Todd Gurley may not be on good terms with the Los Angeles Rams right now due to the dispute regarding the money he’s apparently owed by the team, but that won’t stop him from helping out his potential replacement.
Gurley, now a member of the Atlanta Falcons, is taking Rams rookie running back Cam Akers under his wing after Los Angeles spent a second-round pick on the Florida State product. Gurley doesn’t necessarily feel the need to help him on the field, but he wants to guide him off it.
On a recent episode of the Uninterrupted podcast, Gurley explained why he wants to be a mentor of sorts for Akers, even though they’re not on the same team.
“Just because of whatever I have going on with the Rams don’t make me upset or want to bash or downplay another man. He’s making his dream come true just like I made my dream come true in 2015,” Gurley said. “They went and got this kid in the second round so I just want to be able to tell him or show him early the way to move and then everything that comes with L.A. There’s so much opportunity out here.”
Gurley has spoken repeatedly about the business opportunities that come with playing in Los Angeles, which is why he said he’ll still spend the offseason in Southern California despite not being a member of the Rams.
He wants to show Akers those off-the-field opportunities and put him on the right path, hoping to get the rookie started business-wise even earlier than he started himself.
“He’s going to be a running back in the L.A. market, he’s going to be scoring touchdowns, he’s going to be making plays, so I want him to be able to be on the same type of thing I was on – but even more and on an earlier stage,” Gurley said. “Everyone’s talking a big game saying they’re going to do this or do that – it’s just about helping the youth whether they made it or not. Just like when people go back in the community and do community work. How about reaching out to the guy that’s coming up that just got drafted or the guy that don’t know anything and tell him because he just made his dream come true, so it’s like, why not make this guy even better?
Gurley knows how talented Akers is and fully expects him to succeed in L.A. on the field, largely because of the supporting cast around him. But that doesn’t mean Gurley can’t still mentor him during the offseason and help him develop relationships with those outside the game of football.
“Obviously he’s got to focus on the field and stuff like that, and that’s going to take care of itself,” he said. “He’s going to be with a great offense, he’s going to be making plays. He’s got JG, he’s got Robert Woods, he’s got Cooper Kupp. So he’s got the opportunity right there in front of him, so I just want him to maximize it and take off, really.”
Rams fans may not have the most positive view of Gurley right now with this contract dispute going on, but there’s no doubt this is a nice development from the two-time All-Pro.
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