Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman made some bold claims in a recent interview with ESPN.
Everyone knows Josh Norman isn’t shy about voicing his opinions. If there’s something on Norman’s mind, you’re gonna hear it. During his breakout campaign last season, you couldn’t go a day without hearing some sort of trash talk from the former Carolina Panther.
After signing a deal with the Washington Redskins that made him the league’s highest paid cornerback, Norman feels even less constrained. In a recent interview with ESPN, Norman explained how now that he’s a Redskin, he can say whatever he wants. “In Washington, it feels like everybody can say whatever they want,” said Norman. ” It’s a free-flowing kind of place. It’s like going from a dictatorship to freedom.”
The Pro Bowl cornerback was asked to tone down the trash talking in Carolina. That doesn’t seem to be the case in Washington. Norman didn’t take long to take his newly-found freedom and run with it. During the interview, Norman seemed to be taking target practice at anyone he felt deserved some trash talk. Calling Carolina a dictatorship seems almost nice compared to the other things Norman said.
““In Washington, it feels like everybody can say whatever they want,” said Norman. ” It’s a free-flowing kind of place. It’s like going from a dictatorship to freedom.”
Norman was just a sniper in a bell tower during the interview, taking out his targets one by one. The targets ranged from Demaryius Thomas, who he shut down in the Super Bowl, to the NFL’s policy on big hits. He even claimed society as a whole has gone soft.
He, unsurprisingly, brought up the other half of the NFL’s newest rivalry, Odell Beckham Jr. Even though he admitted the Giants wide receiver was talented, he called out his maturity. “But he’s never been through any adversity in his life. It’s like, when are you ever going to grow up?
The pure, unadulterated hatred between the two division foes began last year when Norman and OBJ combined for 5 penalties during the Panthers’ victory against the Giants. Beckham received a one-game suspension for his actions, while Norman was slapped with a $25,000 fine. That was apparently while Norman was on a leash in Carolina. These Norman vs. OBJ match ups might make McGregor vs. Diaz look like a pillow fight.
OBJ wasn’t the only NFC East rival that was hit by Norman’s barrage of insults. Norman shared his excitement when talking about Sam Bradford. “Have you ever once been one of the top 20 quarterbacks in the league? Not that I remember,” said Norman. “And you want more money? I can’t wait to play him twice a year”.
No one was, and will be, safe from Norman’s verbal jousts. Not even Commissioner Goodell. He saved his harshest words for the man who runs the league he plays in. “I get that he makes the owners money, but literally anyone could do that. A dog could. He’s a dog in a suit … horrible straight horrible.”
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Nothing says “freedom” like calling the head of your league a dog in a suit.
If this is any indication on how this season is going to go, fans should break out the popcorn every time Norman has a mic in front of him.
Norman proclaimed himself the best cornerback on earth. That might be up for debate, but at least we all now know who the loudest cornerback on earth is.