There are not a whole lot of white wide receivers in the NFL. Brian Hartline, who currently leads the NFL with 514 receiving yards, is one of them. Like Green Bay’s Jordy Nelson, Hartline’s Dolphins teammates think the color of his skin results in his opponents underestimating his abilities.
“Yeah, man. Definitely,” fellow receiver Davone Bess told the Palm Beach Post when asked if people underrate Hartline’s speed because he’s white. “He can run. That’s good that they sleep on him, because come game time he can open up on them.”
“I’ve had that label before, too,” rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill added. “It’s just kind of a stigma that comes with it. If it helps you, then it helps you. I don’t know if teams underestimate him or anything, but he’s making plays for us, and it doesn’t matter what color you are.”
Perhaps Hartline should enjoy it while it lasts. Nelson’s teammates said the same thing about him during his career year with the Packers last season, and he is off to a disappointing start in 2012. It could just be that Green Bay’s offense hasn’t started clicking, or it’s possible that opponents are no longer underestimating Jordy’s whiteness. The Dolphins are hoping that never happens with their No. 1 receiver.
