Lady Steel
04-25-2015, 11:17 PM
Antonio Brown is reported to be trying something that hasn't worked in many decades — he wants to renegotiate his contract with the Steelers that still has three years to run. He is in the middle of a six-year, $43 million deal he signed in summer 2012.
He may be the first to try it, but he won't be the first to accomplish it.
Yes, Brown is not among the top 10 paid wide receivers in the NFL, even though he led the NFL with 129 receptions and 1,698 yards last season, both by far Steelers records. But at the time they signed him to that $43 million contract with its $8.5 million signing bonus, Brown had started just three games in his first two seasons, although he caught 69 passes for 1,108 yards in his second season.
The Steelers were taking a chance then. In his third season, Brown's stats went down as a starter. In 2012, the first year of his new contract, he caught 66 passes for 787 yards. If he has outplayed his contract now, did he under-play it in 2012, when he received more than $9 million from the Steelers that year?
Andrew McCutchen, the 2013 National League MVP with the Pirates, also has outplayed his contract. He did not skip spring training and neither he nor his agent have uttered a word about wanting more money.
MLB contracts are guaranteed and football contracts are not. Many times, we see teams take advantage of that. Troy Polamalu had two years left on his contract when he was virtually forced to retire from the Steelers. Brett Keisel had a year left when he was cut by them. Hines Ward was still under contract when the Steelers cut him.
But players know the deal. They know those contracts can be one-way streets, which is why there are big signing bonuses in football. It is part of their collective bargaining agreement that unless the money is guaranteed, they can be cut and owed nothing at any time for any reason.
Perhaps the Steelers would love to tear up Brown's contract and give him one that would better reflect his standing among the league's wide receivers. But they cannot. If they did it for Brown with three years left, who might be next to want a new deal?
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2015/04/26/On-the-Steelers-Antonio-Brown-s-lack-of-leverage/stories/201504260143
He may be the first to try it, but he won't be the first to accomplish it.
Yes, Brown is not among the top 10 paid wide receivers in the NFL, even though he led the NFL with 129 receptions and 1,698 yards last season, both by far Steelers records. But at the time they signed him to that $43 million contract with its $8.5 million signing bonus, Brown had started just three games in his first two seasons, although he caught 69 passes for 1,108 yards in his second season.
The Steelers were taking a chance then. In his third season, Brown's stats went down as a starter. In 2012, the first year of his new contract, he caught 66 passes for 787 yards. If he has outplayed his contract now, did he under-play it in 2012, when he received more than $9 million from the Steelers that year?
Andrew McCutchen, the 2013 National League MVP with the Pirates, also has outplayed his contract. He did not skip spring training and neither he nor his agent have uttered a word about wanting more money.
MLB contracts are guaranteed and football contracts are not. Many times, we see teams take advantage of that. Troy Polamalu had two years left on his contract when he was virtually forced to retire from the Steelers. Brett Keisel had a year left when he was cut by them. Hines Ward was still under contract when the Steelers cut him.
But players know the deal. They know those contracts can be one-way streets, which is why there are big signing bonuses in football. It is part of their collective bargaining agreement that unless the money is guaranteed, they can be cut and owed nothing at any time for any reason.
Perhaps the Steelers would love to tear up Brown's contract and give him one that would better reflect his standing among the league's wide receivers. But they cannot. If they did it for Brown with three years left, who might be next to want a new deal?
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2015/04/26/On-the-Steelers-Antonio-Brown-s-lack-of-leverage/stories/201504260143