NFL Teams are Too Confident in Big Money Quarterbacks

NFL teams seem to be so confident in their big money quarterbacks. Imagine getting paid 50 million dollars a year to come up short consistently in the playoffs. Even 30 million dollars. All that money a year just to fail every-time. Seems like a gig everyone would want. Get paid no matter how you perform. Names such as Aaron Rogers, Patrick Mahomes, and even Deshaun Watson all make big money for years to come. Watson, who is even fresh off not playing for a year due to sexual harassment charges makes 80 more million dollars than his previous contract. You don’t even have to play, get in legal trouble, and even make 80 more million dollars than you previously would have! Watson now has a five year two hundred 30 million dollar contract with the Cleveland Browns. They even traded 3 first round picks for him. NFL teams seem to have supreme confidence in big name quarterbacks who may not even have a superbowl ring. The top ten list of highest paid quarterbacks accounts for a total of 4 superbowl rings, and each of those rings belongs to a separate player. Meaning, 4 players on the list all have one championship. Five out of the 10 highest paid quarterbacks in the league don’t even have an appearance on their resume. NFL teams have a wide amount of confidence in their big money quarterbacks, too much to be exact. 

Kevin Patra exposes the lunacy of Aaron Rodgers newly signed and absurd 150 million dollar contract. The Green Bay Packers general manager confidently claims, “We are very pleased to be able to come to an agreement with Aaron that keeps him in Green Bay.” His play on the field and leadership in our locker room remain vital in our pursuit of another Super Bowl title. The agreement also allows us to maintain and enhance what we feel is already a very competitive roster.” Interesting knowing that Rogers has been 1-5 in NFC championship games, and has one superbowl title. Because the team wanted to give Rodgers all their payroll, star wide receiver Devante Adams demanded a trade and was traded to the Los Vegas Raiders. Adams didn’t get the money he felt he deserved for being a vital part for the Packers for years. Adams, an 8 year Packer, seemed inseparable from the team. Arguably the best wide receiver in the game, he has put up over 1,300 yards in back to back seasons, with 18 touchdowns in 2020, the highest of his career. Adams wanted more money than the Packers were offering because of Rodgers contract and paid the Ultimate price. Their best receiver now consists of a second round rookie from North Dakota state. With their other receivers consisting of 31 year old, Randall Cobb, Allen Lazard who has a tick over 1,000 yards in 4 seasons, and Sammy Watkins, who hasn’t posted a 1,000 yard season since 2015.Huge downgrade. 

Rodgers may have even put too much pressure on the Packers to sign him. An ESPN article written by Demovsky, he states, “Rodgers called his future a ‘beautiful mystery’ late in the 2020 season and shortly after the Packers’ NFC Championship Game loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers included himself in a group of players with uncertain futures. What followed was an offseason-long boycott — he missed workouts, organized team activities and minicamp.” ESPN even reports he told the Packers, “he would never play for them again.” Rodgers, pulling the ultimate diva move, decided to eventually stay when he bullied the Packers into giving him 50 million dollars a year. No one can turn that money down. Packers may have panicked not wanting to lose Rodgers, and instead lost the best receiver in the game. 

Moving on to the half a billion dollar man, Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes came into the league on fire. In his sophomore season he posted over 5,000 passing yards, 50 touchdowns and an MVP award. Pretty damn good. The Kansas City Chiefs proceeded to win the superbowl the next year on his measly rookie deal of 4 million dollars a year. The Chiefs then proceeded to fall in the dreadful hole of paying a ridiculous amount of money to the quarterback. The Chiefs offered the quarterback a 10 year 500 million dollar contract. Hard to blame the Chiefs for locking him up, but 50 million dollars a year? Abominable. In another article written by ESPN, the Chiefs general manager, Clark Hunt, is quoted, happily saying, “With his dynamic play and infectious personality, he is one of the most recognized and beloved figures to put on the Chiefs uniform. He’s an extraordinary leader and a credit to the Kansas City community, and I’m delighted that he will be a member of the Chiefs for many years to come.” Nothing too bold here, however the Chiefs are already starting to see the effects of quarterback’s contract. Almost a carbon copy with Rodgers signing, losing his star wide receiver, Mahomes lost his. Tyreke Hill, perhaps the fastest player in the league, and stud wide receiver has put up over 1,000 yards in his four of six years with the Chiefs. A former fifth round pick, proved himself on the field, and wanted his share of big money. Hill demanded the money he deserved, but Chiefs may have forgotten over the next 10 years their quarterback is getting 500 million dollars. Kansas City was forced to trade the star wide out to the Miami Dolphins. Where he now happily makes 30 million dollars a year. A big part of the championship run, the wide receiver will never wear those Chiefs uniforms again. 

Finally, Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns quarterback. A borderline sex offender, Watson was formerly the quarterback for the Houston Texans. He didn’t play the whole 2021 season due to sexual harassment charges. He was recently cleared of those charges, and it was all in for NFL teams to try and trade for him. Watson, who was unhappy with the Texans organization, vowed to never play for them again. “Cleveland traded three first-round picks, a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick.” Cole Thompson from “Si.com,” writes, “Watson is set to waive his no-trade clause and will receive a new five-year, $230 million contract, $80 million more than the original deal agreed to in Houston.” So a player fresh off 22 civil charges is now making 80 more million dollars than his previous contract. A player who didn’t even play last year was granted 80 more million dollars than he previously had. The worst part about this contract, all this money is guaranteed, Cleveland has no way of getting out of it. 

In another “Si.com,” article, Browns owners, Jimmy Haslem and Dee Haslem were quoted saying, “We spent a tremendous amount of time exploring and investigating the opportunity to trade for Deshaun Watson. We are acutely aware and empathetic to the highly personal sentiments expressed about this decision. In our conversations, Deshaun detailed his commitment to leading our team; he understands and embraces the hard work needed to build his name both in the community and on the field.” The Browns for some reason have so much trust in a guy who was accused of 20 plus civil counts of sexual harassment. Cleveland this is who you know trust to go get you your first superbowl ever. So much that they made him the second highest quarterback in the league, accounting for 230 million dollars, all of that guaranteed! Watson is doing almost nothing to deserve 80 more million dollars than his previous contract, is fresh out of court, and makes way more money than he could have ever imagined in the next few seasons. Watson could also still face a suspension from the league, so he is not fully off the hook. However, as mentioned previously, the Browns have no way of getting out of this if this backfires, all 230 million dollars is guaranteed, meaning they have to pay him and have no way of getting out of it. Cleveland also recently signed their cornerback, Denzel Ward, to a 5 year 100 million dollar contract. I’m not sure where Cleveland thinks their roster is going to go in the next few years giving two players 70 million dollars a year. 

References

Chavkin, Daniel. “Browns Release Statement after Deshaun Watson Acquisition.” Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated, 20 Mar. 2022, https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/03/20/deshaun-watson-browns-jimmy-dee-haslam-andrew-berry-kevin-stefanski-statements. 

“Chiefs Lock up Patrick Mahomes through 2031 with Massive Extension.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 6 July 2020, https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29418825/sources-chiefs-patrick-mahomes-agree-10-year-extension. 

Demovsky, Rob. “Aaron Rodgers’ Extension with Green Bay Packers Includes $150 Million over First Three Years.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 15 Mar. 2022, https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33508952/aaron-rodgers-new-deal-green-bay-packers-includes-150m-first-three-years. 

Patra, Kevin. “Aaron Rodgers Officially Signs Contract Extension; Packers QB to Earn $150.8m over next Three Years.” NFL.com, NFL, 15 Mar. 2022, https://www.nfl.com/news/aaron-rodgers-officially-signs-contract-extension-packers-qb-150-million.