Scott Adamson, Author at Adamsonmedia.com

An NFL farm system

A few years ago – following the death of the Alliance of American Football and before the birth of the 2020 XFL and 2022 USFL – I pondered the possibility of a traditional minor league football system for the National Football League.

And when I say “traditional,” I mean something along the lines of Major League Baseball farm clubs and NBA G League teams, franchises that play at the same time of year as the parent clubs.

**Scott Adamson writes stuff. Follow him on Threads @sladamson1960 and Adamsonmedia on Facebook.**

As a fan of spring pro football, I’m glad the United Football League exists and look forward to its return in 2025. However, it’s an offseason venture, not in-season. And to get the most bang for its buck, an NFL-sponsored circuit would require affiliates that share a similar competition schedule.

I started thinking about this again after my favorite NFL team, the New York Jets, signed Adrian Martinez of the UFL champion Birmingham Stallions.

Martinez earned MVP honors while leading the Stallions to their third consecutive spring football crown, and it’s great that he landed an NFL job. But the job of a practice squad player is just that – to practice. Barring an injury to a QB on the 53-man active roster, he won’t be playing in any actual games.

But an NFL farm team could encompass all of the main club’s practice squad members (up to 17) and put them in actual competitive situations.

As I wrote before, these squads would not only be a good proving ground for rookies, but give playing time to backups and paying jobs to a lot of guys who otherwise would be out of football work after training camp. I’d think it would be relatively easy to put together a 40-man per club developmental league roster.

Each NFL team would have one minor league team, and from a marketing standpoint, those “junior varsity” teams could benefit from big league branding. In other words, the Brooklyn Jets could share colors and similar logos to their big league affiliates who play at MetLife Stadium. Same would be true for the Albany Giants, New Haven Patriots, Des Moines Bears, Raleigh Panthers, etc.

And of course, it would be necessary for the offensive and defensive schemes to replicate those of their NFL counterparts – made easier by the fact that they’d hold joint practices.

In my original NFL “G League” plan, I had it divided into four, eight-team quadrants (North, South, East and West) that played regional slates to keep expenses down.

Teams in each quadrant would meet each other twice over the course of a 14-game regular season, and then the four quadrant champions could advance to a four-team playoff.

And to be a functioning farm system, the season would need to run (mostly) concurrent with the NFL schedule. Start it maybe two weeks after the NFL season begins in order to put rosters together.

If games were played during the week, farmhands would be ready for a “call-up” at any time, so if the New York Jets found themselves in need of a lineman for Sunday’s game they could pluck one from the Brooklyn Jets.

This would be perfect for quarterbacks – and not just guys like Martinez.

In most cases, a second-string NFL QB will see very little action during the season and the third-string signal caller won’t see any at all.

Build a developmental team, and the understudies could receive meaningful minutes in actual games, while players coming back from injury could get reconditioned.

Additionally, it would make for a great laboratory in terms of testing safety features, new rules, in-game technology, etc.

I think it’s a great idea, if I do say so myself.

But …

It would most likely be a money-losing proposition. And even though the average value of an NFL team is $5.7 billion, owners would still want to see a positive return on their “D-League” investment.

The reason the USFL and XFL were able to morph into the UFL – and why this brand of football is expected to return for its fourth consecutive season in 2025 – is because it attracts eyeballs. Other than St. Louis in-game fan support is pretty weak, but If you’re passionate about watching football from the comfort of your couch (yet the calendar says April), this Triple-A organization gives you a fix.

But where would the minors fit in during the fall season? That’s when fans already have an embarrassment of riches with the NFL, college and high school football. And thanks to ESPN, you can catch a game virtually any night of the week.

Would fans tune in to see the Spokane Seahawks play the San Jose 49ers on a Wednesday night? I would, but I’m not confident there’d be a huge appetite for it.

And with Power Five college football now NFL Lite, the sport’s biggest league already has a feeder system it doesn’t have to pay for.

While many sports have longstanding minor league pipelines, football has gotten along rather well with just the college-to-pro model.

I don’t really expect that to change. However, if it does, I promise to watch – especially when those Brooklyn Jets hit the gridiron.

Senior Trip

The big blue charter bus hissed and sighed as it eased to a stop in the huge parking lot at Myra’s Country Kitchen and Olde Town Store. The comfort food restaurant chain was a popular stop for travelers, and the one just off the interstate outside Memphis was where members of the Flowing Water Retirement Community were disembarking.

The group of 24 older adults had left Atlanta before dawn on their way to Branson, Missouri, for a quick getaway. Once there, they’d enjoy an evening of entertainment courtesy of Yakov Smirnoff, and partake of all the chicken and waffles they cared to eat (plus limitless refills of iced tea) during his live performance. The next day would be a “play day” where they were free to take advantage of everything the Ozark town had to offer.

Each year Flowing Water sponsored similar trips, all designed to give residents a chance to get a change of scenery. Not all took advantage of such junkets, though.

Carter Shelton had lived at the complex for the past three years. He was friendly – Carter greeted everyone with a smile – but in many ways he didn’t fit in.

Flowing Water provided daily lunches, exercise classes, movie nights – the activity director, Midge Masters, did a terrific job ensuring that the residents had access to more than just the comforts of home. It was, indeed, a good place to live.

Carter, however, kept mostly to himself and steered clear of group activities.

He had moved into a second floor apartment three years earlier, and spent most mornings walking the grounds, putting in earbuds and listening to hard rock music or podcasts about comic books.

While the rest of the residents – many in their late 70s and older – looked and dressed the part of “senior citizens,” Carter was partial to graphic T-shirts and bright-colored sneakers.

It wasn’t often you’d see a 75-year-old-man wearing a black, AC/DC tank top, silky basketball shorts and neon running shoes, but if you did, chances are it was Carter Shelton.

So, for Carter to agree to take a 650-mile road trip to see a 1980s-era comedian … well, it seemed out of character.

“Guys, we have about an hour for lunch and shopping, so don’t rush, but don’t dawdle,” Midge said as the group stepped off the bus and started making their way toward the entrance. “We ordered ahead and they’re expecting us, so we should all get our food pretty quick. We have tables set up in the meeting room. Be sure to check your number on the itinerary and the one on the table – that’s where you’ll sit.”

Carter hung back and carefully eyed the cars that were coming into the lot.

“Carter, you should probably go on in,” Madge said.

“Nah,” he said. “I’m just gonna wait on Betty.”

Although Midge had never engaged Carter in “deep” conversation, he often spoke of Betty, who he claimed to be an old flame from high school. He said his stay at Flowing Waters would be temporary and that she would “come pick me up one day.”

“You’re a long way from home, Carter,” Midge said. “And it’s been three years … don’t you think Betty would’ve come and gotten you by now?”

Carter smiled.

“Well,” he said, “she’s been busy, and we had to make sure the timing was right. During high school, while most of the kids went to the Gulf of Mexico for their senior trip, me and her drove up here to Memphis. Went to Beale Street, went to New Daisy Theatre and saw B.B. King – had the best time. B.B. ain’t with us anymore, but I suspect Beale Street is still Beale Street and there’s no place like the home of the Blues. Plus, there’s a rumor that Keith Richards is gonna play there tonight. She wouldn’t miss that.”

Midge had always enjoyed hearing Carter tell stories of his “wild” youth and adventures with Betty, but it was heartbreaking to think he had come all this way to meet someone who wasn’t going to show up.

Betty, his wife, had passed away, which was the reason he moved into Flowing Waters in the first place. Midge never brought up the subject, though; she didn’t feel it was her place.

“Carter,” she said. “Let’s just go inside. Here’s what I’ll do … I’ll leave your name with the hostess and if Betty shows up …”

“When …” Carter interjected.

“When Betty shows up, she’ll come inside and ask for you, won’t she? When she does, they’ll call your name and you can meet her up front. Deal?”

Carter nodded.

“OK,” he said. “But I’m sure she’ll be here soon. I texted her about an hour ago and she said she was on her way.”

Midge gave Carter a gentle pat on the back and just as she opened the door to the restaurant, a convertible pulled up – with the silver-haired driver waving with one hand and honking the horn with the other.

“There’s my ride!” shouted Carter, who jogged toward the silver Ford Mustang.

Midge fast-stepped behind Carter, who had already leaned over, kissed the driver, and moved to the passenger side of the vehicle.

“Midge, meet Betty,” Carter said as Midge looked on with surprise.

“Well,” Betty said, “I’m actually the ‘other’ Betty. I hooked up with a guy I met in college here in Memphis and this old reprobate ran off and got married to another woman named Betty. I guess he has a type. Anyway, now that he’s a widower and I’m a widow, it’s probably time we finished what we started back in high school.”

Carter strapped on his seatbelt and winked at Midge.

“She bought the gas, so I reckon I’ll have to buy the grass, just like the old days,” Carter said with a laugh. “Ya’ll have a fun time in Branson. Tell the gang we’ll see ‘em back in Atlanta – unless we don’t. The last time we were in Memphis we lost track of time.”

Back in his backyard

**Nathan Rourke will be behind center for the BC Lions as they face Winnipeg.**

One of the benefits of no longer covering live local sports is I’ve been able to devote more attention to the Canadian Football League, which I’ve been passionate about since the early 1970s.

Although I cast my lot with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats long ago, I’m one of those guys who finds something to like about every club. I want my team to win, of course, but I want the whole league to be successful. You know … a rising tide lifts all boats.

So, when things go bad for the Ti-Cats (with Saturday’s 47-22 beatdown by Edmonton, Hamilton is 2-8 and its season is circling the drain) there’s always something – or someone – to celebrate.

The BC Lions host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers tonight, and I’m celebrating the return of Nathan Rourke to the CFL.

Rourke, of course, is the Victoria, British Columbia, native who threw for 28 touchdowns and 4,035 yards during his first stint with the Lions in 2021-22; he won the CFL Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 2022.

Since then, the two-time Jon Cornish Trophy winner (while quarterbacking the Ohio Bobcats) spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2023), New England Patriots (2023), New York Giants (2024) and Atlanta Falcons (2024). He tried to parlay his CFL success into a career in the National Football League, and I genuinely hoped he’d stick the landing on football’s biggest stage. Unfortunately, the 26-year-old never saw action in a regular season game and was cut by Atlanta on August 11.

TSN’s Farhan Lalji reports that Rourke has signed a three-year deal with BC that will make him the league’s highest paid player in 2025 and 2026. He’ll earn $250,000 for playing the rest of this season, $749,200 next year, and $815,000 in the final year of his contract.

If another NFL opportunity comes along, it’ll have to wait.

“I wanted to be in a situation where I felt like I could move up,” Rourke said following Wednesday’s practice. “And there’s so few opportunities in the league. I think in ‘23 we can look back on that and see it as a success. I moved up, I was able to go to a team where I was the second guy, and that was an improvement from the beginning of the year. But (in 2024) there were tough situations with coaching changes and kind of moving around … I never really got settled.

“I was missing some reps and missing some opportunities.”

With starting quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. nursing an injury, his former team north of the U.S. border offered a new opportunity after a job with the Falcons lasted just 10 days.

“I felt like going to another (NFL) team would be a hard ask, and maybe not the best use of my time,” Adams said. “After that point, the suddenness of it felt like it was maybe best to start exploring other options if the NFL thing didn’t work out.”

America’s loss is Canada’s gain – again.

“The biggest thing is trying to get readjusted to the offense,” he said. “Obviously, I know this one. I learned it at some point, I was here for two years. But then this is also my fifth offense this year, so I’m going to have to forget a bunch of stuff to make room for this stuff. I love the Canadian game … I tell all my American teammates who have never seen the motions and stuff like that, it’s such a fun game, and there’s so much action to it.”

While I’m an American fan who admires the game from afar, it’s exciting to see a Canadian native excel at the QB position. The CFL has been in search of a national superstar signal caller ever since Hamilton native Russ Jackson retired in 1969.

But while Rourke is certainly a favorite son, Adams is hardly a throwaway. The 31-year-old (who played collegiately at Eastern Washington and Oregon) is second in the league in passing yards with 2,469 and tied for second in most passing TDs with 14. Back in February he signed a contract extension through 2026 after a 2023 season that saw him lead the league with 4,769 yards and connect on 31 touchdown tosses.

He was traded to the Lions from Montreal after Rourke suffered a foot sprain in 2022, and two years later Rourke has come in as Adams tries to work through an injury to his right knee.

“I’ve got the most amount of respect for V.A.,” Rourke said. “He’s such a pro. Ever since I’ve known him, when he came in for me in 2022, he was a pro. Everything he’s done up until this point, he’s been a pro about it. He’s that type of leader and type of person that I aspire to be in the locker room. He’s been great. I think the timing is good in terms of him not being 100 percent.

“We need him for this playoff run that we’re hopefully about to go on. We’re gonna need everyone healthy so I think let him rest and see what happens. I think he’s done a fantastic job, and I respect the hell out of him for it.”

BC coach Rick Campbell – who on Friday named Rourke the starter for tonight’s contest – dismisses any kind of quarterback controversy. With his team 5-4 – one point behind West leader Saskatchewan but losers of three consecutive games – the more quality QBs, the better.

“We’re looking out for the BC Lions, and we want to do what’s best for the BC Lions football team,” Campbell said. “And to have those two guys, both of them, on the same team, is an amazing thing.”

Once Adams returns to 100 percent, it’ll be interesting to see how things ultimately play out in Vancouver. I mean, having two elite quarterbacks vying for playing time is untenable long-term.

If Rourke decides to pursue another NFL job in 2025, Adams should return. If Rourke stays, Adams would go elsewhere (I’d love to see him in Hamilton – and not as a wideout like the Ti-Cats tried to make him in 2018).

But for now, I’m looking forward to watching Rourke play the three down game. And he’s looking forward to it as well, with no regrets about his NFL experience.

“I felt like I made the best decision for myself at the time,” Rourke said. “Obviously looking back, it was not what I thought it was going to be in terms of an opportunity or a competition. But that’s the nature of this profession and you know, it’s come full circle now.”