Nico Breaks His Silence, Explains His Opt-Out Decision
After weeks of scouring Nico's Twitter feed for any word, he broke his silence on "The Adam Schefter Podcast." The recap of that interview is on the FREEP.
Good luck Nico and please send more Alabama WRs up to Ann Arbor.
October 20th, 2020 at 10:46 PM ^
Good luck, Mr. Collins.
October 20th, 2020 at 11:05 PM ^
Outside of losing actual games the underachievement of that WR class ranks right up there with the biggest what-might-have-been disappointments of the last ten years for me. And almost none of it was their fault. Such a bummer.
October 21st, 2020 at 12:08 AM ^
Martin was a huge bust. Got very overrated by a 7 on 7 performance.
Black played good one game, got hurt, and never did anything every again. Got a bad attitude to the point coaches let him walk. And now he barely plays at Texas.
Both Martin (massive bust) and Tarik (bust).
DPJ and Nico massively underused. Needed a better QB. Had none in 2017. Senior Patterson struggled half the year.
Both probably needed another year. Both decided to move on.
October 20th, 2020 at 11:26 PM ^
Fuck the freep!!!
October 20th, 2020 at 11:39 PM ^
If we were a team that had a good chance to win an NC, I think he would have come back. But no sense risking an injury playing for a team that will probably lose 2 to 4 games and end up in some bland bowl game with no fans. Good luck in the NFL Nico.
October 21st, 2020 at 12:35 AM ^
I wish someone would tell Rashod Bateman that.
October 21st, 2020 at 5:11 AM ^
If you don't believe in usa get bent.
October 20th, 2020 at 11:49 PM ^
Ahhhh. Man i wanted to see him just got nuts this year.
go get paid young sir and as always, hail!
October 21st, 2020 at 12:42 AM ^
It would have been great to have him but I wish him good luck. Not the easiest decision to make I'm sure.
October 21st, 2020 at 1:02 AM ^
Make the best decision for yourself. But if it was just to avoid injury, why did you not declare last year? Still shocked Nico stayed, then left again, but DPJ left early. Almost wish they'd just both declared.
October 21st, 2020 at 1:47 AM ^
Frankly, I don't see him going until around the 3rd round at earliest
October 21st, 2020 at 2:27 AM ^
I hope he has a monster combine and cashes in. Would have loved to see him on our sidelines one more year, but he did us proud in his time here. Good luck Nico!!
October 21st, 2020 at 5:09 AM ^
Fishing for likes much?
October 21st, 2020 at 7:04 PM ^
If that was what I was going for, I'd say I need to re-evaluate my tactics (and my life).
October 21st, 2020 at 5:08 AM ^
He signed with the biggest POS in professional sports this side of Don King. Just admit the fact. All your colleagues came back, you're the only one that bitched out.
October 21st, 2020 at 7:33 AM ^
U mad
October 21st, 2020 at 7:58 AM ^
NO! He’s Mad, Mad!
October 21st, 2020 at 8:41 AM ^
col·league
/ˈkälēɡ/
noun
plural noun: colleagues
-
a person with whom one works in a profession or business
Nico went to go get some colleagues, that’s kind of the point.
October 21st, 2020 at 5:54 AM ^
Joe Milton ≈ Cam Newton. . .
I'm so jaded. There once was a time I would by into the hype. . .
October 21st, 2020 at 6:32 AM ^
$$$$$. Don't blame him. Rooting for his buddies and the team.
Go Blue!
October 21st, 2020 at 6:33 AM ^
He is close to setting himself up for life. All the best to him.
October 21st, 2020 at 6:45 AM ^
As much as it stings, I don't think anybody had expected to come back for his senior year, so in the end it was great to have him for the time that we did, one of the best
October 21st, 2020 at 12:26 PM ^
Huh? I absolutely expected him to come back. He was going to be THE guy on the outside this season.
October 21st, 2020 at 7:07 AM ^
I can understand that and, frankly, I bet it was a hard decision. We often act like these are "no brainers" (whether that is to stay or go) but in real life this could cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars...maybe millions. On the other hand if he came back and it didn't go well or he got hurt that could change his career trajectory and cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars...maybe millions.
Wish him nothing but good health and prosperity.
October 21st, 2020 at 8:07 AM ^
I understand that metrics are mattering more and more. But still wondering about the wisdom of not putting more on tape to compare to these Bama receivers and others. Wonder how much influence the agent had. Hope he knows what he's doing.
October 21st, 2020 at 8:14 AM ^
I'm happy he's not playing with that attitude, I want players out there who are going to give 110% and not be afraid. Why would you not want to work and make yourself better, playing the game you supposedly love. Until the NFL counts this against players that are "soft" like this, it'll continue. But clearly he is soft, when players of higher caliber, that contribute much more are still playing. If they were really his "brothers" and he didn't put himself ahead of everyone else, he'd be out there with no "business decision" to make. Please stop recruiting players with this mentality. I'm Okay with being a "B+" player and "training" for the combine. I think the numbers below speak for themselves. Adios, dude.
2017-27yds
2018-632yds
2019-729yds
Total-1,388
Here's my edit because I do not understand the negs. Nico, best of luck. Thanks for all you did. You owe me nothing. I'm very happy with how things have gone for Michigan football the last twenty years or so since I was on the field celebrating with everyone and singing "The Victors" after defeating OSU in 1997 and then saw this team beat WSU at the Rose Bowl.
You're the toughest guy around. I hope you get all the participation awards you deserve. I hope you stay healthy while you're "training" because nobody has ever been hurt that way. Seriously though, please wrap yourself in bubble wrap, you've accomplished so much. Don't look to get better, ever, you've peaked for sure. Take care, buddy. Disregard all the other college players that are playing that have much more to lose. And your explanation of not playing an eight game season and ending a few weeks later than as was originally scheduled totally makes sense.
Opting out of bowl games is great too, right?!
1Braylon Edwards 3,541
2Anthony Carter 3,0761
3Jeremy Gallon 2,704
4Amani Toomer 2,657
5David Terrell 2,317
6Mario Manningham 2,310
7Roy Roundtree 2,304
8Tai Streets 2,284
9Marquise Walker 2,269
10Jason Avant 2,247
Please explain your negs because I'd like to have better "hawt" takes
Thank you, Nico!
October 21st, 2020 at 9:02 AM ^
Okay... This is the worst hawt take in this thread - by a country mile! You should spend more time at RCMB, you'll feel more at home over there...
October 21st, 2020 at 10:15 AM ^
How so? Please explain because I'm wicked confused. Sorry, I do not ever look at RCMB, puke. Or use "hawt".
October 21st, 2020 at 11:58 AM ^
You attack and shit on a player because he made a decision you don't like. You are the worst kind of fan - a front runner that only looks at now.
October 21st, 2020 at 12:16 PM ^
Thank you, one step closer to becoming a "true" fan. My teams are the Red Wings, Lions, Tigers, Lions, and all Michigan sports. Hardly a front runner, if you know what that means. More stupid, illogical, nonsensical bs from a "true fan". Enjoy your 3rd place banners from the last few years? You neggers are idiots.
I do like his decision, like I said. Please read. I'm happy we don't have him this year. I'm really excited for Saturday, I think it's addition by subtraction. Rather have the whole team giving it all then going out there and not trying to get hurt. GO BLUE!!! Thanks for playing this year, Jalen! Thanks for sticking around, Chuck!
October 21st, 2020 at 9:23 AM ^
/... and Bateman is returning 2019 - 1,210 yards
October 21st, 2020 at 8:17 AM ^
Whenever we get into a “my senior year is screwed” discussion with my sons, I tell them “yes, this sucks, the best thing you can do is work on moving forward to the next stage in your life”.
That is what Nico and his family decided too, and is doing. I wish him well.
October 21st, 2020 at 8:29 AM ^
#STAYINSCHOOL
#SAYNOTODRUGS
#BRINGBACKOPPONENTWATCH
October 21st, 2020 at 8:42 AM ^
Totally understandable, best of luck Nico.
October 21st, 2020 at 9:11 AM ^
Good luck to Nico! I'm gonna enjoy seeing and hearing his name called time and time again in the NFL. He's gonna have a very good career, I feel.
October 21st, 2020 at 9:27 AM ^
It is sad to me how frazzled some posters on this board are about Nico not playing. Nico Collins doesn't owe you shit - not even an explanation.
October 21st, 2020 at 9:28 AM ^
Best to Nico, I hoped he would opt back in but I get it. The uncertainty of the Big Ten and refusal of Kevin Warren and the school presidents to hold open discussion after cancelling the season led to this bs!
October 21st, 2020 at 9:30 AM ^
Good luck to him but it's going to be very interesting to see how his scenario shakes out. Do NFL personnel look at him as somebody who has proved all he needs to have, or somebody who needed to prove more and walked away from his team. The position they take with a lot of these players will have a lot to say with what players end up doing in the future. It hasn't stopped the NFL from drafting guys high that left early like Bosa but often times those players were coming back from injuries. Nico by all accounts is a healthy player who just chose to sit it out. It sure didn't seem to help some of the guys who have chosen to sit out bowl games when they could have made a case for being drafted.
October 21st, 2020 at 9:36 AM ^
Thanks for your contributions to UM Football the past few years and congratulations on continuing your studies and effort to obtain your UM Degree. Wish you the best in the League.
October 21st, 2020 at 9:33 AM ^
I will never blame anyone who chooses to become a millionaire instead of playing for free another year.
Ok, selfishly, I wish he would have come back. But Jake Butt Rules apply: don't get hurt on the eve of a first day selection.
October 21st, 2020 at 10:09 AM ^
Sure. Money is more important than anything
October 21st, 2020 at 10:24 AM ^
Easy to say when it's not your money or life. I despise Kanye West, but this quote is apt: Having money isn't everything, not having it is.
None of you guys are paying his bills or taking care of his family. Seriously, he made a decision he feels is in his best interests. He by all accounts was a good teammate and a model player. Never got into trouble or anything. He's decided to move on with the next phase of his life. I hope it works out for him. He's going to stay and graduate with a degree.
October 21st, 2020 at 9:46 AM ^
I heard Big Ten DBs took up a collection and donated to Nico opt out.
October 21st, 2020 at 10:09 AM ^
How many OSU players being drafted much higher than Nico opted out? The money argument is weak and the injury argument even weaker. You risk injury every day of your life. The team the team the team. Look at Waddell and Devonte Smith in Alabama! Good luck Nico but you could have developed more this short season and brought your stock up even more. This is why Michigan’s rival kicks their ass every year- mentality
October 21st, 2020 at 10:20 AM ^
What is there to play for? Finishing second or third in your division, MAYBE going to a mid-level bowl game to get blown out, and losing to OSU again? I really don't blame him to not want to return.
October 21st, 2020 at 12:12 PM ^
Watch out, you might get a bunch of negs from the snowflakes that can't handle truth.
October 21st, 2020 at 1:27 PM ^
The person calling others snowflakes is usually the real snowflake...
October 21st, 2020 at 10:38 AM ^
His choice, his life. This season, no matter what happens, will always have an asterisk next to it. He's probably getting high draft grades now as it is, so he doesn't want to risk getting injured or getting sick before he has a chance to get paid. Can't blame him one iota for that.
Michigan ain't competing for a national championship, so he doesn't have the same incentive to come back as a guy like Shaun Wade or Wyatt Davis would have.