Middle linebacker Antonio Pierce, the unquestioned leader of the defense now that Michael Strahan has retired, is unhappy with his contract and has been asking the team for a renegotiation all offseason to no avail, according to someone who recently spoke with Pierce about his contract situation. The person, who requested anonymity because Pierce hasn't spoken publicly about this issue, said Pierce's frustrations have mounted as the regular season has drawn closer, and the team has continuously denied his requests to even talk about redoing the last three years of the six-year, $26 million contract Pierce signed before the 2005 season.
Of course, there are plenty of players in any given locker room that want more money, especially when contracts aren't guaranteed. So the question is: What are the ramifications of Pierce's unhappiness? The person who recently spoke to Pierce, 29, said the eighth-year veteran and 2006 Pro Bowler won't do anything to disrupt this upcoming season but has begun talking about (and making preliminary plans for) a holdout or possibly a trade demand next off-season -- provided he stays healthy and has a solid season.
There was no media access for the Giants Friday. The team had only a walkthrough practice and meetings in preparation for Saturday night's preseason game against the Jets, so Pierce was unavailable for comment. Rosenhaus and the Giants declined to speak on the matter when reached via e-mail.
Pierce's base salary for this upcoming season is $4 million. Next year he'll earn $4.35 million and in 2010 he's scheduled to make $4.75 million.
On the whole, Pierce's contract averages $4.3 million per season. That's less than half of what Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, 30, is making after signing a five-year, $43.5 million extension last month. In March, the Seahawks signed Lofa Tatupu, 25, to a six-year extension worth up to $42 million.
Urlacher and Tatupu have combined for nine Pro Bowls to Pierce's one. But Pierce has often publicly compared himself to Urlacher, saying he's asked to do more than the Bears' man in the middle. Plus, Pierce is among the best in the league at recognizing what opposing offenses are going to do before the ball is snapped. Those two points have likely been his pitch to the Giants, who apparently believe Pierce doesn't deserve what the market has established as elite money.
Pierce, who was credited with 103 tackles last season after making a career-high 137 stops in 2006, hasn't spoken about his contract concerns publicly all offseason. But on the second day of training camp, he spoke about Burress' public squabble with his trademark Cheshire-cat grin that indicated he was hinting at his situation as well.
"When you're a player, you have to take care of yourself and your family first," Pierce said. "Everyone here would like to get a pay raise, whether it's 50 cents or a million dollars, whatever it is. I don't think anyone would complain about a pay raise."
There are those who would complain about not getting one. So far, Pierce hasn't been one of them -- at least not publicly. Over the next few months, that seems likely to change.
