The fact that NFL fans side with teams worth billions instead of players, that put their bodies on the line day in & day out, never ceases to amaze me. Teams can cut players anytime but players are expected to honor contracts. Capitalism is obviously reserved for certain people. — David Mulugheta (@DavidMulugheta) July 28, 2018

For those not aware, David Mulugheta is Earl Thomas’ agent.

This tweet is problematic.

Admittedly there are some fans doing what he says. Equally there are sycophants constantly tweeting their support at NFL players 24/7.

Social media has created a world of extremes. Opinions are rarely measured in any sector. Politics, sport, life. You pick a side, surround yourself with likeminded folk and never truly listen to the counter arguments.

An echo chamber.

Welcome to 2018.

The tweet above highlights one of the extremes currently festering within the always fun Seahawks twitter. Yet I suspect the majority of fans don’t have this opinion. Not in the slightest.

I haven’t done any grand study so I can’t be sure. There’s your disclaimer. I imagine though that many fans carry the following set of views:

1. They want Earl Thomas to be part of the Seahawks

2. They really like Earl Thomas and appreciate what a terrific player he’s been

3. They understand and accept his desire for a long term deal at the end of his career

4. They equally understand and accept why the Seahawks haven’t given him a big extension

For example…

1) There is nothing wrong with Earl Thomas attempting to maximize his career earnings.

2) There is nothing wrong with the Seahawks deciding they don't want to extend him.

3) As a fan, this situation is uncomfortable and I hate it.

4) I love Earl Thomas.

5) I love the Seahawks. — Evan Hill (@EvanonHB) July 25, 2018

At the point of publishing this article, that tweet was liked 421 times. For those not familiar with Twitter, that is significant. I skimmed through the replies. I didn’t find any push back, only people exclaiming what an incredible tweet it was.

Back to David Mulugheta…

The following quote…

“Teams can cut players anytime but players are expected to honor contracts”

…often appears in these discussions. Yet here’s the reality. The guaranteed portion of a NFL contract isn’t a secret. Todd Gurley’s new deal has $45m in total guarantees and $21.950m guaranteed at signing. I can log onto Spotrac right now and see what the true value is of the contract and how much it’ll cost the Rams to cut Gurley in each of the next six seasons.

We have all the knowledge we need of the true worth of that contract.

Gurley, like every other player signing a big second-contract extension, equally knows what the true value of the deal is. The Rams can’t ‘cut him at any time‘. Not without respecting the terms of the deal that were agreed by player and franchise. If they owe him guaranteed money, they’ll have to pay it.

This isn’t a case of capitalism being reserved for the owners, as Mulugheta suggests. It’s a simple contract that anyone can decipher, including NFL fans.

No team is doing anything sneaky or wrong by abiding to the rules of a contract. The issue here is fans, media, players and agents never seem to focus solely on the guaranteed portion of the deal. Gurley’s deal was announced as a $57.5m extension. In reality, the only number that matters is the guaranteed amount.

It’s not a $57.5m deal. It’s a $45m deal with a maximum potential value of $57.5m.

So it’s not capitalism. It’s not ignorance from fans. It’s a failure to consistently highlight a contracts true worth and structure.

There’s one other issue here too.

It’s absolutely right to expect fans to appreciate and respect the sacrifice players make for their entertainment. We can see, very evidently these days, that many NFL players give everything to the game. If you can’t acknowledge that you’re an ice cold individual.

It’s also difficult, sometimes, for the man or woman on the street to relate to a man not happy with his $8.5m salary having already agreed contracts worth $60m in his career. So while it’s right for fans to respect the sacrifice players make, it’s also important for the players (and their agents) to respect the financial world most fans live in.

For a lot of people the Seahawks are a release from every day life. The thing that helps them tune out. The thing that occupies a mind during a tough day at work. The thing they have to look forward to. The thing that makes them smile.

The logo, the team — it delivers pride and hope. And for years this team and these fans have connected in a way unique to the NFL.

That’s something for the players to remember, especially the multi-millionaire players, when their agents are talking down to fans who will never make close to a million bucks let alone $8.5m or $60m.

A final point for now. It’s perhaps also worth considering, if you’re Earl Thomas or David Mulugheta, why some fans might be somewhat negative recently.

Instagram demands, the Jason Garrett plea, and this quote when Thomas was asked about Kam Chancellor’s hold out:

“At this moment, he’s not battling with us, so I can’t really tell you what [his absence means]. . . . He’s handling his situation, [rather than] helping us. I try not to deal with that energy.”

Indeed.

Oh — and Duane Brown has signed a new contract.

For the #Seahawks and LT Duane Brown, it’s a 3-year extension worth $36.5M, source said. His second lucrative extension of his career. — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 28, 2018

You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.

Become a Patron!