"They don't give a sh*t about the offseason because they don't make money" - NFL analyst rips into franchise owners for poor treatment of players and coaches
The NFL has long had an issue with the way owners handled their constituents, and it has come to the forefront in the last several years. League owners and players - and to a lesser degree, coaches - have grown further apart on most aspects of how the business of pro football should be conducted.
3 and Out podcast host John Middlekauff, who once served as a scout for the Philadelphia Eagles, called out the owners' treatment of the players and coaches. He also sought to explain why players don't see voluntary workouts as mandatory anymore:
"Because again, it's voluntary, but like voluntary, it always meant mandatory. Now, it's kind of changed because of the CBA. A lot of credit to the owners, the owners don't give a sh*t about the offseason, you know why? They don't make any money. The only thing they care about is the fall, because the TV and the games, that's where they print all their cash to where they all make their money. And they gave him the players like we want everything voluntary, cool, no problem. The coaches and GMs don't love it. But it is what it is. "
Here are my thoughts on the @nfl and the @nflpa extending their Collective Bargaining Agreement. https://t.co/sriqjMUHiK
NFL won't make large-scale changes until the 2030 season
In 2020, the NFL and the NFLPA ratified a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to avoid a lockout during what turned out to be a pandemic-stricken season anyway. The CBA set the stage for the wild free agent market the league currently houses every offseason.
Patrick Mahomes got a contract worth half a billion dollars, and a 37-year-old Aaron Rodgers received a four-year, $200 million extension. And that's just the quarterback market.
Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, and Stefon Diggs have all earned unfathomable financial arrangements under the previous CBA for receivers.
What the CBA also set up was an opportunity for coaches to keep owners accountable through mechanisms like the Rooney Rule. This stipulates that all 32 clubs must interview, at least, two women and/or persons of color when seeking to fill prominent positions.
so tom brady’s plan was to fake retire, become an executive with the dolphins, bring in sean payton to coach, then unretire but the brian flores lawsuit blew everything up bostonglobe.com/2022/04/08/spo… https://t.co/HkZTDRM3tm
Brian Flores was able to hold Dolphins owner Stephen Ross over the fire this offseason based on accusations that Ross was urging him to commit tampering violations with Tom Brady before his free agency in 2020.
He also foiled Brady's plot to become a part owner of the team and for Sean Payton to become head coach without any interviews.