The Ravens selected Michael Oher in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Later that year, the movie The Blind Side was released, which followed the journey of Oher from his youth to the NFL.
Despite the film being a hit, Oher appears to not be pleased with the effect the film has had on his career.
After spending the first five years of his career with the Ravens, Oher signed a four-year contract with the Titans in 2014. He was released earlier this year and signed with the Panthers a month later, with whom he’s hoping to get his career back on track after a disappointing season in Tennessee.
When asked if he is trying to prove something in his first year with Carolina, Oher brought up the movie.
“I’m not trying to prove anything,” Oher said, according to ESPN’s David Newton. “People look at me, and they take things away from me because of a movie. They don’t really see the skills and the kind of player I am. That’s why I get downgraded so much, because of something off the field.
“This stuff, calling me a bust, people saying if I can play or not, that has nothing to do with football. It’s something else off the field. That’s why I don’t like that movie.”
To this point, Oher is more known for the movie than his impact as an NFL player. That shouldn’t be the case considering he was selected No. 23 overall in the draft. Not having a great career despite being a first-round pick is why he has been considered a bust by some. However, the 29-year-old will now be tasked with helping to keep Cam Newton upright this season, something Carolina struggled with in 2014; Newton was sacked 38 times in 14 games.
Sometimes it takes is a change of scenery to turn things around. The Titans are hoping that’s the case for the former first-round draft pick.
