Vikings waive Randy Moss
Alex Marvez, FOXSports.com
21 minutes ago
Randy Moss sounded Sunday night like he would much rather still be a New England Patriot than Minnesota Viking.
He may now actually get his wish.
The Vikings shockingly waived Moss on Monday, less than one month after acquiring him in a trade with New England. Coach Brad Childress informed the team early Monday afternoon.
NFL Network first reported that Moss was waived.
Moss' release comes less than 24 hours after a controversial news conference following a 28-18 road loss to New England. Moss praised the Patriots repeatedly while taking a swipe at Vikings coaches and players for allegedly not heeding his pregame advice on how to best his former team.
Moss also specifically knocked head coach Brad Childress for unsuccessfully attempting to score a fourth-down touchdown from the Patriots 1-yard line rather than kicking a field goal at the end of the first half.
"No disrespect to the Minnesota Vikings and their organization ... But I miss (the Patriots)," said Moss, who refused to answer questions from the media during his five-minute speech.
Moss can be claimed by any team through 4 p.m. ET Tuesday provided that club is willing to accept the remainder of his $6.4 million base salary for 2010 (about $3.4 million). If unclaimed, Moss would become an unrestricted free agent.
Buffalo, the NFL's only winless team at 0-7, has first dibs in the waiver-claim process. New England would have the last shot at claiming Moss because the Patriots (6-1) have the NFL's best record.
It's unknown whether the Patriots have as much interest in a reunion as Moss. Patriots coach Bill Belichick never gave an exact reason why Moss was traded after three-plus seasons in New England, but it's believed there were concerns about potential volatility that would disrupt the locker room.
Moss, who is in the final year of his contract, had expressed his displeasure about the lack of an extension after a season-opening victory over Cincinnati.
Seeking a deep threat for quarterback Brett Favre in the absence of injured wideout Sidney Rice (hip), the Vikings acquired Moss for a 2011 third-round draft choice before the NFL's trade deadline.
Moss had 13 catches for 174 yards and two touchdowns in four games with Minnesota but made an even bigger impact on the players around him. In particular, slot wide receiver Percy Harvin has 19 catches for 287 yards and two touchdowns since Moss arrived.
Moss was limited to one reception for eight yards against New England but also drew constant attention from New England's safeties that helped free Harvin for a six-catch, 104-yard outing.
In a Super Bowl-or-bust season, the Vikings (2-5) had little interest in signing Moss to a contract extension but were desperate for wide receiver help after a deal with San Diego for Vincent Jackson failed to materialize.
Despite his reputation for selfish behavior, the 33-year-old Moss is considered one of the greatest deep threats in NFL history. He has 948 career catches for 14,778 yards and 153 touchdowns since entering the league with Minnesota in 1998.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.