Ben Tate's Issues with His Playing Time Will Not Hurt the Cleveland Browns

In this day and age, athletes are in no-win situations when it comes to the media. If they do not talk to the media, they can be fined, but if they tell the truth, they are vilified. Cleveland Browns running back Ben Tate is finding that out the hard way.

On Tuesday, he spoke to the media and answered questions that were directed towards him. He did not say anything derogatory against his teammates. He didn’t even outright complain about his role on the team. He simply answered a few questions honestly.

When asked if he was satisfied with splitting carries between him, Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell, he told Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer, "I'd be lying if I said 'yeah.' It's not, but whatever the organization thinks is best for the team, then that's what we're going to do.''

This caused quite an outrage in the local Cleveland media. Radio hosts fielded calls from fans who were angry and just wanted Tate to shut his mouth and play his role. Tate was then asked why he doesn’t receive more carries in the offense.

"I'm just a player, man, I'm just a number to them,'' said Tate. “I couldn't really tell you why things are happening or what's going on. The only thing I can do and when it's time to go to work, go to work.''

Once again Tate did nothing more than answer a question to which he obviously has no answer. It would be almost as bad as asking him a hypothetical question about traveling back in time and changing the outcome of his offseason. Oh, don’t worry. That happened next.

Tate was asked if he would have signed with the Browns if he knew he would be sharing carries in the backfield with two other backs.

"I don't really want to get into that now,'' he said. “Our focus is on the Texans this week."

Let me help translate that quote. He meant that he would absolutely not have signed with the Browns if he knew how this would play out. And who could blame him?

For three seasons, he backed up Arian Foster in Houston and always made the most of the limited opportunities he received. He rushed for 1,992 yards and 10 touchdowns while starting just nine total games in that span. This offseason he was looking for a team for which he could finally showcase his talents.

Part of the reason he has taken a part-time role with the Browns is his fault. He missed the second and third games of the season with a sprained knee. This opened the door for West to take the majority of the carries and impress the coaching staff enough to take a larger portion of the workload.

In the two weeks that Tate was out, West rushed 31 times for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Crowell rushed the ball 22 times for 109 yards and one touchdown. They obviously earned the increased carries moving forward.

And the coaching staff is not at fault for how they are distributing carries either. They have three talented backs, and quite frankly, Tate has been the most underwhelming of the three. He is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry this season and just 25 yards per game over the last four. That included a performance of 10 rushes for three yards against Tampa Bay.

Despite his struggles, however, Tate still has the right to answer a question when asked. The three running backs are competitive and each want the majority of the carries. There is nothing wrong with that. Even in training camp, West and Tate each talked about their running back competition.

David Richard/Associated Press

"Yeah, I'm coming from college getting about 25 carries a game and just being the guy and putting the team on my shoulders," West told the media via SportsWorldReport.com . "Then coming here and just getting limited reps, it's hard, but I can transition to anything, overcome anything."

Tate is trying to overcome feeling regretful that he has once again found himself in a situation that he doesn't see as ideal. He had the opportunity to make the situation ideal but failed. That is on him and not the team.

But still he needs to have the right to speak his mind. He needs to be able to feed his competitive fire. It is the reason most of these guys made it to the professional level. It is the reason they succeed when the talent gap between them and everyone else around them is so miniscule.

It is also the very foundation of why this team has had such a successful first nine games. They play with a chip on their shoulder and something to prove—just like Tate.

Head coach Mike Pettine chimed in on Wednesday, and despite the fact he wished it wasn’t aired to the media, he gets where Tate is coming from.

"

#Browns Pettine said Ben Tate not being satisified with his role and West starting are "understandable. He's a competitor.''

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) November 12, 2014"

So in a world where we receive cliché sound bites from athletes and half-hearted efforts on a regular basis, I will always take the guy who wants the ball. This is not a cancer for the locker room. This is not a disgruntled athlete. This is a guy who wants the rock in his hands.

And while he might not deserve it right now, at least he wants it, and we know he will be ready when it comes time to carry it again.