Source: Al Davis talked Raiders WR Walker out of retiring

[jdubv724]

By Chris Mortensen
ESPN.com
(Archive)

Updated: August 2, 2008, 12:34 PM ET

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Oakland Raiders receiver Javon Walker, struggling with his performance during training camp, told the team Thursday he intended to retire and offered to return his $11 million signing bonus.

According to a source, Raiders owner Al Davis persuaded Walker to remain with the team.

Javon Walker

Walker
Walker signed a six-year, $55 million deal with Oakland in the offseason after a trying 2007 marked by knee injury.

Walker also was reportedly abducted, beaten and robbed near the Las Vegas Strip in June.

According to police, Walker was found unconscious on a side street shortly after dawn June 16.

He was hospitalized for two days with facial injuries and a concussion and told investigators that about $3,000 in cash and $100,000 worth of jewelry were taken.

Police released a grainy surveillance videotape June 24, identifying a man in it as a second suspect after the arrest of a first suspect.

In 72 career games during six seasons with the Packers and Broncos, Walker has 252 receptions for 3,815 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Chris Mortensen covers the NFL for ESPN. Information from The Associated Press
was used in this report.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/traini...ory?id=3516068

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I feel bad for the guy.... He obviously is having a tough time if he wanted to retire....

[Bigplayshay84]

I feel soooo bad for Javon. The poor guy had things happen to him that pretty much no one can relate to. I know the guy is rich, but when you feel like that nothing matters. nothing. This is very serious, someone needs to intervene..
someone not interested in his athletic ability.

Javon just start Walking away from the troubled path.

[mopatt24]

Al Davis should have let him retire. Javon is going through a tough time in his life and needs to get away from everything for a while to get his head straight. For Javon to offer to give the bonus back, makes it pretty clear that he's trying to get away from it all. D-will's death in his lap, and being beaten and pretty much left for dead, its too much for any human to deal with and still play in the nfl.

LET HIM GO AL!!!!

[Uglybass]

I feel sorry for Javon the human being, but as a player I wish he would have just gone through with it. I really don't see him ever coming back and being good again. His knee is shot and his head just isn't in the game at all. He won't have a good season with Oakland.

[omahaBroncoFan]

To bring up a related topic about 'Al Davis doubting his offseason moves' I would guess that if he was, he probably would've let Walker retire and gotten the money back.

A while back that was my only problem with playing the Raiders at the beginning of the season. A healthy Walker, and yes I did consider him a solid threat, now it doesn't sound to be that way so much.

[BroncoMJ]

sorry but paul pierce was almost stabbed to death and came back to win a championship, depends on how much heart you have.

[Orange Blue Man]

With Walker a person's first impression is to sympathetic. This guy has had two good seasons. His first was when he was with the Packers and then the next year he tears up his knee. His second was his first year with the Broncos. That season was followed by D-Will dying in his lap and then further knee problems. What kills a person was his attitude after those seasons and both times he ends up with a new team. That's the reason so many want to see him fail, his bad attitude.

[muse]

I think the best case for Javon would be taking a sabbatical. The guy has both mental and physical issues to deal with and although he's been through a lot, he showed a hell of a lot of disrespect to the team which gave him another chance and to the fans who stood behind him through injury and the DWill situation. And to throw away all that good will - especially by moving to our biggest rivals...it makes it very hard for us to forgive him.

It remains to be seen whether moving to LA will give him a bit of closure. It's difficult, but I guess we'll see in September. He'd better watch out though because I imagine our secondary and DJ will be marking him out.

[jcdavey]

javon and vince young should just retire already so they can go clubbing full time

i now hate these guys with a passion

the opportunity they have, the skill they possess...and they've contemplated retiring?

weak weak weak, hopefully they both seriously get their asses handed to them this season

[jcdavey]

sorry but paul pierce was almost stabbed to death and came back to win a championship, depends on how much heart you have.

exactly, it's all about heart, javon lacks heart

[Sacklunch]

Davis should have gladly accepted his retirement so he could save some face for the ridiculous amount of money they gave him. He hasn't even played a snap for the Raiders and he already wants out.

[London Bronco]

I feel soooo bad for Javon. The poor guy had things happen to him that pretty much no one can relate to. I know the guy is rich, but when you feel like that nothing matters. nothing. This is very serious, someone needs to intervene..
someone not interested in his athletic ability.

Javon just start Walking away from the troubled path.

Javon Walker = Loser

[Bronks Fan]

I don't see how he'll ever be very productive when his heart's not in it. Clearly he won't be kicking ass and taking names anytime soon unless he gets his head screwed back on straight.

[Zoneblock249]

javon and vince young should just retire already so they can go clubbing full time

i now hate these guys with a passion

the opportunity they have, the skill they possess...and they've contemplated retiring?

weak weak weak, hopefully they both seriously get their asses handed to them this season

Easy for us fans to say, yeah you get paid millions of dollars to do something you love but its more to it then just showing up, you must look at it from a mental stand point and all the changes and adjustments these guys go through because we as fans dont know what goes on behind closed doors and when those lights got out.

[Broncoballa2684]

sorry but paul pierce was almost stabbed to death and came back to win a championship, depends on how much heart you have.

sorry but paul pierce didnt have his friend and teammate die in his arms.