On The TunneySide of Sports November 19, 2018 #719 Up next… On Being Grateful
After further review… With the Thanksgiving holiday arriving this week (Wow! – already?) I am reminded to “count your blessings,” as my father regularly reminded me. As a native Californian, I anguish for those affected by this month’s horrific fires. Lives were lost; homes and personal possessions destroyed; families disrupted! Hopefully, those affected will gather their strengths and courage to move-on. Easy to say; hard to do. Prayers continue.
As a former NFL on-field official, I am certainly grateful for my 31-year career with the league. As my long-time friend Herm Edwards, now Arizona State Head Football Coach and former NFL player and coach has said “playing in the NFL is a privilege, not a right.” Try telling that to LeVeon Bell, erstwhile running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Erstwhile, since Bell decided to forego this 2018 season. He did not report to pre-season training camp nor to the Steelers regular season, because the Steelers placed a “franchise tag” on him for this year. A franchise tag is a way teams try to retain their best unrestricted free agent, which Bell had decided to be.
Not reporting to the T*E*A*M by Tuesday, November 14, 2018, Bell missed out on his $14.5 million in salary. If Bell had reported last week, he would have been paid $855,000 for doing nothing but staying home. Bell was seeking an extension on his $14.5 tender that would provide him “long-term financial security.” The guy on-the-street is heard to say, “Huh?” Bell is considered one of the premier running backs in the NFL and hopes that becoming a free agent another team will sign him next year agreeing to his salary demands. There is no issue here with Bell wanting to negotiate an extension, but if he doesn’t get it, one wonders what other job in the real-world would pay him what his current Steelers contract is offering?
“Often players who do not report wanting a better ‘deal’ from another team are more than likely not to get it.” I’ve heard that from more than one NFL coach or general manager. That player then returns to his former team or, embarrassedly, takes less than he wanted. Speaking of T*E*A*M, wonder what Bell’s current thinking is about how has abandoned his team – a team with playoff potential. Granted, his replacement, James Conner is doing a good job. A running back drafted in the third round in 2017 from University of Pittsburgh, Conner has a four-year contract of $3,161,523 – a far cry from Bell’s one-year contract of $14,544.000.
How will you express gratitude for your blessings?
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