There is no reason for anyone to not like now-former Miami Dolphins guard Robert Hunt. As he moves on, his life just changed.
Hunt signed a massive contract at the onset of free agency. He will go from a rookie 2nd round contract to one of the highest-paid offensive linemen in the NFL. He will earn as much as $100 million with $63 million guaranteed. That’s an NFL lottery ticket.
The small-town kid has made his dreams come true but he also knows that Miami Dolphins fans were sad to see him go so he took to social media to say thank you.
The NFL is not an easy thing for fans. One team wins the Super Bowl each year and half of the league doesn’t make the playoffs. Some teams are perennial losers while others are winners. For fans, it’s not enough to just be a fan, we can’t get attached to players as they are gone as quickly as they arrive.
The Dolphins lost three players that gave everything they had to the team. Heart and soul type players. Christian Wilkins is the eternal optimist and sideline cheerleader. Andrew Van Ginkel whose heart and drive to play the sport elevated his game far above just his talent. And, of course, Hunt.
The loss of Robert Hunt stings. The contract is something Miami simply couldn’t do but what is hard is the fact that Hunt, until last year, was the most consistently healthy player the Dolphins have had on the line the last four years. He was the absolute best linemen Miami had at least when Terron Armstead wasn’t on the field.
The Dolphins extended Austin Jackson after half a season playing well. Yet it was Hunt who turned down whatever contract the Dolphins offered him and banked on himself. He won. His contract is massive and deserved given the rising salaries of the NFL. It’s hard to imagine an NFL guard getting paid $100 million but if anyone deserves it, Hunt did. He earned it. Quitely and consistently.
And he took the time to tell the fans thank you!