Coach Dennis Allen minced no words Tuesday in response to agent Jerome Stanley's accusation that the Oakland Raiders are setting Terrelle Pryor up for failure by turning back to him as the starting quarterback for the season finale at Denver.
"First is, I'd say that's the stupidest thing I've ever frickin' heard," Allen said. "This isn't the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. This isn't made-for-TV drama. This is football."
Allen insists the quarterback switch is a "coach's decision" based on his assessment that Pryor gives the Raiders the "best chance to win" this week.
The Raiders coach then labeled Stanley's comment "ignorant" and emphasized that this is a time to "separate player from agent."
Placed in an awkward situation by his agent, Pryor said he and Allen are "on the same page" after a Tuesday discussion. Pryor further distanced himself from Stanley, stating that he never once considered that Allen would factor in anything but winning games.
It's easy to side with Allen on this issue. As we pointed out in Tuesday's "Around The League Podcast," he's fighting for his job. Sabotaging Pryor isn't exactly high on his list of priorities.
Faced with a passel of quarterbacks that raise more questions than answers, Allen has acted on the same impulse that leads most NFL coaches to stick with the hot hand.
Stanley can't be blamed for looking out for his client's best interests. By going public with outlandish accusations, though, the agent has failed to accomplish that goal this week.
*The latest "Around The League Podcast" broke down every Week 16 game. *
