DeSean Jackson was drafted in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, the seventh wide receiver taken in the draft, and in July of that year he agreed to terms on a four-year contract with the team. Two Pro Bowl selections later, Jackson is one of the best young wide-outs in the game and still working through a contract that only guarantees him $600,000 for the season. That’s about 600,000 times what I make in a year, but less (a lot less) than market value for a player of his ability. He’ll play his first game of the season on Sunday.

But, as I’m sure you’re asking yourself, what would Terrell Owens do?

T.O. talked to 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia and gave one of the history’s most predictable answers when asked if he’d show up and play on Sunday were in DeSean Jackson’s situation. From Shutdown Corner, by way of Philadelphia Sports Daily:

“Absolutely not,” Owens replied. “I would have to better myself and my family and my situation. That’s ridiculous.”

Owens said that Jackson has obviously received advice “to go in there, be a man about it and play under the existing contract that he has,” adding, “but I guarantee you — if he goes out and gets hurt, God forbid, he’s not going to get the contract that he probably would have gotten if he held out.”

“These greedy athletes make too much money!” is a really terrible blogger talking point, much like “I have to provide for my family” is a terrible pro athlete talking point, so the truth falls somewhere in the middle — yes, DeSean Jackson is comparably worth more than what he’s being paid, but he signed a contract for x amount of years wherein he agreed upon his worth and no amount of crossing your arms and holding your breath should negate that. Otherwise, what’s the point of a contract? It’s not unique for me to say that holding out is an absolutely ass thing to do to your team, or that a player shouldn’t be able to say “I’m okay with you paying me this much to play well, oh hey look I played well, give me more money”, or that “functional, workable adult” would be a great way to socially support your family, but I will include all of them in this sentence anyway.

I think professional football players should look at T.O. as their game’s Donny Don’t. If the guy with great natural talent and lots of money who will live out the rest of his life as the “locker room poison guy who isn’t worth it” says you should do something, do the opposite. So, in this case, be a reliable, valued member of a pro sports organization, and the second that contract is up start demanding every dollar in history.

In news that proves why I should wait another week before writing 10,000 words about fantasy football and attractive women, the Tennessee Titans shocked Chris Johnson – Nay, the world! – when they announced that they were prepared to make him the highest paid running back in NFL history. Titans GM Mike Reinfeldt said that as soon as Johnson ends his holdout and returns to camp, he will honor the elite RB with the contract he deserves.

“We’re willing to make him the highest-paid running back in the history of the NFL,’’ Reinfeldt said. “That’s kind of where we are. … We’d like to have him here, and we’d like to be fair with him.” (Via The Tennessean with one hell of a Burnsy-esque photoshop)

When asked how he plans to pay that kind of money, Reinfeldt responded: “Have you seen the rest of this roster? We could sign two of him.” As for Johnson, he claims this is all completely news to him.

“I am surprised,” Johnson said of Reinfeldt’s “statement about offering to make me the highest-paid running back. Neither me nor Joel have received any offer from the Titans. Maybe they talked, but I guarantee we never received any offer.”

Johnson has every right to be skeptical of Reinfeldt’s statement, but it wouldn’t hurt for the mouse to take the cheese and just show up to camp. As long as Reinfeldt isn’t standing there with a giant check for “$1,000,000,000,000,000″ and whispering, “Do us a solid and don’t cash this until 2017,” it could be in Johnson’s best interest to go. But some people disagree.

Read the rest of this entry »

He has his mother's eyes

Titans running back and noted gold tooth enthusiast Chris Johnson has recently run away from police voiced complaints to Titans management about his contract. The reigning NFL Offensive POY is set to make 550K next season, a condition of his rookie contract. Johnson, who rushed for over 2,000 yards last season, has threatened to hold out of his contract; a move that has been supported by former NFL stars including Warren Sapp, Eddie George, and Marshall Faulk.

“Chris has outplayed his rookie deal. He has beyond exceeded the expectation where he was drafted,” Faulk said. “When you are drafted you are paid as to where you were drafted, not to how you play. And then after you play and prove your worth you are then paid as to how you play. He has exceeded the money he is making, the Titans know it and everyone in the league knows it.” –profotballtalk.com

Johnson’s rookie contract pays him 12 million dollars over 5 seasons. Considering NFL superstar colossal bust JaMarcus Russell made 68 million over 6 seasons, with 31.5 million guaranteed, Johnson’s dominating performance last season makes him deserving of a better deal. He has said that he wants to be the highest-paid offensive player in the league, money he could spend to buy more grills and pimped out cars.

A very convincing case for Chris Johnson’s payday after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »