Where Has Team Loyalty Gone ?

[Rod De Kruyf]

I'm sure some of you are chuckling at thread title. You don't expect people to have loyalty to anything but the buck.
What about the coaches that have worked overtime with you ?
What about the head coach who has eased up helping to rehab an injury ?
What about teammates that have help you adjust to a new team ? Been kind to your family as they resettled ?
What about strength coaches working overtime to help you rehab ?
And finally what about the loyal fans ? (Seems like that is the only place the word loyalty works anymore)
I never have been a big fan of owners so I'm not thinking of them. What about the fans ? Everyone expects loyalty from us and ultimately give very little. Is it such a big deal if the home team offers 10 million to move across country for an extra 2 million ? Maybe at my age I have lost touch, but are there no hometown discounts anymore for a team that has treated a player well and helped developed his skill set ?
Seems like greed dominates our culture today.
Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[Big Game]

Its all about maximizing the big contracts in football due to no guaranteed longevity. With Watkins he is 24 getting a 48 million, 30 million guaranteed contract then at 27 he will sign one more big contract. I get what your saying but now its all about the almighty dollar.

 

[Shane Grandle]

I don’t blame them one bit for taking the money. It’s a tough sport and careers can end at any time, get payed and take care of you. If those coaches and teammates are your real friends they’ll be happy for you and will stay in touch. It’s a business

 

[OldSchool]

I’ve said many times this off season, the second contract for nfl players is the most important to them. It’s their chance to maximize income, if they’re around for a third it’s usually a short low dollar one and their rookie contract is structured. This is the way the nfl is now.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Playing in the NFL takes a toll on the body. So much so that players can't be certain that they will ever be able to work a full time job after they are retired. Injury over time, or career ending injuries are part of reality. These players may be gifted and had it easy in High School but they work hard to make in the NFL. They have earned the right to follow the money and look out for their futures and the rest of their life.

The GMs, and coaches know this all too well and other than star QBs they don't expect to retain players for the length of their careers.

 

[Adi]

We know it's a violent sport but if you can't make 30 million dollars last then you have other problems.

 

[OnceARam]

Seems like greed dominates our culture today.

It's a game of money as much as it is a game of football.

We didn't value Watkins the same way the Chiefs did. They have a rookie QB (1 pro game) and we have a guy who should be able to fill in at the "stretch the defense" roll that Watkins played for us.

Plus we need the cap space for Donald and eventually Goff and Peterson.

We just can't keep everyone.

 

[Ram_Rally]

Teams don't show much loyalty to players . Produce for them and then you're out the door

 

[dolphinlover123]

I'm sure some of you are chuckling at thread title. You don't expect people to have loyalty to anything but the buck.
What about the coaches that have worked overtime with you ?
What about the head coach who has eased up helping to rehab an injury ?
What about teammates that have help you adjust to a new team ? Been kind to your family as they resettled ?
What about strength coaches working overtime to help you rehab ?
And finally what about the loyal fans ? (Seems like that is the only place the word loyalty works anymore)
I never have been a big fan of owners so I'm not thinking of them. What about the fans ? Everyone expects loyalty from us and ultimately give very little. Is it such a big deal if the home team offers 10 million to move across country for an extra 2 million ? Maybe at my age I have lost touch, but are there no hometown discounts anymore for a team that has treated a player well and helped developed his skill set ?
Seems like greed dominates our culture today.
Thanks for letting me vent.

Players get cut too and get traded. Teams abandon players just as much as players abandon teams. It's just business. Nothing personal. I don't think players with families are always thrilled about taking everything and moving to another state every few years or even months. But it's just the way it is.

And let's not even talk about how quickly fans turn on these players. LOL.

 

[Psycho_X]

Teams don't show much loyalty to players . Produce for them and then you're out the door

Yeah it goes both ways, teams get what they can for the least amount and players get what they can for the most amount of money. Teams know it is a business, players know it is a business, and fans don't want to accept that because we grow attachments to players outside of the money while spending our own to support them both. It's hard to swallow at times. But is what it is.

 

[IowaRam]

Reggie White took it with him to Green Bay in 1993

 

[shovelpass]

Watkins has been on the team less than a year, not much to be loyal too. Also, it's hard to preach about loyalty to players when they can just as easily be cut or traded at a moment's notice.

 

[FrantikRam]

Not sure if anyone follows the NBA, but when the salary cap blew up in the NBA a few years ago, a TON of NFL players took to twitter and reacted with awe to the NBA players contracts. Average guys were getting $16-$20 mil per year.

This year the NFL is kind of in the same boat - so much cap space for so many teams. If you're a guy like Sammy you can just say "let's see what the market brings" and I'm sure he gave the Rams an opportunity to match the 3 years 48 mil - and I think most of us would have been upset if the Rams had done that. This is what makes me think Joyner will not be a Ram for his entire career - I think franchising anyone except a QB or a top player like Donald or Gurley is the death of that player with the team.

And at the end of the day, it's a fun idea to sit here and say "hometown discount", but really players are hurting themselves when they do that. IMO every player in every sport has the obligation to make as much money as they can. A lot of these guys come from upbringings like you and I, and aside from them, nobody before or after them in their family will every reach these levels financially.

 

[dieterbrock]

We know it's a violent sport but if you can't make 30 million dollars last then you have other problems.

But after he pays his agent, and taxes he'll only see about 10 million of that....

 

[99Balloons]

It's a violent sport, a la modern day gladiators. They're lucky to make it to the highest level of play and competition. And they should be compensated greatly because they're just one broken and busted knee cap or major injuries and that is it for their career.

 

[dieterbrock]

There was never team loyalty, the game was balanced heavily in the owners favor and free agency was a farce. Players didn't stay out of loyalty, they stayed because they couldn't leave.
Now free agency is balanced in the players favor, and its still a farce...
I used to think that the NBA had it right with the "Larry Bird rule" allowing teams to go over the cap to re-sign their players, but its a total crap shoot there as well.

 

[MadGoat]

I’ve said many times this off season, the second contract for nfl players is the most important to them. It’s their chance to maximize income, if they’re around for a third it’s usually a short low dollar one and their rookie contract is structured. This is the way the nfl is now.

I think the running backs have it worst of all. Most of their production comes when they are on their rookie deals. Then they have to negotiate with NFL teams who know the player's production is likely to drop off during their second contract. Once their body finally wears out they get to hear about how they are overpaid. I know every position deals with that to a point, but because of the career arc it's just much more amplified for the running backs.

 

[Adi]

But after he pays his agent, and taxes he'll only see about 10 million of that....

Only 10 million ?

 

[Merlin]

People take new jobs for a dollar or whatever more per hour all the time in the real world, so it's hard to fault these guys for utilizing the market.

Only thing I'd throw out there is sometimes chasing a bit more money over fit is a dumb way to go. If it were me I'd be more concerned with the team overall, that there's a good environment to win and sustain success, even if it meant taking less. But, hey, some dudes want that extra million or whatever and it's hard to fault that.