FuzzyLumpkins
The Boognish
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'Twas a time when NFL players were about playing until they couldn't play anymore. Rack enough enough money, stats, and years in the league to plant their flag firmly in the league's history.
Not anymore. Today, the typical NFL career consists of two parts.
First, get drafted as highly as possible and play their tails off to create as much value and leverage as they can. Then, get that first massive payday, and BOOM, they're set for life already. Just play out that string in virtual cruise control until the bonus is covered, and it's off into the sunset.
Doug Baldwin. Joe Thomas. Calvin Johnson. Chris Borland. Even Andrew Luck recently. Rumors are that JJ Watt is about to hang it up. Jaylon Smith seems to already be looking forward to his post-career business interests. It's going viral.
That's the new and increasing goal of a very high percentage of players. Play for 6-7 years, and get out rich and healthy. It's not about success or records or accomplishment anymore. It's about the biggest pile of money as soon as possible, and finding an exit door.
So, should teams start to think twice about these big contracts? The Rams regret the Gurley deal. The Cardinals are getting little return out of the David Johnson deal. The league is full of heavy contracts that didn't pan out well for teams that wish they had a do-over.
So why pay anybody unless it's a quarterback? If some players are locking it down after they get that big signing bonus, then why owners commit to big contracts going forward?
If this trend continues, it could hurt players in the future. Teams may become much more gun-shy about these types of deals, and choose to just draft and release players at the end of their rookie deals as a policy. That means less money for players after that initial deal if teams are balking at big veteran contracts in the future.
How would Amari Cooper handle a massive pile of money? How will Zeke handle it? Jaylon and Leighton Vander Esch? Will Lawrence play with the same abandon now that he's rolling in dough?
Have these massive contracts killed the drive and desire for players in such a physically taxing game?
The days of the NFL lifers may be coming to an end. Records set by Emmitt, Rice, Strahan.....those are probably safe forever as players choose to play half as long as the greats did.
The new NFL career is upon us.
Rice, Emmitt, and Strahan made tens of millions of dollars over their careers not to mention their endorsements. They weren't Jim Otto torturing his body like it was 50 years ago.
It's also not only about money. It's about their health. I wouldn't want to go through what Seau, Duerson, and Webster did either.
The only contracts you mentioned being regretted are RB. I would add LB to that. The other positions have much better longevity.