CFZ NFL Player Contracts and why star players feel the need to hold out

[kskboys]

Im
Not going to even read the OP’s post and just say this.. with the way teams in the NFL can just cut you at their will… the way they can finesse players contracts.. ie back loaded contrast that players will never see.. I have no problem when a player holds out for any reason.. The NFL is all about self caring and why should the players be.

The players choose this sort of contract. The guaranteed amount would jump immensely if they were more reasonable.

 

[SuperBowlz]

Pretty much, yes.

I do not understand extreme greed. It's not a good thing.

It's the American way. Some call it greed some call it business. I'm way more offended the 3 Walmart heirs are worth over 35 billion EACH yet don't give employees health care and they make so little they are able to get welfare benefits.

 

[CowboyoWales]

Why is Zack Martin holding out? No other pro spot, no other sports job allows for employment contracts to be torn up without paying the agreed amount and length of a contract. It’s ridiculous that owners keep requiring players in the NFL to compete without security.

Don’t fall for the verbal tricks from NFL owners. Don’t buy into their sob stories. They don’t honor the contracts they sign with players, so why criticize a player for holding out for their own protection? These billionaire owners will not be honoring their commitments and will still be raking in billions. Why fault a player for protecting themselves?

Yep, the crux of this 'dispute' isnt so much about more money it's quite conceivable that Zack's trying to 'protect' the $14m salary (and roster bonus) in 2024. It's pre-season and he 'could' legitimately say 'im saving myself for the season, i'm getting older and one injury ,during the season, and i'll lose $14m as you'll cut me'.

This holdout wont/shouldnt go into the season and being realistic does he need a pre-season?

 

[DCwarrior]

Seems to me getting out of contract early after being paid all guaranteed money is a good thing. Allows you to pursue a new contract with different team and get paid again. I’m crying crocodile tears for all of them.

 

[DogFace]

The best part about the billionaire owners is they rely on tax payers to pay for their stadiums
AND they count on some of those tax payers to vote in a way that they get absurd tax breaks on top of all their other breaks.

It’s a win win.

 

[Flamma]

Owners have to abide by the language.

Yes of course. But you've heard people say that owners don't honor contracts, why should players? Owners honor what is required to honor. They never made any promises to pay out the entire contract. There's nothing they're failing to honor.

 

[Trendnet]

The best part about the billionaire owners is they rely on tax payers to pay for their stadiums
AND they count on some of those tax payers to vote in a way that they get absurd tax breaks on top of all their other breaks.

It’s a win win.

And then they know the fans will scream and berate the players for trying to get what they feel worth.

It's amazing what some people will do to protect the billionaire class. They are all "temporarily embarrassed billionaires" - when in reality they are closer to being homeless than rich.

 

[swj010]

There is a fundamental misunderstanding of NFL player contracts. Too many of us fans believe if a player signs a 4 year contract, both the owner and player are locked in together. That is simply not true. In fact, here are some truths about NFL player contracts most fans don’t understand:

• Once the guaranteed money in an NFL contract is paid to a player, the team can cut the player BEFORE the length of the contract is completed. Obviously there are cap implications if a team cuts a player before the contract is completed but many teams still do it. In fact, here are a couple of former Cowboys marquee players who were cut before their contract years were complete:
  • Dez Bryant- in 2015, he signed a 5 year, $70 million dollar contract. He was cut in after 3 years of that deal and his guaranteed money was paid. In other words, the Cowboys didn’t pay him for 5 years. Fans don’t seem to understand this.
  • DeMarco Murray- signed a 5 year contract with the e-girls in 2015, was traded in 2016 to the titans and eventually finished his career in 2018 before his contract was complete.
  • There are several other star NFL players who were cut before their contract length was honored. Like Richard Sherman when he was in Sea, Navarro Bowman in SF also signed a multi-year contract and yet was cut before it was finished.
• NFL teams also have financial “outs“ when it comes to a player getting hurt or underperforming their contract, while not having any responsibility to increase a player’s pay when a player overperforms their deal.
• The NFL is the ONLY major pro sports league that does not guarantee their players contracts.
  • The NBA, NHL and MLB all have guaranteed contract for their players.

So…usually the only recourse a player has once their guaranteed money is paid is to hold out, which not only means they don’t get paid — but strongly shifts public opinion against them as the player is branded “greedy” or “not helping the team” by ownership that simply doesn’t want to pay more than is on the dotted line.

Why is Zack Martin holding out? No other pro spot, no other sports job allows for employment contracts to be torn up without paying the agreed amount and length of a contract. It’s ridiculous that owners keep requiring players in the NFL to compete without security.

Don’t fall for the verbal tricks from NFL owners. Don’t buy into their sob stories. They don’t honor the contracts they sign with players, so why criticize a player for holding out for their own protection? These billionaire owners will not be honoring their commitments and will still be raking in billions. Why fault a player for protecting themselves?

Owners DO Honor Their Contracts! You may not like the way the contract is constructed, but both the player and the owner agree to its terms. The key, as we are always hearing, is what are the guarantees? The player agrees to the lack of security on the backside in return for a lot of guaranteed money, usually in the form of a signing bonus. The owners take the risk that the player will be injured or underperform early in the contract and the player takes the risk that he will avoid injury and outperform the contract in the latter years. I don't begrudge Zack using his leverage to force the team to commit early to an extension, but it is a false narrative to say the owners don't honor the contracts. They do.

 

[kskboys]

It's the American way. Some call it greed some call it business. I'm way more offended the 3 Walmart heirs are worth over 35 billion EACH yet don't give employees health care and they make so little they are able to get welfare benefits.

It's a bad way.

 

[EdmCowboy Fan]

There is a fundamental misunderstanding of NFL player contracts. Too many of us fans believe if a player signs a 4 year contract, both the owner and player are locked in together. That is simply not true. In fact, here are some truths about NFL player contracts most fans don’t understand:

• Once the guaranteed money in an NFL contract is paid to a player, the team can cut the player BEFORE the length of the contract is completed. Obviously there are cap implications if a team cuts a player before the contract is completed but many teams still do it. In fact, here are a couple of former Cowboys marquee players who were cut before their contract years were complete:
  • Dez Bryant- in 2015, he signed a 5 year, $70 million dollar contract. He was cut in after 3 years of that deal and his guaranteed money was paid. In other words, the Cowboys didn’t pay him for 5 years. Fans don’t seem to understand this.
  • DeMarco Murray- signed a 5 year contract with the e-girls in 2015, was traded in 2016 to the titans and eventually finished his career in 2018 before his contract was complete.
  • There are several other star NFL players who were cut before their contract length was honored. Like Richard Sherman when he was in Sea, Navarro Bowman in SF also signed a multi-year contract and yet was cut before it was finished.
• NFL teams also have financial “outs“ when it comes to a player getting hurt or underperforming their contract, while not having any responsibility to increase a player’s pay when a player overperforms their deal.
• The NFL is the ONLY major pro sports league that does not guarantee their players contracts.
  • The NBA, NHL and MLB all have guaranteed contract for their players.

So…usually the only recourse a player has once their guaranteed money is paid is to hold out, which not only means they don’t get paid — but strongly shifts public opinion against them as the player is branded “greedy” or “not helping the team” by ownership that simply doesn’t want to pay more than is on the dotted line.

Why is Zack Martin holding out? No other pro spot, no other sports job allows for employment contracts to be torn up without paying the agreed amount and length of a contract. It’s ridiculous that owners keep requiring players in the NFL to compete without security.

Don’t fall for the verbal tricks from NFL owners. Don’t buy into their sob stories. They don’t honor the contracts they sign with players, so why criticize a player for holding out for their own protection? These billionaire owners will not be honoring their commitments and will still be raking in billions. Why fault a player for protecting themselves?

 

[EdmCowboy Fan]

There is a fundamental misunderstanding of NFL player contracts. Too many of us fans believe if a player signs a 4 year contract, both the owner and player are locked in together. That is simply not true. In fact, here are some truths about NFL player contracts most fans don’t understand:

• Once the guaranteed money in an NFL contract is paid to a player, the team can cut the player BEFORE the length of the contract is completed. Obviously there are cap implications if a team cuts a player before the contract is completed but many teams still do it. In fact, here are a couple of former Cowboys marquee players who were cut before their contract years were complete:
  • Dez Bryant- in 2015, he signed a 5 year, $70 million dollar contract. He was cut in after 3 years of that deal and his guaranteed money was paid. In other words, the Cowboys didn’t pay him for 5 years. Fans don’t seem to understand this.
  • DeMarco Murray- signed a 5 year contract with the e-girls in 2015, was traded in 2016 to the titans and eventually finished his career in 2018 before his contract was complete.
  • There are several other star NFL players who were cut before their contract length was honored. Like Richard Sherman when he was in Sea, Navarro Bowman in SF also signed a multi-year contract and yet was cut before it was finished.
• NFL teams also have financial “outs“ when it comes to a player getting hurt or underperforming their contract, while not having any responsibility to increase a player’s pay when a player overperforms their deal.
• The NFL is the ONLY major pro sports league that does not guarantee their players contracts.
  • The NBA, NHL and MLB all have guaranteed contract for their players.

So…usually the only recourse a player has once their guaranteed money is paid is to hold out, which not only means they don’t get paid — but strongly shifts public opinion against them as the player is branded “greedy” or “not helping the team” by ownership that simply doesn’t want to pay more than is on the dotted line.

Why is Zack Martin holding out? No other pro spot, no other sports job allows for employment contracts to be torn up without paying the agreed amount and length of a contract. It’s ridiculous that owners keep requiring players in the NFL to compete without security.

Don’t fall for the verbal tricks from NFL owners. Don’t buy into their sob stories. They don’t honor the contracts they sign with players, so why criticize a player for holding out for their own protection? These billionaire owners will not be honoring their commitments and will still be raking in billions. Why fault a player for protecting themselves?

 

[EdmCowboy Fan]

Lol. The guaranteed part or the partial one is the one relevant. are players that stupid?

 

[DanTanna]

One side guarantees a certain amt of money, the other guarantees a certain amount of years. But only one side is required to fulfill their “side” of the agreement, and that’s the owners. A hold out is a player not honoring his contract/word. It’s dumb and elementary to think the owners guarantee length of contract imo.

 

[BleedSilverandBlue]

There is a fundamental misunderstanding of NFL player contracts. Too many of us fans believe if a player signs a 4 year contract, both the owner and player are locked in together. That is simply not true. In fact, here are some truths about NFL player contracts most fans don’t understand:

• Once the guaranteed money in an NFL contract is paid to a player, the team can cut the player BEFORE the length of the contract is completed. Obviously there are cap implications if a team cuts a player before the contract is completed but many teams still do it. In fact, here are a couple of former Cowboys marquee players who were cut before their contract years were complete:
  • Dez Bryant- in 2015, he signed a 5 year, $70 million dollar contract. He was cut in after 3 years of that deal and his guaranteed money was paid. In other words, the Cowboys didn’t pay him for 5 years. Fans don’t seem to understand this.
  • DeMarco Murray- signed a 5 year contract with the e-girls in 2015, was traded in 2016 to the titans and eventually finished his career in 2018 before his contract was complete.
  • There are several other star NFL players who were cut before their contract length was honored. Like Richard Sherman when he was in Sea, Navarro Bowman in SF also signed a multi-year contract and yet was cut before it was finished.
• NFL teams also have financial “outs“ when it comes to a player getting hurt or underperforming their contract, while not having any responsibility to increase a player’s pay when a player overperforms their deal.
• The NFL is the ONLY major pro sports league that does not guarantee their players contracts.
  • The NBA, NHL and MLB all have guaranteed contract for their players.

So…usually the only recourse a player has once their guaranteed money is paid is to hold out, which not only means they don’t get paid — but strongly shifts public opinion against them as the player is branded “greedy” or “not helping the team” by ownership that simply doesn’t want to pay more than is on the dotted line.

Why is Zack Martin holding out? No other pro spot, no other sports job allows for employment contracts to be torn up without paying the agreed amount and length of a contract. It’s ridiculous that owners keep requiring players in the NFL to compete without security.

Don’t fall for the verbal tricks from NFL owners. Don’t buy into their sob stories. They don’t honor the contracts they sign with players, so why criticize a player for holding out for their own protection? These billionaire owners will not be honoring their commitments and will still be raking in billions. Why fault a player for protecting themselves?

I’ll never fault a player for doing what is right for themselves and their family by attempting to make as much money as they can while they can still play the game. This is a business first and foremost and players should use whatever leverage they have when dealing with the league.

NFL ownership has consistently shown that they tend to approach player contracts/negotiations in poor faith, so why should players view them with anything but suspicion?

 

[kskboys]

I’ll never fault a player for doing what is right for themselves and their family by attempting to make as much money as they can while they can still play the game. This is a business first and foremost and players should use whatever leverage they have when dealing with the league.

NFL ownership has consistently shown that they tend to approach player contracts/negotiations in poor faith, so why should players view them with anything but suspicion?

Your last line is 100% incorrect. NFL contracts are honored by owners to a T. No poor faith. Nothing even approaching that.

 

[Captain-Crash]

"he's my favorite player, get that money boyee"

 

[BleedSilverandBlue]

Your last line is 100% incorrect. NFL contracts are honored by owners to a T. No poor faith. Nothing even approaching that.

I am actually correct. Your point about contracts being honored is a red herring and is unrelated to what I am speaking to. I am commenting on the overall NFL player compensation structure being heavily tilted in the owners’ favor.

The NFL has structured its player compensation in a way that is worse for the players compared to the other American professional sports leagues. The are the only league that has non-guaranteed money, so in my opinion they are reaping the seeds they sow when players hold out once their guaranteed money is up. Owners have built this structure in a cynical attempt to keep as much of the pie for themselves as possible while the players collect chronic injuries that will last a lifetime all while making the owners hundreds of millions of dollars.

Call it whatever you like, but I will always side with employees of any corporation over their billionaire ownership groups.

 

[gimmesix]

That’s not why NFL players hold out. They hold out because they know the owners do NOT have to honor the length of the contract the player signs. Look at Dez B’s contract. In 2015 he signed a 5 year contract $70 million- worth $14 mil a season. But once the Cowboys paid him his “guaranteed amount“ (less than $70 mil) they cut him in 2018.

Now I was not upset that Dez was released. But technically, he was released BEFORE his contract was up. Did the Cowboys honor his contract? No, not in terms of the years since he only played in 3 of the 5 yr contract he signed.

Right. Guarantees are the only way they can assure themselves that the owner will honor the deal. It's not a coincidence that Martin is holding out the year before it costs Dallas less to cut him than to keep him, and he'd lose $13 million in base (non-guaranteed) if the team were to cut him next offseason. Martin likely only wants guarantees, so that he's not out that $13 million that the team does not have to honor if it cuts him.

Funny thing is, if the team would just guarantee that, it would possibly end the hold out. Dallas could even convert $10 million into bonus and save $5 million against the cap for the next two years that he's here. (Of course, it would hit the cap afterward, but it frees up space now for those big contracts with Lamb and Parsons that they want to sign.)

 

[Flamma]

I am actually correct. Your point about contracts being honored is a red herring and is unrelated to what I am speaking to. I am commenting on the overall NFL player compensation structure being heavily tilted in the owners’ favor.

The NFL has structured its player compensation in a way that is worse for the players compared to the other American professional sports leagues. The are the only league that has non-guaranteed money, so in my opinion they are reaping the seeds they sow when players hold out once their guaranteed money is up. Owners have built this structure in a cynical attempt to keep as much of the pie for themselves as possible while the players collect chronic injuries that will last a lifetime all while making the owners hundreds of millions of dollars.

Call it whatever you like, but I will always side with employees of any corporation over their billionaire ownership groups.

When players get cut, it's usually because they're not living up to their contract. A lot aren't even living up to the guaranteed money in their contracts. When players do live up to their contracts, they end up getting more money. It's not about saving money, it's about who you choose to pay. One guy gets flushed, another guy gets paid. If all of the contracts were fully guaranteed, we'd still have loads spinning around the porcelain throne and not going down. That would be a drag on the cap.

I've been in unions my entire life. I too always side with employees. But if you're not doing what you've been paid to do, you gotta go.

 

[KingCorcoran]

When players get cut, it's usually because they're not living up to their contract. A lot aren't even living up to the guaranteed money in their contracts. When players do live up to their contracts, they end up getting more money. It's not about saving money, it's about who you choose to pay. One guy gets flushed, another guy gets paid. If all of the contracts were fully guaranteed, we'd still have loads spinning around the porcelain throne and not going down. That would be a drag on the cap.

I've been in unions my entire life. I too always side with employees. But if you're not doing what you've been paid to do, you gotta go.

Well said. And all player contracts must be approved by the NFLPA.