Najeh Davenport was b**ch slapped by the Pittsburgh Steelers roughly three months after being acquitted of domestic violence against the mother of his five year old child.

 

No one needed a crystal ball to see this one coming…

 

Davenport signed with the Steelers in 2006 as a back up to the ever fabulous Willie Parker. Unfortunately, Davenport never lived up to the team’s expectations. He had his moment to shine in the final two games of the season once Parker’s season ended on crutches. He didn’t shine, he didn’t even glimmer. He actually did not do a lot of anything.

 

If I had had the opportunity to talk to Najeh it would have gone something like this, “Seriously Najeh, your career and livelihood are brought to the forefront. Your actions will make or break you. Common sense would say figure it out. Be unpredictable in your running game. You only get one chance.” I think that pep talk would have been just what he needed because he didn’t seem to have that mindset at all. Instead Davenport went straight into Jacksonville defenders 16 times for a whopping 25 yards and then followed it up the next week by allowing Baltimore to hold him to 27 yards on 12 attempts.

 

After the sub par showing and an almost not quite there post season the Steelers organization sat back and pondered. The team could not place the fate of another season on Parker’s legs. They decided to incorporate a “who to defend” running game. You know, the Fred Taylor-Maurice Jones-Drew system that kicked Pittsburgh’s behind more than once last season. Until Parker broke his leg he led the league in yards rushing but mainly becasue the entire rushing game rested on his shoulder (pads).

 

Enter Rashard Mendenhall. Willie Parker’s very own Jones-Drew. The Pittsburgh Steelers new running sensation. Najeh Davenport’s kryptonite. If the Mendenhall first round draft selection didn’t burn than the blatant stab of picking up Mewelde Moore to return kicks had to have. That leaves Davenport sitting on the bench contemplating what might have been.

 

Instead of paying Davenport a cool mil to not do what he was hired to do, the Steelers canned him. They made a valiant effort to trade him but no dice.

 

What will Davenport be doing in just over 3 weeks when Steelers training camp officially begins? Hopefully he will be picked up by a team (he is eyeing the Lions and the Cardinals) and learn from the mistakes of the past. Slap the Steelers around and they will slap back!

 

Becky

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