OT: Would you ever hold out? - Page 3 - New England Patriots Forums

***Mike the Brit*** · 08-08-2011, 12:35 PM

Not too many people get paid to do what they love doing. But football is high risk. So it would be important to me to have enough guaranteed money that, if it all ended suddenly, I would know that my family and I would live decently. If the team wasn't offering me that, I'd do what I needed to. But beyond that I've got other priorities.

fnordcircle · 08-08-2011, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patjew

I consider myself an extremely loyal person (15 years with the same company, never cheated on my wife, blah blah blah), but yes... I can see circumstances where I would hold out. I would try to do it quietly and without acrimony.

Probably the most reasonable response in this thread.

***BradyFTW!*** · 08-08-2011, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NovaScotiaPatsFan

For me I don't agree with holdouts. My feeling is if I sign my name on a contract that's a promise that I'll fulfill my end of the deal. Could you imagine the uproar if an owner said "Well, you didn't live up to expectations so we're not gonna pay you as much."

Teams do that everytime they cut someone.

If I was outproducing my contract to a huge degree, then sure, I would entertain the idea of holding out. I definitely wouldn't rule it out on principle alone. NFL careers don't last long enough to play a bunch of years way below your market worth.

***BradyFTW!*** · 08-08-2011, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by falloutboy14

As long as good players have short careers due to injuries, I'll never go against a young player, especially a RB, on a rookie contract trying to get his fair value for a contract. Injury risk is too great & careers too short to play out an extended period of time on a bad contract.

Definitely, Chris Johnson is the primary example here. When you look at how much Tennessee rides him, anything short of holding out just doesn't make sense. They're running him into the ground right now, and are taking years off of the end of his career. Why wouldn't he hold out and demand that they pay him accordingly for the 300+ carries per year that he gives them?

***BradyFTW!*** · 08-08-2011, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoLewisrocks

But that's the contract as the NFLPA agreed to it. Guaranteed money is just that, guaranteed even if you suck. Unguaranteed salary is just that, not guaranteed. When these guys sign their deal they know up front what is and isn't guaranteed. In many cases they are being paid a % of the total contract value up front as part of the trade off. Trouble is many of them forget that (or have spent that) by the time the backend rolls around. While others aren't holding out for a deal per se so much as holding out for what the team may view as an unrealistic deal.

And the average career of an NFL player is 6 years. The numbers the association trumpeted during the lockout included any cup of coffee guy ever signed who never made a 53 man roster like all the UDFA's teams are trying out this TC season. The average pro bowler has a 9 year career.

And anyone recommending the NFL adopt any MLB rules is nuts...

Likewise, when the team signs a player to a contract, they know that a holdout in the event of outperforming the contract is a likely scenario, the penalties of which are well-established.

Seels · 08-08-2011, 01:50 PM

Depends on the organization I'm with, what I would think of the longterm plans, and how much I think I'm getting underpaid. If I'm on a go-nowhere org with no plan like the mid decade Raiders / 9ers or the current Bengals or Broncos? Absolutely. If I'm in an org like the Steelers / Pats / Falcons / Packers that has clear long and short term plans, well it'd be a little harder.

jcdavey · 08-08-2011, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NovaScotiaPatsFan

For me I don't agree with holdouts. My feeling is if I sign my name on a contract that's a promise that I'll fulfill my end of the deal. Could you imagine the uproar if an owner said "Well, you didn't live up to expectations so we're not gonna pay you as much."

Maybe these guys should have thought about that before signing their long term contracts.

i agree with you

i would honor my contract, even if the team doesn't always honor their end

fester · 08-08-2011, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NovaScotiaPatsFan

Could you imagine the uproar if an owner said "Well, you didn't live up to expectations so we're not gonna pay you as much."

That part about the owners saying "Nope, you're not good enough, so here is a pay-cut" happens every year on every team as veteran players get cut because there is a cheaper, probably younger player who the owners/coaches/GM wants to use that roster spot/cap space for.

If the contracts were A) fully guaranteed and b) rookie contracts were set at market value or very short (2 year initial deal maybe), then I would be less sympathetic to hold-outs, but under the current system, holding out is the limited leverage a player has to maximize their lifetime earnings.

jcdavey · 08-08-2011, 02:00 PM

it's all about integrity IMO

a team lacking integrity on their end of the deal, isn't going to effect me and my own integrity

"if billy jumped off a bridge, would you?" and i'm not talking about bungie jumping

Patriot Missile · 08-08-2011, 02:05 PM

If Tedy Bruschi negotiated my contract I would have to say yes. He was vastly underpaid but yet played it out.