Is Randy Moss's comeback bid realistic? Sure it is

Editor’s Note: Randy Moss represents the zenith of Marshall University football. But those players who came before Moss are the connecting links between the football program’s past and its glory years of the ‘90s. This is especially true for those football athletes from the late ‘60s/early ‘70s. The group from that era was the genesis of what was to come in later years. Had it not been for the recruiting scandal of ’69 and the tragic plane crash the following year, it’s safe to say that the Thundering Herd would have made its mark on college football way before the 1990s.

       Randy Moss is making a comeback to pro football. When the former Marshall star and future Hall of Fame wide receiver retired last August, I never believed he would stay gone for long. My guess is that he could have still been in the NFL this past season. What it came down to is that Moss wanted a bigger paycheck and those teams who showed interest declined to meet his salary requirements.

       This time, things figure to be much different. Some team will sign Moss if the price is right. Translation? Whatever salary amount Moss is offered will not be on the high-side of the pay scale.

       If Moss sincerely wants to get another shot at playing pro ball, he will gladly accept the NFL minimum paycheck. For a player with his length of tenure, that would amount to $925,000 a year. That’s not super-star money by any means, but it’s much better than zero, which is what he earned last season when he wasn’t under contract. To help ensure that Moss is adequately motivated to play his best, any contract he signs should be performance-based. With enough incentives added to his contact, he would have the opportunity to match or exceed his base salary if he meets the contract’s criteria for earning bonus money.      

       Yeah, sure, Moss is 35, which is considered ancient for a pro football wide-out. Moss, however, has never been your typical NFL athlete. At 6-feet-4 inches 210 pounds, he may not be as fleet on his feet these days. But that’s all relative. In his youth, Moss could run 4.2 seconds in the 40-yard dash all day. Now he’s a tad bit slower, probably runs in the 4.3s, which by the way still a lot faster than most NFL defensive backs.

       But just as importantly, he’s never suffered any major injuries during his 12-year career. The knees, legs and ankles are OK, which means he’s good to go.

       If Moss can produce and be a model citizen, he could be around for another two seasons, maybe three. If that turns out to be the case, you can expect Moss to make a serious run at Jerry Rice’s all-time receiving records...