Jones quote re: Ratliff's extension

[Plankton]

Most of the players on that list from the last 15 - 20 years were top ten draft picks and didn't play for peanuts in their initial contract the way Ratliff did. The extension was a mistake and a big one, but it wasn't the braindead move some are claiming.

Most of those players were not top 10 picks. Here's a list of the players drafted outside the top 10 (the bolded players were drafted after the first round):

Curley Culp 35
Richard Dent 35
Deacon Jones 36
Bob Lilly 35
Howie Long 33
Alan Page 36
John Randle 36
Warren Sapp 35
Harvey Martin 33
Charles Haley 35
Jason Taylor 36
Dwight Freeney 36
Jared Allen 31*
Michael Strahan 36

You could strongly argue that guys like Culp, Jones, Lilly, Page and Martin played for peanuts their whole careers. They certainly didn't get paid like Ratliff did, even on his team friendly second deal.

 

[Oh_Canada]

Funny-not many journalists ask Jerry if he has second thoughts about not going after Carl Nicks when the entire fan base and most journalists were screaming about getting him in the summer of 2012.

Everyone has 20/20 vision in hindsight.

 

[erod]

Most of the players on that list from the last 15 - 20 years were top ten draft picks and didn't play for peanuts in their initial contract the way Ratliff did. The extension was a mistake and a big one, but it wasn't the braindead move some are claiming.

Nonsense. A lot of those played not only for peanuts, they were from a time when they had to work offseason jobs to make ends meet. And even in the 80s and 90s, guys weren't making that much money. A million dollars isn't squat after taxes, especially when you have to make that money last 50 years beyond your playing days.

 

[Kaiser]

You could strongly argue that guys like Culp, Jones, Lilly, Page and Martin played for peanuts their whole careers. They certainly didn't get paid like Ratliff did, even on his team friendly second deal.

That's why I used the qualifier of "the last 15-20 years". The NFL and the payroll structure (and the rules) were entirely different in the age of the Purple People Eaters.

 

[Kaiser]

Nonsense. A lot of those played not only for peanuts, they were from a time when they had to work offseason jobs to make ends meet.

Please provide of list of NFL players "in the last 15 - 20 years" that had to work offseason jobs "to make ends meet".

That begins in 1993. Single or double spacing is OK.

 

[erod]

Please provide of list of NFL players "in the last 15 - 20 years" that had to work offseason jobs "to make ends meet".

That begins in 1993. Single or double spacing is OK.

Go back and read my post. I'll wait.

 

[Broges74]

Come on now, you can just look at retirement age as a justifier for that huge contract. You have to take into account declining returns on your investment past 30 years of age.Rat may have been underpaid but Jerry did indeed take care of him and until I see something showing rat in a wheelchair, the guy took the money and went to his couch IMO. He got upset at Jerry and held the grudge. He'll be playing in NE or something next season watch.

 

[khiladi]

Damn.. people act like Jerry was blowing their money...

 

[Soth]

My top 3

Roy williams trade
Joey Galloway trade
Hiring Campo

 

[erod]

Damn.. people act like Jerry was blowing their money...

No, people understanding what Jerry's spending idiocy is doing to the team's ability to sign key free agents.

 

[Kaiser]

Go back and read my post. I'll wait.

I read a post about NFL players having to work second jobs to make ends meet because "a million bucks isn't squat after taxes". Was it that one or a different post? Because one I read is laughable.

 

[erod]

My top 3

Roy williams trade
Joey Galloway trade
Hiring Campo

Bidding against no one for Marion Barber, Terrell Owens, Roy UT (after the trade), Terrance Newman, Roy OU...

 

[rkell87]

A reporter asked Jerry about the extension Jerry signed Rat to and his reply:

"If I had a legal pad and could show you all the decisions I've made ever, it's not the worst decision I made. "

No Jerry, it is not but in the top 10 for sure.

is this supposed to make us feel better? The response should be "hey I've made some bad decisions in the past, and this ranks up there with them, but i have learned from this and will work to not make a mistake like this again."

instead he says hey this is obviously a pattern for me and this one doesn't even register on the Richter scale of my bad decisions in my mind so idk why you are even asking me about it.

 

[yimyammer]

A reporter asked Jerry about the extension Jerry signed Rat to and his reply:

"If I had a legal pad and could show you all the decisions I've made ever, it's not the worst decision I made. "

No Jerry, it is not but in the top 10 for sure.

Lol, I feel so much better now

what a jack ***!

 

[Broges74]

is this supposed to make us feel better? The response should be "hey I've made some bad decisions in the past, and this ranks up there with them, but i have learned from this and will work to not make a mistake like this again."

instead he says hey this is obviously a pattern for me and this one doesn't even register on the Richter scale of my bad decisions in my mind so idk why you are even asking me about it.

I think he is saying 'I don't give a ***** what you think because it's my money and my team.'.

 

[erod]

I read a post about NFL players having to work second jobs to make ends meet because "a million bucks isn't squat after taxes". Was it that one or a different post? Because one I read is laughable.

So you read that and spliced two separate thoughts about different eras together into a single sentence that I didn't write? I understand laughing at a post you can't apparently comprehend.

Give it another try, Tonto.

 

[perrykemp]

I'll admit Jerry has made his share of decisions that didn't turn out well but he's had some that did, too. It's easy to look back and criticize decisions. I don't see any of the usual posters using the retrospectroscope to praise Jerry for his 'good' decisions.

Some of you constantly harp about Ratliff being 30ish when resigned as if that's old of a DL. In the NFL you have mostly players that play 1-4 years and another group that hangs around longer. Ratliff is in the later group.

Here are some great DL players and the age at retirement: (I rounded this off based on last year played and year born)

Joe Greene 35
Curly Culp 35
Richard Dent 35
Carl Eller 37
Deacon Jones 36
Bob Lilly 35
Howie Long 33
Merlin Olsen 36
Alan Page 36
John Randle 36
Warren Sapp 35
Randy White 35
Harvey Martin 33 (cut short addiction and personal problems)
Charles Haley 35
Neil Smith 34
Jason Taylor 36
Dwight Freeney 36
Julius Peppers 33*
Jared Allen 31*
Chris Doleman 38
Michael Strahan 36
Bruce Smith 36

Sure those are some of the all time greats but it does shoot down the idea that you shouldn't give a contract to a 29-30 year old. Part of the problem here is Jerry has mortgaged the future for the present and has never caught up and that forces the issue too often.

As usual the reality is more complicated than just he shouldn't do this or that. And for the record I've been on Jerry for many years letting up the last several as things appear to be improved. So Jerry isn't the best manager; just not as stupid as some would believe.

Jobberone you forgot the great Reggie White who was the NFL Defensive MVP in 1998 at age 36.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Sorry, but I'd put this blunder into Jerry's Top 5 Hall of Shame moves.

Right there with the Galloway and Roy Williams deals.

No other 'GM' would survive such failures.

Lucky us.

There were a whole slew of extensions that kind of flew under the radio because either A. The Internet forum thing wasn't that big at the time or B. Folks for whatever reason didn't see them as bad as what I (and some others) did.

The safety Roy Williams contract extension
The Barber contract
The last contract for Flozell
The last contract for Larry Allen
The extensions for Deion, Aikman, Irvin and Smith.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Which players on that list got an $18-million (inflation-adjusted) guaranteed contract two years before they were a free agent?

You think $9m AAV is top money for all pro? Allen makes $12m AAV. That is a third more.

 

[jobberone]

Jobberone you forgot the great Reggie White who was the NFL Defensive MVP in 1998 at age 36.

Wasn't a list of all the greats just some. I added some non-HOFers and present players to avoid the argument of 'those are all HOFers' so of course they played a long time. But yeah, I did and I looked right at him when I was looking at Randy White. Sorry.