have to announce that they are playing. Shouldn’t that be the expectation. I could see an injured player not playing, but otherwise, pad your stats!
Good deal. Glad he is playing.
Good to see some players still have some loyalty, regardless of what school they’re at. So far I haven’t heard of any SEC players sitting out. Proof that here IT JUST MEANS MORE.
Well said.
Truth! It just means more!!!! <3 love our conference and our guys!
I think i saw a couple florida players will
only one healthy UF player so far said he will sit out
Henderson at Florida is.
I can’t remember which writer was saying in an article (here on SDS) that there was no reason for stars going pro to play in Bowl games and I said he probably has never bonding with a group of men and doesn’t understand character…Jerry has character.
Great news ! This guy can run a route and snag that ball. Beat Big Blue !
Way to go JJ, shows you are a true teammate, and looking forward to playing one last time with your buddies! NFL can wait!
Good choice, bad reason (or lack thereof)
The brotherhood won’t financially support him if he tears an ACL, Achilles, dislocates his hip or incurs some other hazard that is inherent in football and decreases his earning potential. There’s a lot at stake for a consensus 1st round pick to risk injury to play in a game where there is a very small chance to enhance his draft status and I could better understand if Bama was in the playoff. Although Tyrone Prothro did not get injured in a bowl game, the severity of his injury costed him an opportunity to play in the NFL. Wills McGahee, Jake Butt, Jaylon Smith and others have gotten seriously injured and it affected their draft status and while it’s rare, compared to the number of players who actually get drafted, to have an injury that affects your draft status and draft potential, it’s not rare if it happens to you. He’s had three dominant years and I doubt there’s anything he could do to be a top 5 pick with so many teams needing QB’s and there are some to choose from so I hope he doesn’t get hurt nor any other draft eligible player who’s going to play in their bowl games.
DeAndre Baker said the same thing last year then backed out. I’ll believe it when I see it.
who cares either way
Props to Jeudy
To everybody complaining about players playing in a bowl game, stop for a second and actually think about this? You think most Alabama fans really care about playing in the citrus Bowl? I’m an Auburn fan and I’m going to watch the Outback but it’s not emotional like season play! But more important we’re talking about these kids futures and careers? How selfish is it for us as fans to critique a player for bettering himself maybe for his family? and you can’t say they’re probably not going to get hurt cuz we’ve seen it several times and can you imagine the devastation it causes a young individual? Maybe his family is depending on his possible professional career for support but these players owe us absolutely nothing? And I know we’re all crazy emotional fans but it’s kind of selfish on our part to criticize a player for sitting out an Outback Bowl? yes you can say can hurt the team or whatever but unless you’re playing in the national championship game I really don’t think it’s gonna hurt the team and maybe get up in front of the team and tell them your decision and why? That to me would mean more? If a kid is projected in the first round and gets hurt imagine what could come from that mentally? My opinion only but just think it’s so selfish for us to expect that after all they have given to us as we sit in the stands eating popcorn!
Good for Jeudy but Bama gonna go nut deep on Michigan anyhow even if they had their 2nd string in.