Lamarcus Joyner threatened to quit Rams because he wasn’t starting

Los Angeles Rams defensive back Lamarcus Joyner threatened to quit the team during training camp this year because he was unhappy about not working with the starting defense.

The drama was unveiled on Tuesday night’s episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” with cameras showing Joyner showing up to practice late in shorts and a T-shirt. When Rams coach Jeff Fisher asked Joyner if he had overslept, the third-year veteran said “I don’t even know where my mind is at right now.”

Joyner later seemingly threatened to quit the team, telling secondary coach Dennard Wilson, “the Rams can have their money, man.” Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk described the scenes that followed:

In scenes that followed, Fisher and Joyner met in Fisher’s temporary office. Joyner’s primary gripe — surprise! — was about playing time, specifically that he wasn’t running with the starters in the team’s base defense. He even told Fisher he’d go work at Wal-Mart and be happier than he was.

“I work hard,” Joyner told Fisher. “I do want to be starter. Ya’ll can have your money back. I don’t play football for money. Coach, I love this game.

“What’s my role? Be honest with me.”

Fisher responded by telling Joyner he wanted Joyner to be the team’s nickel cornerback.

“The nickel spot inside, it’s the hardest position to play,” Fisher told him. “You’re the best that I’ve had here in years. It’s a starting position.”

Joyner, a third-year player, told Fisher he wasn’t sold and wondered if his passion for the game was gone.

“I want Lamarcus back,” Fisher said. “I’ve got to pull [the passion] back out of you.”

Fisher went on to tell Joyner a story about when he was coaching Steve McNair with the Tennessee Titans in 2000 and wondered if the quarterback lost his passion for the game after suffering a sternum injury. McNair came off the bench late in Tennessee’s game that week and orchestrated a game-winning drive.

That narrative seemed to sit well with Joyner, who assured Fisher he would leave with a “clear conscience” before sharing a hug with the coach.

While we wouldn’t say stuff like this is common, it probably happens more than people think. Training camp can take its toll on players, whether they make millions or not. As Fisher could tell you after the lecture he recently received from his mom, “Hard Knocks” shows a lot of the ugly side of the game of football.