NFL team prefers players with great wives

[Giggly]

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/dish/201204/nfls-marriage-test-free-agents

Mike Mularkey, the Jaguars' new head coach, stressed free agents that have a good family life would become a priority. "If you're happy at home with your wife at home, I think the energy level is higher," Mularkey told the Wall Street Journal. "It's very important to me ... There's a lot that goes with being married. I just believe the happier you are with your wife, the happier you are on the field. I really believe that."

Is there something to this?

 

[Giggly]

Oops, I didn't see the other "Everything NFL" thread. Mods, you can move this over to that thread if you wish.

 

[highlander]

I think there is a level of stability that probably does help.

 

[Giggly]

More thoughts, please?

One thing I wonder is the effect this will have on single players. Will they take less single players? If it has no effect on their selection of single players, will it make them less prone to get married?

 

[UniqueMixture]

I think when a guy is truly in love he is willing to continually work his ass off because he doesn't want to risk losing his girl.

It's just one coach doing it though right?

 

[Habba]

Well, I'd say case Carlos Tevez (Carlos Tevez is an Argentine football player for Manchester City) would back this up, at least to some extent. He said he missed his family and felt miserably. This lead to conflict with the team management and he was suspended for a while.

Having a balanced life outside the field is crucial to have a stable performance on the field. However, family life can become an obstacle, if it's more interesting than the sport itself. Being a world-class athlete is not a job, it's a lifestyle.

But I think it's pretty stupid to think that having a (good) wife will make players better. It's stability they should sought for, not wives.

 

[swordpath]

I think the message behind the article is that the team is trying to avoid guys that are likely to get in trouble. A stable and supportive home life does indicate that a person would probably be less prone to making a fool of himself, going out to the bars, clubs, parties, whatever.

 

[Giggly]

I found it funny that the last name of the guy who said this is Mularkey.

 

[lauranna]

I think the message behind the article is that the team is trying to avoid guys that are likely to get in trouble. A stable and supportive home life does indicate that a person would probably be less prone to making a fool of himself, going out to the bars, clubs, parties, whatever.

Yeah I think this is more to the point. (I'm speaking from a rugby point of view as NFL is not a big thing in the UK.)
I'm not sure a stable home life affects your game itself particularly, but being a bad boy/girl regarding drinking/drugs/partying/prostitutes/general promiscuity and the like soon gets in the media and gives bad press for the team.
I don't think being single itself would be an issue and I don't see anyone getting married just to make a team, but if you were a single player with a bad rep it may be more of an issue. Married players can sweep any questionable behaviour under the carpet of their happy little family life.