Charles is holding out of Training Camp - Says he outplayed his current contract

[JP Z]

I get it, let me be the first to admit that Jamal Charles was a stud last year........but it's not like he would go to the Chiefs and say "hey I underperformed this last year here is $500,000. Honestly.....Boohoo I'm only making $4 million this year.......

[Getanet]

Eh, happens all the time in sports. Making a case for a raise happens all the time in corporate America too (without the hold-out part of course). I've never any of my colleagues or clients volunteer to take a pay cut.

I give football players much more leeway in this than other sports due the violent nature of the game, the short careers most players have, and the fact they can be cut at nearly any time. If a player is outperforming a contract and waits for it to run it's course, they could have a career ending injury or be past their prime by the time they are able to negotiate a salary worthy of their current production.

[nofishfisherman]

Most of us can't even come close to relating to this. He's making more money than any of us ever will and he's complaining about it.

But I also get where he's coming from when you look at the unique labor situation in the NFL. A team is perfectly within its rights to force a player to restructure his contract and threaten voiding his contract if he refuses. We don't think much of it when that happens but its the teams version of a hold out, "take less money or we'll cut you".

When a player does the same thing and says "pay me more money or I won't play" we look at him like a greedy overpaid cry baby. When in reality he's just playing the same contract game that the teams play.

If the team can do it then its only fair the player can do it. If the league moves toward guaranteed contracts then I'd see the hold out game differently. I just think both sides should be able to play be the same set of rules.

[JP Z]

I can see both sides of it..........especially with RB's their careers tend to be MUCH shorter. But yes, he's already making more money per year then I will make in my lifetime........so yep I see the greedy side also.

[nofishfisherman]

Are you telling me you wouldn't want to make as much money as you possibly can in the few short years you are able to make it?

I currently make enough money to pay my bills and have a little fun, but I'd also like to make more money to help provide me the ability to retire in comfort. Does that make me greedy?

[JP Z]

You are right, I would like to make more..as would most people. I think the figures are just what gets me. Millions of dollars is just a lot of money is all.

[hnd]

an nfl team can void a contract at any time it likes and only be out any guaranteed money. they have all the power in the contract. the chiefs make a couple hundred million every year. nobody gets mad at them for dropping a player.

people point to butkus or some other star back in the day and how they didn't do this. they also made peanuts and so did the franchises back then. players were also awful business people back then. today they have advisors and so much more information, these guys can now leverage their skills into more money. its either going to the player or its going to the team. they aren't passing savings onto us.

[nofishfisherman]

You are right, I would like to make more..as would most people. I think the figures are just what gets me. Millions of dollars is just a lot of money is all.

For us common folk its hard to grasp given the dollar amounts involved but I'm sure most of us would do the same thing if we were in a similar position.

What I'd be interested to know is exactly how much of a players salary they end up seeing. I mean they pay a pretty hefty tax I'm sure and then they owe their agents a percentage, plus I'm sure they have various other advisers that take their cut. After all is said and done I bet they walk away with less than half of their actual salary. Its still a lot of money but that money also needs to pay the bills for the next 50 years as well.

[hnd]

it depends on where. some states have no income tax so you get more of your money. an agent makes anywhere from 5-15%. advisors, who knows. federal taxes can be 30-40%.

teams can shift profits around and play shell games. a player can not really.

[JP Z]

Yep I know for instance Flacco would be the highest paid QB but since he is in DC they have an extremely high Income tax so he's not

But I will admit Charles should get paid, Bowe makes in 1 year what Charles will have made in 6.

Here is some Cap info (pretty nifty site for those interested in that sort of stuff)

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/jamaal-charles/

[FISHINGURU]

He's makin Mo'Money now, he just got a raise!!

[zepman]

Let the NFL guys make as much $$$$ as they can....while they can. It's a violent sport...nothing is guaranteed other than their guaranteed $$$/signing bonus.

It's WAY different than baseball or basketball where the WHOLE contract is paid in full...one way or the other.