It was over a decade ago, but after five seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, defensive back Antrel Rolle hit free agency. He had his best season with the team in 2009. He was moved from cornerback to safety and had a Pro Bowl season.
He signed with the New York Giants following the season, but the Cardinals wanted to bring him back.
Although Rolle did go into negotiations with the team, he knew he was not going to come back to Arizona.
He spoke about it on the All Things Covered podcast with former Cardinals cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Bryant McFadden.
Rolle, the team’s first-round pick in 2005, was taken out of the starting lineup in 2007 when Ken Whisenhunt became head coach. Rolle didn’t like it and also didn’t like how he had been used as a cornerback, playing mostly off the ball.
He accepted his role and made plays in 2007. He had five interceptions and returned three for touchdowns, playing a little bit of cornerback, some nickel and some safety.
Rolle never doubted he would become successful in the league.
“I was going to find my way, no matter what,” he said.
He made the move to safety in 2008 so he could be around the ball. He became an impact player for two seasons, helping the Cardinals win their division and make a couple of postseason runs.
“Once they started letting me get around that ball, they started to figure out who I was,” he explained.
However, free agency came after the 2009 season and he knew one thing. He would not come back to the Cardinals. He wanted to, for lack of better words, stick it to Whisenhunt, who didn’t believe in him initially.
“There wasn’t anything personal, but it was personal,” said explained. “I said if I ever got the chance, one day I’m going to make him beg me. So when that free agency came around, I got my wish.”
The Cardinals tried to re-sign him. It didn’t matter.
“They could have offered me the house. Honestly, I wasn’t going back to Arizona just because of principle,” he said. “I felt a certain kind of way, I wasn’t going back to Arizona. My mind was made up before any of the negotiations even started.
“I felt like I wasn’t really given a fair shake. and then I ended up making my way and now you want me to stay.”
He would go on to be a Pro Bowl-caliber player for the remainder of his career with the Giants. After making it to the Pro Bowl for his last season with the Cardinals in 2009, he would make it two more times.
Initially viewed as a disappointment as a first-round cornerback, he went on to be a solid player for many years.
Had Whisenhunt used him differently in 2007 or believed in him from the start, he might have had a long and productive career with the Cardinals instead of with the Giants.
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