Departures in the NFL don't often go like this: the head coach and general manager who made the decision to release the quarterback are holding back the tears. And, the quarterback who was let go, is bawling his eyes out in front of the media core.
That was the scene Friday in Carolina as the Panthers and Breaux Bridge's Jake Delhomme parted ways.
Few athletes in any sport are as universally respected as Jake. He's respected for his just plain common decency, his honesty, and his tenacity. Friday, Delhomme said what few athletes would every say: the other guy (in this case, Panthers quarterback Matt Moore) played better than me. Said Jake of 2009, "I had a bad year."
Delhomme's fall from grace in Carolina was swift. The Panthers were the two seed in the NFC playoffs in 2008, but lost their divisional playoff game at home to Arizona. Delhomme played terribly in that game, a trend that continued in 2009. Delhomme threw 23 interceptions in his last 12 games as a Panther.
Delhomme, 35, says he plans to continue to play.
Jake Delhomme represents one of the biggest personnel mistakes in Saints history. If Delhomme had started the final 3 games of the 2002 season, in place of an ailing Aaron Brooks, Jim Haslett's Saints would likely have made the playoffs.
Jim Haslett wasn't the first coach to understand estimate Jake Delhomme. At Tuerlings Catholic, Delhomme performed brilliantly. The big schools spurned him. He starred at Louisiana-Lafayette.
Delhomme signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997. He was cut several times. He also played in NFL Europe.
Delhomme, 35, says he plans to continue to play. Comebacks are part of Delhomme's DNA. As the sting, wears off, he'll be preparing for yet another.