NFL: Inside Dillon's Head

Trying to read Corey Dillon is like trying to read the New York Post: Why bother? You have no idea if what you're reading is reliable.

First, word broke from the Boston Globe that New England Patriots running back Corey Dillon wanted out of his contract and was leaning towards retirement. Now, espn.com is reporting via John Clayton that his agent is looking forward to talking to other teams.

Dillon himself is quoted as saying he wanted to be able to play with his kids in ten years, instead of being a broken down, hobbled old man. Basically, he wanted to be Tiki Barber and Robert Smith and not, say, well I can't think of any running backs who can't play with their kids.

He is also quoted as saying he may one day feel the itch to play again, a la Michael Jordan in his second comeback, but states that currently football is "the furthest thing" from his mind. That's no surprise, I suppose, as like the rest of us, he's probably too wrapped up in the Anna Nicole Smith saga to think about anything else.

Saj, I want your read on the situation. Is he planning on staying retired? Is he positioning himself for a starting job on another team? Does he secretly hate his heir apparant: Laurence Maroney? Does he despise Coach Belichick's grueling practices, fearing he'll end up like Ted Johnson? Is he trying to retire while his agent wants one more payday? So many possibilities. What do you think?


Way to slip in the Anna Nicole Smith thing, we're gonna get tons of hits that last less than three seconds. I can't wait. Anyway, Corey Dillon: he definitely sees the writing on the wall. Maroney is the back of the future and Dillon won't get the carries he wants to get or thinks he deserves. So he's gonna try to leave. He doesn't want to retire but he also didn't want to look like the disgruntled older back that was complaining about playing time.