Kentucky Hung a Huge Banner Near The NFL Draft in Celebration of Josh Allen, Only to Have it Removed By a League That Always Wants All the Attention

No defensive player improved his stock more this past college than Kentucky’s Josh Allen. He posted 17.5 sacks, was terrific throughout the predraft process, is versatile, explosive and has high football character. Cool banner on Broadway St. in Nashville. pic.twitter.com/XA0cAeQx0P

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 25, 2019

The NFL had the @JoshAllen41_ banner taken down this morning. Not cool.

— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) April 25, 2019

UK’s marketing team and @UKFootball did a really cool thing for Allen to celebrate his accomplishments. I can’t believe the NFL is so petty it wouldn’t want a celebration of a top-five pick with a great story. Guess they’d rather see a brick building.

— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) April 25, 2019

Josh went down to see it for the first time this morning and it was gone. He is pretty bummed.

— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) April 25, 2019

I hate to say this, because it kind of feels like a sign that I have become desensitized to how dumb the NFL is run, but I kind of get it. I don't agree with it, as it's certainly not something I can envision myself worrying about if I happened to be in charge of a bajillion dollar brand. However, the fact that I don't think said bajillion dollar brand is all that should ever matter is, amongst a laughable lack of qualifications, what takes me out of the running for said job. 

The NFL is basically the organizational equivalent of the type of sociopath that just looooves to hear themselves talk and thinks everything that's coming out of their mouth, and only their mouth, is of the upmost importance. Therefore, them going out go their way to remove a harmlessly unauthorized banner that, realistically, was as much a college recruitment tactic as it was a show of support for Josh Allen isn't all that surprising. Anyone even mildly trying to benefit off their annual event in any way, shape, or form was bound to be met with pushback, and - as great a story as he may be - Kentucky football didn't only finance a 50-foot likeness of their most famed football player in a relatively local region out of the goodness of their heart.

Personally, I don't think the intent matters, so long as it would have been appreciated by the person whose biceps were bulging off the side of a building. Unfortunately, as someone who has long come to grips with how greedy, self-absorbed, and narcissistic the NFL can be, I can comprehend why that appreciation wasn't shared by an absolute attention whore of an institution that wants your former players but not at the price of giving you any publicity.