It’s hard to listen to Stanford Routt speak for more than five minutes and not walk away incredibly impressed with the seven-year NFL vet.
The former second round pick out of the University of Houston is coming off his best season as an Oakland Raider, one in which he recorded 55 tackles, 15 pass deflections, one forced fumble, two interceptions and a defensive touchdown. While teammate Nnamdi Asomugha was out several games with a high ankle sprain, Routt also aided an Oakland secondary by holding his own against top receivers Mike Wallace and Dwayne Bowe. According to STATS Inc, Routt finished as the No. 2 corner behind only Jets’ playmaker Darrelle Revis, which is all the more impressive when you consider how much man-to-man coverage the Raiders’ defense plays.
Set to hit the open market as soon as a new CBA is signed, the Raiders knew how important Routt was to their secondary, especially with the possibility of losing both Asomugha and safety Michael Huff (whom are both free agents as well). That’s why the team rewarded Routt with a new three-year deal in late February to ensure he stays in Oakland for the foreseeable future.
Stanford was kind enough to sit down with me recently to talk about the impact the CBA is having on players such as himself and how he’s staying positive with the threat of a lockout looming. I also asked him to name two Raiders he thinks are ready for breakout campaigns and what opposing receiver continues to impress him year after year. Lastly, he shared information about his foundation, “Routt to Success” and how he’s trying to help children stay away from negative influences such as gang violence and drugs. It’s something don’t want to skip if you’ve ever uttered the words, “Why aren’t athletes better role models?”
The Scores Report: Hey Stanford, how you doing today?
Stanford Routt: Doing pretty good!
