Should the Minnesota Vikings take a chance on Isaiah Wilson?
By Adam Carlson
There is no denying that the Minnesota Vikings need some help on the offensive line. The team entered the offseason with two guard spots up for grabs and created a gap with the release of offensive tackle Riley Reiff.
Former first-round pick Isaiah Wilson was recently released by the Miami Dolphins three days after trading with the Tennessee Titans for his services. The offensive tackle was a standout at Georgia and had the potential to be a powerhouse right tackle in the NFL.
Sadly, things haven’t worked out well for the lineman. According to the Miami Herald, lifestyle choices have forced teams to move on from the big blocker after he refused to get assistance in dealing with his problems related to attendance, including being late for his physical and orientation as well as skipping two workouts he committed to attend.
Should the Minnesota Vikings give Isaiah Wilson another chance?
Second and third chances can do wonders for people trying to get their life on track. Fans have seen players like Cris Carter and Brett Favre overcome alcoholism and drug addiction to become members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. However, the case with Wilson is a little different considering his history of alcohol and legal issues from his college football days.
Although he has an immense amount of talent, there is no point in signing a player who isn’t able to be on the field. The pattern of behavior exhibited by Wilson shows a player who was perhaps thrust into fame and financial freedom at a young age and couldn’t resist the life of partying that can be enticing to people who enjoy the attention that comes along with having money and popularity.
Even with a great support system in Minnesota, it would be pointless to sign Wilson until he is willing to get his life back on track and focus on football and improving his station in life. Until then, giving him another shot would only be feeding into the problem and not allowing the six-foot-six offensive lineman to realize his NFL future is crumbling around him.
A personal story
Alcoholism has always been a part of my family. My dad was an alcoholic. My grandfather was an alcoholic. I am an alcoholic. I haven’t had a drink in a little under ten years now, but I will always be an alcoholic and know how much of a grip that lifestyle had on my life.
I had a lot of success at work early in my life. While working at a casino, I was promoted into a management position within a year while hiding my problems with alcohol. Despite my attempts to hide it, the lifestyle consumed me and I was going to parties all the time and getting blackout drunk even if I had to work the next morning. When I was at work, I was making mistakes because my focus was on what bar I would be going to that night or who would be coming over to play cards and have some drinks.
Eventually, this behavior led to my dismissal from the casino. I was furious at them for letting me go and fell deeper into the hole of depression by adding drugs to my routine with alcohol. Rock bottom finally hit when I couldn’t get a job in my small community. Word of my reputation had spread and I couldn’t even get a call back when turning in an application to a gas station. I lost my apartment and my girlfriend in the meantime while focusing on drowning my emotions.
Two years later, I still wasn’t working and crashing on my sister’s couch. I made the decision to stop drinking and start getting my priorities straight. With no job and no prospects, I applied for a hobby job here at The Viking Age as a blogger and was denied the first time. After applying a second time a few months later, I was accepted.
TVA gave me the opportunity to prove I had changed without knowing anything about my past with drugs and alcohol. I still am thankful every day for that chance because it verified that I made the right choice to clean up my life and let me understand why the casino fired me the way they did.
What should it take for the Minnesota Vikings to be interested in Wilson?
Isaiah Wilson is massively talented, but until he makes the decision to make a change in his life, the color jersey that hangs in his locker is irrelevant. Tough love can be hard but he needs to want to make the necessary changes to be on the field for whatever team gambles on him. Until then, he needs the support of family and friends to help point him in the right direction.
This is a sad story that surprisingly doesn’t happen more often in the NFL. Coming across popularity and money in your early 20s is a dangerous situation for some people who are more prone to addictions. Let’s hope Isiah Wilson can decide to make positive changes in his life to put his NFL career back on track before thinking about bringing him to the Minnesota Vikings.