Joe Flacco is no different than any other hard-working American

The stories are out there, happening every day in corporate America. Two companies merge, jobs get consolidated and people are laid off. New ownership takes over, costs get cut and people are terminated. Revenues fall, stockholders get antsy and less-expensive staffing options are implemented.

All of these scenarios, and the hundreds of variations like it, are a bummer; they stink for the folks who suddenly find themselves out of work. But nobody gets too upset by them anymore; they’re the nature of the beast, an understood part of the 21st Century economy.

That said, there is a wrinkle that occasionally gets thrown into the mix that almost universally gets people in an uproar. When this happens, things just don’t seem right; it feels like the situation is no longer “just business,” but instead has gotten a little too personal.

What’s the magic button? When those who are losing their jobs are asked to train their replacements.

The Greeley branch is closing in two weeks, so make sure the folks from Fort Collins are up to speed and can hit the ground running. The couple who bought the small business doesn’t believe in middle management, so make sure the former direct report knows how to do all of the tasks he’ll be inheriting once this position is eliminated. Quarterly earnings are down, so the computer files need to be sent to the folks overseas who’ve been outsourced to do all the graphic design for pennies on the dollar.

If any of us were given these directions, there’s a pretty good chance we’d dig in our heels and refuse. And if we told the story to friends at a dinner party, they’d wholeheartedly agree with our choice.

Sending someone packing is one thing. Asking them to train their replacement is a whole other ballgame.

But apparently, that mindset doesn’t apply to sports. Or at least that was the contention this week in Broncos Country.

During a press conference following the first OTAs of the season, Joe Flacco was asked if was planning on being a mentor to Drew Lock. The veteran quarterback gave a thoughtful answer, choosing his words carefully, about how he planned to interact with the Broncos second-round pick.

“You have to be careful with how you answer that, but I think it’s kind of (offensive coordinator) Rich (Scangarello’s) job,” Flacco told the gathered media. “Be in that quarterback room and watch; that is how you can develop.”

Fair enough. In essence, the quarterback was saying it was the coach’s job to teach a young player how to succeed at the professional level, not his. And it was Lock’s responsibility to soak up as much information as he could. But Flacco didn’t stop there.

“Listen, I have so many things to worry about,” he continued. “I’m trying to go out there and play good football. I’m trying to go out there and play the best football of my life. I’m not worried about developing guys. I don’t look at that as my job. My job is to go win football games for this football team.”

Again, fair enough. Flacco was acquired during the offseason to upgrade the Broncos at the most-important position in sports, primarily because his predecessors – Trevor Siemian and Case Keenum – had steered the franchise off the proverbial path; for the first time since 1972, Denver posted a losing record in back-to-back seasons. So without a doubt, the new quarterback’s primary job is to win football games.

That being said, it’s hard to imagine that anyone took issue with Flacco’s answer. But that was hardly the case. Everybody seemed to have an opinion on the matter, most of which were negative.

Kurt Warner ripped Flacco for his stance.

“I don’t understand that mentality at all,” the Hall of Fame quarterback said on The Rich Eisen Show. “I believe your role is to help your team be as good as it can possibly be.”

LaDainian Tomlinson agreed.

“He looks like a bad teammate,” the former running back said on NFL Network. “Our job as veteran players is to mentor the younger players.”

Heck, even TMZ got in on the action, cornering Lock at LAX to ask about the situation. To the rookie’s credit, he took the high road when answering the paparazzi’s question.

“He’s taught me a lot so far,” Lock said when asked about his relationship with Flacco. “He’s been great to me.”

This is all a bit perplexing. At best, it’s much ado about nothing, searching for football-related content in mid-May. At worst, it’s hypocritical, applying a different standard to an NFL player than would be used in any other walk of life.

Last year, Flacco was replaced as the Ravens starting quarterback midseason by Lamar Jackson. The rookie came in when the veteran was injured and never relinquished the job. As a result, the QB set to earn $18.5 million this season was sent packing.

Despite helping to bring a Super Bowl championship to Baltimore, Flacco was forced to find work elsewhere. Denver seemed like the perfect place, given their quarterback woes in recent years. So the house was sold, things were packed up and the family was moved across the country.

But before he could figure out whether he wanted to shop at King Soopers or Safeway, Flacco found himself once again in a situation where a younger, cheaper quarterback had been brought in to eventually replace him. That’s a déjà vu moment that would send anyone reeling.

Yet for some reason, people expect Flacco to be unaffected by the Broncos drafting Lock. In fact, they seem to want him to embrace it.

Perhaps it’s because he earns a lot of money playing a game. Maybe it’s because the “job” is in sports, so it doesn’t seem like real life. Whatever the reason, it seems like an odd response, especially when juxtaposed with how most people would react in real life if the situation was similar.

Nobody wants to train their replacement.

John Elway didn’t mentor Tommy Maddox. Peyton Manning would hardly let Brock Osweiler take a snap. And Joe Flacco isn’t the least bit concerned with making sure Drew Lock is ready to take his job anytime soon.

That’s the way it ought to be. That’s how everyone would react.

Follow @jamesmerilatt