Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver John Ross has gotten off to a rough start to his NFL career. Needless to say, Ross has heard all the doubts surrounding his status as a former first-rounder.

He has had to deal with his fair share of challenges early on. Ross said during an appearance on Sirius XM NFL Radio that people are calling out his desire to play really irked him.

“When people question the things that you desire when they don’t understand, it’s kind of tough on a player,” Ross said. “Because you don’t understand why they would do something like that, because they just really don’t know what you’re going through. And I think that’s the problem sometimes, the fact that people don’t understand that you are dealing with something that’s traumatic to your career and they really can’t seem to feel the pain that you’re going through. So they really don’t understand.”

Ross certainly had to endure some pain his rookie campaign. Lingering shoulder and knee injuries relegated him to just 17 snaps in the 2017 NFL season. Although it may not be the type of production one would expect from a first-round pick. There was really not much he could do from a health standpoint.

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Most of the criticism he has received likely stems from his impressive showing at the Scouting Combine where he finished with the fastest 40-yard dash time in history. His blistering speed is undoubtedly what garnered him respect as a bonafide first-rounder. However, it remains to be seen whether or not he can translate it to the next level.

Regardless, Ross is going to need to develop much thicker skin going into his second season. The spotlight will continue to shine on the “fastest man in the NFL” until he either produces or fizzles out like countless other speedsters.