Braden Fiske just dropped a truth bomb, admitting that the Rams trading away his best friend and teammate, Jared Verse, might actually be a “good thing” for his career. This past summer’s blockbuster deal that sent Verse to the Cleveland Browns for Myles Garrett absolutely gutted Fiske, but he’s now looking at the hard reality of professional sports.
From Florida State to the Draft Day Dream
Fiske and Verse were practically inseparable, going back to their college days at Florida State where they helped the Seminoles to an undefeated regular season in 2023. Then came the ultimate storybook ending: both drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 2024, Verse in the first round and Fiske in the second. Imagine that, hitting the league with your best buddy by your side! But that dream ended abruptly when Verse was shipped 2,000 miles away. Fiske was devastated. He was vocal about it, saying, “The surreal story of getting drafted to the same team. All that built up, it created such a good bond, a good relationship with each other that, yeah, when it did go down, that was honestly , yeah, you hear all the time that ‘business is business.’ Until the business directly affects you, you don’t really understand, so that was a direct hit.”
The Business of Football: A Harsh Reality Check
Even though it felt like a punch to the gut, Fiske now sees a silver lining. He acknowledged in a recent interview that their three straight years as teammates might have made them a little too comfortable. “I think there was a lull in our career of like, ‘Oh, this is just great. Get to work with our best friends every single day and just go about our business,’” Fiske explained. He realized that thinking it “would last forever” was “a little naïve” and “a fairytale type of situation.” His first instinct after the trade wasn’t about getting Myles Garrett; it was about losing Jared. It’s a tough lesson, but Fiske knows this is still a business, and he’s got to keep grinding.
It definitely “hit pretty hard pretty quick,” but Fiske expects that “time heals.” Both players are super busy getting ready for the start of the season, so they do not talk as much as they used to. Look for them to link up during the offseason, though, as they figure out their new normal and push forward with their separate teams.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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