So it seems we are in the hot season for one day contracts,
one of the dumbest things I have ever seen.
I understand players and organizations wanting to commemorate a player’s
loyalty and contribution to a team, but why not make it an actual contract, display
some mutual loyalty and respect through actual play. Most recently and locally Jordy Nelson signed
a one day contract to retire with the Packers, merely a year after they
released him out of nowhere and he went to spend a year with the Raiders. If the packers felt his contribution and
legacy were so important, why not just let him ride out the last few games with
the team he had spent his whole career with?
Now there will always be that black mark on the record. Donald Driver
had the dignity to take a pay cut, stick around and ride off into the
night. I think that one day contracts
are a bad look for both sides, almost an admission that they made the decision
to part ways purely for financial reasons, and not for the good of the game or the
team.
Just once I would like to see a player fulfill their one day
contract and actually get paid. Often times these contracts are for the league
minimum pro-rated to the one day length.
So for Nelson, or Steven Jackson, who both recently signed one-day-ers,
with 10 years of experience that comes to about $2800 for the day, not bad? However since players normally elect to
retire while they are “a part of the team” which is a voidable breach of the
contract they rarely see the cash. Just
once I would like a player to wait until the following day and make the team
that let them go send a check. Jerry
Rice signed an ODC in 2006 for $1,985,806.49, which would’ve been a nice little
shot to San Fran’s pocket book. (The
number derived from the year he was drafted, 1985, his retired number 80, the
year of retirement, 06, and the 49ers).
I do enjoy how blatantly stupid the NFL is sometimes though,
from the allowance of these dumb contracts. Of all their dumb off field rules
you would think this would be something they cracked down on, merely because
fans seem to like it, and it doesn’t make them any direct cash. They do however acknowledge their existence,
recently when former St. Louis (Los Angeles?) Rams Running back Steven Jackson
signed an ODC they sent him a summons for a random drug test… Nice job over there at the head office. Let Tyreek Hill walk after what just about everyone
agrees was evidence that he abused his 3 year old son, but make sure that a guy
who hasn’t played in 4 years hasn’t been touching any weed. Jackson very
politely noted on twitter that he would not be going to the test, and would
instead retire (duh.), he even offered to forfeit the $0 he was expected to
make on the contract. A real “good-guy”
move out of someone who decided to go ring chasing for the last few years of
his career because the Rams weren’t “a contender.” (odd seeing as he had the #1 overall pick and
biggest ever rookie contract to work with in Sam Bradford next to him, that
looks like a good purchase now doesn’t it)
I do love how the NFL embraces consistency, drug tests for
inactive players, lack of suspension for child abusers, 4 games to Tom Brady
for knowing that things shrivel when cold (his job required ice baths, it isn’t
a forgiven concept). I hope that Good ‘ole
commissioner Goodell devotes a lot of energy to making sure that Jackson pees
in a cup, seems like something he would obsess over for a while.
But my gripe is with the one day contract, if you are a franchise
and a player left you to chase cash or rings, don’t reward them with the honor
as retiring with the team. Give it a few
years, if they are worth it retire the number after few years heal the separation. To the players, if they released you, not
even a trade with some value in your place, don’t give them the satisfaction of
coming back.
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