NFL Players Threaten to Quit League if Forced to Stand on Field
In an ongoing saga that just won’t die, some NFL players are threatening to quit playing football if forced to stand for the national anthem. This is terrible news for the league, which is desperately trying to bring this debacle to an end. Will NFL players quit if forced to stand on anthem? That’s the delicate issue NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell must attempt to defuse.
Where there was once doubt whether the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick-inspired protests were affecting ratings, there can be no more. NFL cable viewership dropped about seven percent in 2016, even though protests were made small and isolated. Now that the NFL is experiencing another eight-percent drop in 2017, the antagonist factor is no longer in doubt.
Perhaps surprisingly, a hardcore segment of players remain committed to NFL national anthem protests. I say “surprisingly” because players salaries are directly tied to league revenues. For instance, in 2014, after the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement, NFLPA spokesman George Atallah has this to say: “The salary cap was only stagnant (at $133 million/season) because league revenues were stagnant at the time.” (Source: “Salary cap rise to $133 million shows how new CBA is working,” NFL.com, March 6, 2014.)
The NFL is a revenue-sharing league which follows a “hard cap” system. That is, the amount teams can spend on players’ salaries is limited to whatever is negotiated in the NFL collective bargaining agreement. If league revenues drop, players salaries will drop in approximation. In other words, players have a collective interest in driving revenues forward.
For example, a Jefferies Group LLC analyst projected that its TV partners could lose out on $200.0 million-plus in earnings if T.V. ratings decline by double digits. In week two, the NFL saw a four-percent drop year-over-year; for the week two Monday Night Football game, the drop was 14% year-over-year, according to UBS Group AG. (Source: “If the NFL’s ratings troubles continue, it could cost TV networks $200 million or more,” Business Insider, September 20, 2017.)
Regardless, some players continue to take a “principled” stand. They have done so by linking arms, staying in the locker room, or kneeling during the national anthem. But these actions have consequences.
A large swath of NFL fans are conservative, patriotic Americans. They don’t have well to players “disrespecting” the flag, irrespective of the social grievances behind them. But given how players will be directly impacted by declining revenues if protests continue, will they revert to standing during the national anthem?
President Donald Trump’s tweet to Goddell broke the story wide open, mainstreaming what was a simmering grievance among fans:
It is about time that Roger Goodell of the NFL is finally demanding that all players STAND for our great National Anthem-RESPECT OUR COUNTRY
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2017
Goddell apparently got the memo. With the festering dispute now out in the open, he’s been forced to backtrack on his once-player-supportive stance. In a letter uncovered a couple days ago by ESPN, Goddell stated, “we believe that everyone should stand for the national anthem… We want to honor our flag and our country, and our fans expect that of us.” (Source: “Roger Goodell sends letter to NFL teams, wants players to stand during anthem,” ESPN, October 11, 2017.)
While the league office hopes to diffuse the situation, we wouldn’t be surprised if some socially-minded NFL players quit over the directive.
Kaepernick put his career (and $100.0-million-plus contract) at risk by engaging in such “principles.” It’s an open secret how he’s been “blackballed” by the NFL over starting these protests. Why wouldn’t other NFL players quit over similar circumstances?
We believe this is especially true with veteran players. Veterans may have already earned tens of millions in salaries, and they may be incentivized to exit football while they still have their health intact. If they’re socially conscious to boot, why not go out in a social justice warrior blaze of glory? After all, there’s surely an analysts job in-waiting at ESPN by doing so.
Rishard Matthews Will Quit Over Anthem Rule
An example of such a player willing to go all the way is Tennessee Titan wide receiver (WR) Rishard Matthews. In a recent tweet (that has since been deleted), Matthews said the following:
Source: “Titans Rishard Matthews says he’ll quit NFL if anthem rule is changed,” PaulKuharsky.com, October 12, 2017.
Matthews, a six-year veteran, is playing in the second year of a three-year, $15.0-million contract. Previously, he was a spare part WR with the Miami Dolphins, earning near the league minimum. If he were to follow through on his threat, Matthews could be forfeiting a big portion of earnings (only $5.0 million of his salary is guaranteed).
| YEAR | AGE | BASE SALARY | SIGNING | MISC. | CAP HIT | DEAD CAP | YEARLY CASH | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 27 | $2,500,000 | $833,333 | – | $3,333,333 | $5,000,000 | $5,500,000($5,500,000) | |
| 2017 | 28 | $5,000,000 | $833,333 | $500,000 | $6,333,333 | $5,166,667 | $5,500,000($11,000,000) | |
| 2018 | 29 | $5,000,000 | $833,334 | – | $5,833,334 | $833,334 | $5,000,000($16,000,000) |
Source: “Rishard Matthews,” Spotrac, last accessed October 13, 2017.
Interesting, Matthews is a former University of Nevada standout whom received passes from none other than. . .Colin Kaepernick. Whether his intention to quit football stems from some personal solidarity with Kaepernick is not clear. But either way, it would be quite the social stance to take should he follow through.
Whether other NFL players quit if forced to stand remains to be seen, but the evidence seems to point in that direction.