Thumb Flashbacks Painful For Freeman
February 5th, 2011
It’s so easy to recall the Race to 10, LeGarrette Blount’s punishing runs, Barrett Ruud’s embarrassing tackling, and Josh Freeman putting the Bucs on his back with 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions last season.
But it’s easy to forget that Freeman had a broken thumb in the preseason and was adversely affected by the injury during the regular season.
Yes, he is human.
Freeman, who recently turned 23, was asked to reflect on the thumb during an interview Friday with the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig of WDAE-AM 620. Freeman explained that the busted thumb got in his head.
Steve Duemig: How much did that thumb stop your progression early in the season?
Josh Freeman: “More so than anything, it didn’t allow me to get into my comfort level until a few games in. …I’m telling you man, our preparation in the offseason, you gotta love it. I felt like I was ready to go, to take on the world. And then you have the thumb injury and then you start to kinda question, ‘Am I going to be back? Is this thing going to hold up? Is this all for nothing?’ …The training staff and the doctors did a good job not letting me get after it too quick. Because, you know, it’s like an addiction of mine. Not being able to throw the ball, having a cast on your thumb, you know you want to just go throw it. I wanted to throw left-handed after a little while.
Joe finds Freeman’s choice of the word “addiction” interesting. Clearly, Freeman is obsessed with football and greatness. That can only be good, unless he goes overboard.
Regardless, hearing of Freeman feeling vulnerable and uncomfortable at the start of the 2010 season gave Joe a new level of respect for the kid. The Bucs did start 2-0, and clearly he wasn’t 100 percent mentally.
February 5th, 2011 at 11:02 am
Hearing him call it an addiction is actually a little worrisome to me. I’ve actually wondered in the past if he might burn himself out eventually. You know, like just over do it to the point where he just gets sick of football. I hope that never happens, but just like anything in this world…it is easy to form an unhealthy over indulgence of football. I hope Rah, Olsen, and Van Pelt are paying attention and making sure he doesn’t over do it. I mean he is a 22 year old kid. He still needs to enjoy his life and have fun once in awhile or he will burn out.
February 5th, 2011 at 11:21 am
His passion for Football is unbelievable! I think he will be fine. Payton Manning said he was a Studyaholic his first 3 years, then it became more about timing, and knowing his teammates. This young man is really going to have this team in the SuperBowl hunt for years to come.
February 5th, 2011 at 11:26 am
Loved the quote when he first got on air with Duemig
Duemig: What are you doing here in Dallas?
Freeman: Well, I want to take in the festivities this year since I plan on playing in this game the next few years.
Love it
February 5th, 2011 at 11:44 am
There is nothing better than being obsessed with your craft and wanting to do everything it take to be the best. Josh is on his way. Man, I love this kid. He is the bomb.
Que Thomas, enter and screw everything up, unabashed hate on top of pure cow dung.
February 5th, 2011 at 11:46 am
Freeman=football=greatness
February 5th, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Listening to him, I’m kind of torn about the draft. The intelligent part of me wants to see 2 DEs and 2 LBs in the first 4 rounds. But the fun part says draft a TE,A dominant RT, A fast Lil RB, and a LG. And just make this offense so dominant, that Defense will just be that brief time between us scoring!!
February 5th, 2011 at 12:09 pm
Eh, let him go overboard.
Our last Super Bowl winning QB was pretty obsessed. Id be money he yelled out audibles during sex.
February 5th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
@Capt. Tim I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see them address OL in the first two rounds.
February 5th, 2011 at 12:23 pm
You could tell at the start of the season that the thumb affected him. Go back and look at the film, the Cleveland and Carolina games he was shot-putting the ball a little bit. He didn’t start totally gripping and ripping until after the bye-week at Cincinnati. This just makes his season that much more impressive.
February 5th, 2011 at 12:23 pm
I much rather my QB be addicted to football rather than consider it a job! I think it’s safe to say that all great football players are addicted to their craft. Burn himself out!? That’s laughable!
February 5th, 2011 at 3:49 pm
HEY IM ALL FOR HEALTHY ADDICTIONS TO THINGS LIKE GREATNESS…
ADDICTION IS ONLY A PROBLEM WHEN ITS TO THINGS LIKE TOUCHING YOURSELF TO YOUR JON GRUDEN POSTER.
THOMAS…YOU KNOW WHO IM TALKING ABOUT!!!!!
February 5th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
Reading a little too much into a word in an interview…don’t ya think?
February 5th, 2011 at 4:25 pm
When you do what you love, it’s not a job. It’s a passion. Since I started making money doing what I love, I have never worked another day. I see this spirit in Josh Freeman.
February 5th, 2011 at 4:34 pm
Well said, TrueBlood. I never “worked a day as a professional musician. Have worked a lot of days since.