Even after multiple setbacks, Trent Richardson believes there is a career for him in the National Football League. A former first round pick of the 2012 draft, he’s been bounced around the league with one productive season to show for his work—his rookie year in Cleveland.
Poor performances, a lack of focus and a knee injury caused Richardson’s training camp sessions with the Oakland Raiders and Baltimore Ravens to be unsuccessful. The word “difficult” is a mere understatement when describing his transition to the professional game, especially after a dominant run he had at Alabama.
He felt joy under head coach Nick Saban and that emotion led him to 3,860 career yards from scrimmage and 42 total touchdowns in three years (2009-11). During the 2011 season, Richardson held the world in his hands. He would set the Crimson Tide’s single season rushing record—1,679 yards and 21 touchdowns—while garnering the status of an All-American, SEC’s Offensive Player of the Year and Doak Walker Award winner.
Richardson was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and the catalyst behind a 21-0 win over LSU in the 2012 BCS national title game (2011 season). In talking with Mike McCoy, ex-Tide receiver and Co-founder of Warehouse Performance Institute, he said the two-time national champion has regained his excitement for football.
“Trent’s explosiveness is back,” McCoy said last week. “He’s back to being competitive.”
McCoy, who has trained numerous NFL players, welcomed Richardson back to his gym in Bessemer (Ala.) in December. According to McCoy, the two have put together a process that helps Richardson remember what gave him the passion for football to start with.
“The program we have here is called RPM, which stands for Resolve, Method and Purpose,” McCoy said. “He (Trent) and I even wrote down the 10 commandments for Trent Richardson, and in this lies what Richardson deems as most important to him.”
With mentoring and educating comes tough love and for McCoy, he often has to remind Richardson that he’s here on assignment: to prove he belongs among the best in the NFL.
“I’m always on him about being on time,” McCoy said. “You have to be respectful of people’s time, especially when you are dealing with coaches in NFL.”
Though he’s 25 years old, Richardson is grasping leadership concepts from McCoy. When his former teammate isn’t getting on him about things, Richardson is demanding the youth at the Warehouse to come with a motive.
“Just seeing him help these kids is a beautiful thing,” McCoy said. “When he sees somebody not giving effort, he is on their butt. When he sees someone crying, he wants to find what’s wrong.”
The Pensacola, Fla., native received some good news in regards to his playing career. Following his release from the Ravens in August of 2016, Richardson underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.
Per McCoy, renowned orthopedic surgeon James Andrews has cleared Richardson for contact.
A few playoff teams have stated interest in acquiring him and despite McCoy not revealing any names, he said he would not be surprised if Richardson got a call in the coming weeks.
Along with aiding Richardson, McCoy was involved in helping Blake Sims return to the NFL.
The former Alabama signal caller and 2014 SEC champion inked a contract for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad on Monday.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
