President Asked To Intervene To Help Undrafted Bucs Free Agent
June 20th, 2021
This doesn’t happen every day.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio, whose wife was a Miami Dolphins cheerleader, is stepping in with a desire to change the Buccaneers roster.
More specifically, Rubio is urging the United States President, aka the military Commander in Chief, to grant a waiver for Navy cornerback Cameron Kinley to delay his military service so he can re-join the Bucs.
Kinley was in Bucs rookie minicamp and performed well enough to be welcomed to mandatory minicamp with Tampa Bay veterans in early June.
However, the Navy pulled the plug on the Naval Academy graduate and class president just prior to minicamp. It was a surprise, and a stomp to the groin of Kinley’s football dream, as many past military grads have received waivers to play professional sports and then later start/resume their military careers.
Ever since, Kinley has been on a bit of a national public relations tour expressing his love for the Navy and his frustration at the inconsistency of the decision to take him off the football field.
Rubio says it’s all unfair and wants action from the highest office in the land. You can read his full letter to the President here.
“Mr. Kinley is not seeking to terminate his commitment to the Navy,” Rubio noted. “He wishes to promote service to our great nation from one of the country’s largest stages. I implore you to right this wrong.”
Joe hopes Kinley gets his shot with the Bucs. What’s the harm?
June 20th, 2021 at 9:48 pm
Wow, that is awesome to hear that Rubio is going to bat for this young man! Hope it works out in his favor and he gets a fair shot to achieve his dream of playing professional football!
June 20th, 2021 at 10:02 pm
Kinley made a commitment. He should keep it. Where I come from, a person’s word means something.
June 20th, 2021 at 10:30 pm
+1 Show me
June 20th, 2021 at 10:46 pm
If you make him stand up to his commitment then so should all of the other athletes that have delayed their commitment to military services
June 20th, 2021 at 10:48 pm
The harm is to the man or woman that did not get into the Naval academy because Kinley did. To bad for him but he made a commitment knowing the consequences. Do you have any idea how hard these people work to get these appointments? Obviously, you don’t.
June 20th, 2021 at 10:58 pm
Sorry to disagree. The young man is not trying to get out of his commitment, he is asking for a delay in entry on active duty. That happens lots of times every year for a number of reasons. Many former Academy grads from all three military academies have already been given that delay. What is the justification for denying this one?
June 20th, 2021 at 11:06 pm
Kinley better walk carefully if it’s not already too late for his military career. This new ‘woke’ military is not likely to take this pressure lightly and will remember him.
June 20th, 2021 at 11:08 pm
I’d get my 4yrs done now bcuz were gonna be at war w/ china
June 20th, 2021 at 11:37 pm
Good for Rubio and I hope that Biden does the right thing and grants Kinley a waiver. He’s not trying to get out of his service commitment, just delay it. If someone has got a chance to make millions of dollars, I feel like they should be given the chance to do so, like so many others before them. Making the rules governing the waiver process crystal c!ear can only help and also make recruiting much easier for our armed forces as well. If Rubio and Biden can get that little thing worked out, I’d despise politicians just a little less for at least a year. 😛
June 21st, 2021 at 6:25 am
As an extremely pro-service commenter here I passionately disagree w the people who say “tough luck.” The kid is still going to serve when his NFL dream in completed (which could still be this year btw.) and more importantly—-the “tough luck” crowd would have more juice if it weren’t for guys like Pat Tillman and others who served during or after their NFL days or got waivers.
If there’s a waiver policy. Then it should be applied uniformly and not on the whims of some a$shat political hack in a uniform.
June 21st, 2021 at 7:25 am
It seems to me, President Biden has far more important issues to deal with. He doesn’t strike me as someone who likes to butt in where sports is involved, unlike 45, whom stuck his nose into just about everything so you all would be talking about him.
June 21st, 2021 at 8:46 am
There is a long precedent of military academy players given the opportunity to play in the NFL.
June 21st, 2021 at 9:04 am
Amazing that some just can’t still get it. This isn’t about getting out of his military commitment. It is about being treated the same that many other guys have been, in having their commitment deferred.
June 21st, 2021 at 9:06 am
For all those worried about him sticking to his commitment, that is not what is in question (this it’s called a deferment). We aren’t on the verge of needing a draft right now, so I don’t see the immediate need.
Putting all that to the side… What I keep thinking about is all of the funds that our military branches put into marketing and recruitment efforts.
A story like this clearly hits more ears and hearts than some of those commercials.
If you were to try and quantify the financial consequences of this story, I highly doubt denying this man’s deferment is worth it.
June 21st, 2021 at 9:06 am
Pete…in any war with China or Russia, we won’t need many folks in the military. It would likely be quick and extremely painful for everyone concerned, with long term ramifications.
June 21st, 2021 at 9:30 am
JB, the current president always receives a script for what he’s allowed to say and do. Our dummy in chief is a disgrace.
June 21st, 2021 at 9:34 am
Trump put in place a directive that allowed deferment of service to any service academy athlete who was drafted to play pro ball.
Keyword “drafted.”
Kinley was not drafted, ergo, the DoD does not have to defer his service.
Big difference between drafted and free agent.
Kinley knew the rules before he signed onto a service academy.
Would I like to see him given a shot? Yes. Do I care if he is not granted a waiver because of his non-drafted status? No.
June 21st, 2021 at 10:16 am
Maybe the first and last useful thing Rubio has ever done.
June 21st, 2021 at 10:19 am
Wow! Some of you guys are just d*cks, why not allow the man the chance to play football just as others have done in the past!?! Seem kinda butt hurt some of you just weren’t good enough to earn a shot so now Nobody deserves a shot… SMDH!
June 21st, 2021 at 10:34 am
Rubio does not understand the commitment he made with the USN… stay out of it Little Marco
June 21st, 2021 at 10:48 am
I really don’t get this. Pro Football is an occupation. If his dream was to be an actor and he had a chance to try out for a role in the new Tom Hanks movie, should he be allowed to defer and do it? We all love Pro Football, but at the end of the day, it’s just another occupation, like serving in the Navy.
June 21st, 2021 at 10:52 am
Biden could declare it as “infrastructure” and include it in his next bill!
June 21st, 2021 at 11:35 am
Agree, KYBUCFAN. A lot of hard asses on here.
June 21st, 2021 at 11:40 am
I dont see a problem with letting him show up to camp. Undrafted for a reason. Not likely to even make the team. Definitely have bigger problems if we have to worry about this kid playing for us.
June 21st, 2021 at 1:26 pm
He volunteered and took money from the United States Military Now he should man up just like Roger Stauback
Did and do his time, then he can Play games with his life if that’s what he wants to do. That’s what’s wrong with this country. Listen football is not as important as the military, so do you’re duty first.
June 21st, 2021 at 1:33 pm
People should learn some reading AND comprehension skills crying he needs to honor his commitment! He’s not trying to terminate his commitment to the Navy simply to delay it in order to play in the NFL like the four other guys who didn’t have their requests denied and others before him. To say he harmed someone because of his scholarship is outright ridiculous. I’m sure of the reason why you said that. Look Kinley held 3.34 gpa while playing football so it’s obvious he wasn’t there just for a free ride. I wonder how many of the people who complain about keeping his commitment have ever shown their commitment to their country and served in one of the armed forces of America. If they haven’t they should keep their opinions to themselves!
June 21st, 2021 at 5:24 pm
I wonder how many of those wanting to deny this man a chance in the NFL themselves took draft deferments during the Vietnam War to finish college. Similar circumstances I think.
June 21st, 2021 at 8:41 pm
Good Job Rubio!
June 22nd, 2021 at 12:21 am
Why not give this man a deferment,,it’s a once in a lifetime chance, I was in the military and I believe every man should go into military this world will be a better place but this is his dream,,, he’s just asking for the deferment,,he’s still ganna honer his commitment
June 22nd, 2021 at 9:34 am
Bucc-em-up, shut-em-up he still has not taken back his word simply asking to do what many others have had done allow him to play his youth on sports and while still in his prime serve his country. If we wind up in a war situation I’m sure he will do like Tillman and answer his call for now what is the harm in allowing to live his dream playing football. Rubio is not the only Florida legislature high up that is helping him out therefore a very few share your view……. Just think about how many future recruits will skip going to a military University knowing that if they make the NFL they won’t have the chance to play
June 22nd, 2021 at 3:00 pm
Medicated Pete Says:
June 20th, 2021 at 11:08 pm
I’d get my 4yrs done now bcuz were gonna be at war w/ china
^^^Buddy… we already are China.