So the other day I was talking to my buddy, Mike, about the upcoming NFL season. We were trying to figure out who of the new rookies would make an impression. That’s when Mike asked me if I knew who the second Brandon Marshall was? I actually thought it was a trick question!
Turns out, there actually are two NFL players with that same name. The only difference is, one of them plays wide receiver, and the other is a cornerback. Mike had no idea that could even be possible, and neither did I.
I guess it’s just one of those crazy coincidences, you know? I mean, considering that the first Brandon Marshall began his career in 2006 it really is remarkable that the other one started playing four years later in 2010. That means both players with this name have been competing against each other for eight consecutive years now – that’s something to think about.
It also got me wondering about all the other remarkable similarities between the two. Are they similar in height, weight, speed, stats? Well, I couldn’t help myself and did some research. And turns out they’re nothing alike; the first one is 6’4″ while the other stands at 5’11”. The way they play is also drastically different. The first plays wide receiver and has put up some serious yardage, while the other is a cornerback.
It was mind-blowing to hear that not even two sizes and playing positions can keep two players from having the same name in the NFL. But what’s even more remarkable is that both have held down their positions for a decade now, and they both seem to be doing quite well in them.
That’s when Mike and I began debating over who’s the better player. Of course, he was on team Wide Receiver, while I was obviously on the Team Cornerback. We started talking about the differentiating factors between the two: who has better stats, what their role in their respective teams is and more.
It was an engaging and thought-provoking conversation, and even though we were undecided on who the better player was, in the end, we agreed that having two Brandon Marshalls’ in the league is amazing and shouldn’t be taken for granted.
I wanted to find out what makes the two players so different and even competing yet so similar at the same time. I was interested in their leadership qualities, their contribution to their teams. Perhaps they have different coaching styles or techniques that allow them to have their own impact on their teams.
I looked at some of the key games from their respective seasons and tried to compare the two in their performance and in the outcome of their teams. It was incredible to see how the two would have the same score under scrutiny but yet play in completely different ways.
Next, I wanted to explore their public image and how each was perceived by their teams and coaches. I wanted to see the differences in how the two were reported on by the media. To my surprise, their on-field performances were very similar, but the perception and respect they each carried with them were indeed different.
It was impressive to witness what a difference the perception of two players with the same name, position, and team in the NFL can make. It made me realize that the difference between the two is indeed in the perception they each create for themselves.
It was information overload at its finest. I was surprised to learn all the differences between the two, and yet the number of similarities far outweighed the differences. I became fascinated with the idea that two different players, from two different teams, with the same name, could make it to the top of the NFL for so many years.