I. Introduction
Virtually everyone has looked for a job and found that they just did not meet the previous experience requirements laid out in the description. The salary looks great, but you may not have three to five years of Big Four accounting experience. Society generally rewards those that have been through the rigors of the profession before. However, the growing trend in the NFL is to hand over bags of money to college athletes who have not yet played a snap in the NFL or faced the challenge of competing against the world’s best. [1] The NFL does have a rookie salary cap in place, with a pool of money allotted to each team stating how much it can spend on salaries. [2] However, guaranteed money and signing bonuses have allowed teams to continue to shell out more and more money for their new “face of the franchise,” and still miraculously stay under the salary cap. [3] Is there hope for resolution before the uncapped year and potential future lockout? This article will discuss the problems with the current system in the NFL as well as potential resolutions that would benefit the NFL, current players and fans.
II. Amidst CBA discussions the Rookie Pay Scale Continues to be a Hot Topic
The NFL is heading full steam into an uncapped year in 2011, and while the problems facing the NFL talking heads and the NFLPA are vast and numerous, the lack of a manageable rookie pay scale is a glaring issue that needs to be resolved. [4] Writers, veteran players, and NFL Brass alike are pining for a system that would be more reflective of the contributions of players. [5] While owners and the NFLPA quibble over revenue sharing and (hopefully) a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the issue of a proposed rookie pay scale or the like will most likely be vigorously supported by the NFL. [6] In fact, Roger Goodell himself has vehemently pushed for such a system through the media. [7] Going forward into the offseason, the absence of a rookie pay scale seems as though it may be a sticking point in labor negotiations.[8] However, although their voices have been heard across various media athletes, the simple truth is that without NFLPA and NFL supported resolution, the NFL draft will continue to be a windfall for 22 year-olds with no experience playing on Sundays, and the league and players in it will suffer. [9]
III. The NFL is not Growing as Fast as First Round Salaries and Veterans are Suffering
The reality of the current situation is that NFL first round salaries are increasing faster than team revenues. While the NFL continues to operate the most successful professional league in the United States, the teams within have not been impervious to the economic downturn or, more permanently, the exponential rise of the rookie salary cap. The Green Bay Packers have been fortunate enough to turn a sizeable profit, but that is not enough to convince the Team President and Chief Executive, Mark Murphy, that the system is working. [10] Furthermore, NFL rookie salaries are increasing faster than the salary cap and veterans are feeling the hit. [11] From 2003-2007, the average guarantee for first round draft picks rose by approximately 67%. [12] Contrast that with the fact that the NFL salary cap only increased by 45% in the same time period. [13] Matthew Stafford was recently signed to a $78 million contract, with over $41 million coming in guaranteed money. [14] Matthew Stafford was a good NCAA quarterback, with admittedly great measurables. However, Tom Brady, the golden boy of the NFL, has three Super Bowls to his name, but his “paltry” $8 million this year cannot hold a candle to Stafford’s Trump-esque take home pay.[15] Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had to win two Super Bowls before he could come close to Stafford’s numbers. [16] Although it seems absurd that Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger, with five Superbowls and numerous Pro Bowls between them, would not get paid as much as a 21 year-old rookie quarterback, the Mt. Olympus of the NFL are not the group being slighted the most in the current system. [17] NFL veterans, the few that have defied the odds and made it through multiple seasons, proving themselves time and time again, are being most affected. [18] Teams have recently had to make conscious decisions to pay a Stafford-like salary to a first round pick, trade down in the draft to reduce salary demands for draft picks, or re-sign important and proven veterans. [19] Unfortunately, it seems like the trend is to get rid of valuable or roster filling veterans to bring in the glamour of a first round draft pick. The system also has first round draft picks and their agents feeling entitled to ridiculous salary increases each year, and often times this leads to the player sitting out of camp, or potentially the whole season. This hurts not only the team, but the player as well. [20] The amount of holdouts in the past five years is incredible, with the most recent example being Michael Crabtree and his potentially sitting out the 2009 season because he feels he is not getting paid what he is worth at the number ten pick overall. [21]
IV. The NBA Rookie Scale – A Workable Model
With all the problems with getting players in camp, as well as financial concerns of teams and veterans, what is the league to do? One idea supported by various columnists and athletic academia is to put a rookie pay scale in place, much like the NBA. In the NBA, players are signed to contracts reflective of where they were chosen in the draft. Players are paid similarly to the player chosen last year in their draft slot, with a slight raise from year to year. [22] The benefits to this system are numerous. First, contract disputes over money would be minimized, getting players into camp and meshing with their new teammates. [23] This would also help alleviate the massive increase in salaries from year to year for first round draft picks in the NFL, with the only raise coming by way of a natural increase. [24] This would also allow teams to spend money on players that have proven themselves on the field and off. This is especially true with teams like the Detroit Lions who need not only a new quarterback, but valuable veterans to fill out their roster and provide depth. While this may not sound like the best solution to future first round draft picks, they will embrace it in years to come when they are veterans fighting for contracts and roster spots. Just ask Joey Harrington.
V. Conclusion
The NFL is reaching the critical point for negotiations. The allure of the NFL is partly because of the great parity in the league. The Dolphins went from nearly winless to the toast of the division in one year. This is due in large part to the fact that teams are on the same level in the NFL, and an uncapped year would bring this crashing down. Teams like the Washington Redskins will become the New York Yankees of professional football. While a rookie salary cap would not completely alleviate the concern, it would be a monumental step towards a resolution.
[1] NFL Rookie Salary Cap Needed, TAMPA TRIBUNE, July 29, 2007, http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/jul/29/sp-nfl-rookie-salary-reform-needed/.
[2] Paul D. Staudohar, Salary Caps in Professional Team Sports, Compensation and Working Conditions, Bureau of Labor Statistics (1998), http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/archive/spring1998art1.pdf.
[3] Id.
[4] Jarrett Bell, What it Means, Possibility of an Uncapped Year, USA TODAY, May 29, 2008, http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2008-05-20-owners-labor-deal_N.htm.
[5] John Czarnecki, Why Goodell is pushing for a rookie pay scale, FOX SPORTS, Mar. 31, 2009, http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9400474/Why-Goodell-is-pushing-for-rookie-pay-scale.
[6] Mike Florio, 10-Pack: CBA, Personal Conduct Policy at Forefront of Issues Facing NFL, SPORTING NEWS, Jan. 30, 2009, http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/article/2009-01-30/10-pack-cba-personal-conduct-policy-forefront-issues-facing-nfl.
[7] Associated Press, Goodell jabs players, NFL rookie pay scale “ridiculous”, June 29, 2008, http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2008-06-27-goodell-comments_N.htm.
[8] Id.
[9] Czarnecki, supra note 5.
[10] Chris Jenkins, Recession Hasn’t Sacked Pack, but Officials Wary, YAHOO! SPORTS, June 20, 2009, http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-packers-economy&prov=ap&type=lgns (stating that Packers President and CEO voices his concern that player salaries are rising faster than revenues).
[11] Jarrett Bell, Guaranteed money a windfall for NFL draft picks, USA TODAY, Apr. 28, 2008, http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2008-04-23-first-round-money_N.htm.
[12] Id.
[13] Id.
[14] Stafford is the 1. Georgia QB signs six-year deal with Lions as top pick, NFL.com Wire Reports, http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80ff7434&template=without-video-with-comments&confirm=true (last visited Sept. 21, 2009).
[15] Tom Brady player profile, Fox Sports, http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player?categoryId=70173 (last visited Sept. 21, 2009).
[16] Florio, supra note 6 (stating that Roethlisberger signed a contract extension last year and will collect $36 million in guarantees).
[17] Bob Kravitz, If Brady earns less than Stafford, the system is broken, USA TODAY, Apr. 29, 2009, http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2009-04-28-salary-issue_N.htm.
[18] Id.
[19] Bell, supra note 11.
[20] Liz Mullen, Street and Smith’s Sports Business Journal, What’s the Holdup?, Aug. 1, 2005, http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/46286.
[21] Joe Schad, Adviser: Crabtree could re-enter draft, ESPN, Aug. 7, 2009, http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4381335.
[22] Josh Salman, NFL Draft needs a salary cap, SPINNAKER ONLINE, Nov. 25, 2008, http://www.unfspinnaker.com/staff-blogs/2008/11/25/nfl-draft-needs-a-rookie-salary-cap/.
[23] NFL Rookie Salary Cap Needed, supra note 1.
[24] Id.
