Sports

When the 2014 NFL Draft rolled around, Jadeveon Clowney was a no-brainer for #1 pick. On top of freakish defensive stats throughout his three years at South Carolina, Clowney’s hit heard around the world was about all the evidence one would need to realize that he’s the real deal.

Unfortunately, his talent has yet to come alive in the NFL, even among the vicious JJ Watt-led defense of the Houston Texans. Sure, a torn meniscus in week one doesn’t quite provide the opportunity to impress. But his stay on the sidelines was extended this past weekend when the linebacker watched his team bite the dust to Philadelphia, sitting out with the flu. Was he even watching though?

Houston radio host Nick Wright picked up on the fact that Clowney may have been too busy ‘liking’ photos of women on Instagram while his team was losing on the field. Or, at least someone with access to the player’s Instagram was:

 

This comes one week after JJ Watt mocked an opposing quarterback for spending a bit too much time on social media. Is this cause for concern? Well, it probably won’t do much to help his cause. There was already suspicion about Clowney’s commitment in his final year at South Carolina, and there’s a target on his back simply from being the first overall pick and having certain expectations to uphold. Fortunately for him, it doesn’t seem to irk Texans coach Bill O’Brien as much as it does to some of the Texans faithful on Twitter.

“He’s had a couple injuries here and a concussion, some of that is bad luck. He got knocked in the head in the Denver training camp, he got a sports hernia injury, he’s got a knee [issue], that’s what I think it is. I think the world of Jadeveon Clowney. I don’t think there’s anyone here that’s frustrated with [him].”

Clowney is yet to prove himself on the NFL stage, and probably for good reason. With a $22 million contract behind a young investment, there’s no sense in hurrying a recovery. But with a workhorse, no-nonsense teammate like JJ Watt leading the defense, one can expect that Clowney’s sideline Instagramming may not fly much longer.