Tyrann Mathieu: "No way I'm taking a pay cut."

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

He's put his body on the line and has had two major injuries pouring himself on the field for the Cards. I don't blame him. He lost a lot of $$$ for his actions in college and he turned himself into an All-Pro. NFL has zero qualms cutting any player.

 

[Capital Card]

From Honey Badger to Money Badger.

Given the unilateral nature of contracts in the NFL, I'll never fault a player for trying to maximize their earnings. Seems to me, he wants to play for the contract he signed. IMO, Player contracts should be guaranteed, or at least have an agreed upon buy-out clause.

If HB was paid too much, shame on SK for offering it to him.

End of the day, it's not my money.

Go Cards!!!

 

[DevonCardsFan]

If HB was paid too much, shame on SK for offering it to him.

End of the day, it's not my money.

Go Cards!!!

Yes it was a bonehead move among many, to break the bank on a guy with 2 torn ACLs; for a Rah Rah signing. Terrible gamble, a real GM would not have done that, Would have had a QB of the future and Can actually draft; all these people clamoring for a rookie QB Keim can't draft, he's horrible at it.

 

[Jasper]

I think SK has to honor the contract to prove to the players in the league Cardinal contracts are worth more than gold making it easier to recruit free agents.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

You wouldn't do the same? Hardly his fault.

If I were in his shoes, was already a multi-millionaire at 25, and wanted to continue my career with the same team and teammates, I would consider restructuring my contract even if it meant taking a cut. Or face being cut. Especially if I were being honest with myself and I knew that injuries had limited my performance in recent years. With $36 million guaranteed, I think I could rework my deal and still survive. But that's just me.

 

[Dan H]

I think SK has to honor the contract to prove to the players in the league Cardinal contracts are worth more than gold making it easier to recruit free agents.

The Saints just cut a guy with a heart condition. Don't think it will impact their ability to attract talent.

 

[redheat]

If he gets released he won’t get that high money so it’s like taking a pay cut anyways. Hopefully we find a trade partner if it comes to that.

 

[wit3card]

I don't think they cut HB or trade him, maybe they restructure his deal to a longer deal with more garantee and maybe a bit more incentives for Pro Bowl or so. And so that we have more money now that we can add a good QB or O-line or CB or ILB or .... yeah you get the idea

 

[Chopper0080]

If I were in his shoes, was already a multi-millionaire at 25, and wanted to continue my career with the same team and teammates, I would consider restructuring my contract even if it meant taking a cut. Or face being cut. Especially if I were being honest with myself and I knew that injuries had limited my performance in recent years. With $36 million guaranteed, I think I could rework my deal and still survive. But that's just me.

Mathieu was guaranteed 21 mil when he signed his contract. He then gets 13 mil guaranteed if he is on the roster the first day of the league year (5 this year, and 8 next year). He will take a reworked deal, but you are going to have to come close to still guaranteeing him 13 mil over the next two years. And let's not kid ourselves, Mathieu will not be out of the league if the Cardinals cut him. He will get another deal with guaranteed money. I doubt you would boldly declare that you would rework your deal if you were scheduled to get paid 13 mil in 60 days as you agreed per your contract.

Now, if Keim told him he would re-work the remaining 4 years of his deal at a 10.5 mil cap hit, and guarantee the first 3 years at 7.4 mil per year (+ the 3.1 mil already counted by his signing bonus = 10.5 cap hit), Mathieu would agree to that. He would be guaranteed 22.2 mil instead of 13 mil, and would still be a free agent at 29 (28 if the Cards cut him on the last yera of his deal). However, that would bind the Cardinals to Mathieu for 3 years, with no outs if he got injured or cut him.

 

[DVontel]

If I were in his shoes, was already a multi-millionaire at 25, and wanted to continue my career with the same team and teammates, I would consider restructuring my contract even if it meant taking a cut. Or face being cut. Especially if I were being honest with myself and I knew that injuries had limited my performance in recent years. With $36 million guaranteed, I think I could rework my deal and still survive. But that's just me.

This is in no way a shot or remark to you, Brian, but this easy to say when we’re not the ones on field playing a rough game like football. I believe if you’re a professional athlete, you should aim as much as you can every deal.

 

[Azlen]

This is in no way a shot or remark to you, Brian, but this easy to say when we’re not the ones on field playing a rough game like football. I believe if you’re a professional athlete, you should aim as much as you can every deal.

They should definitely try to max out as much as they can but that also doesn't mean that a pay cut isn't in his foreseeable future. Maxing out his pay may mean restructuring his deal with the Cards rather than testing the open market.

 

[Arz101]

TM hopefully accepts to restructure the way Gronk did. Meet the escalators in 2018 and get all the money back and 2019 free agency.

Doubt he will do it but that will be a way out for both parties.

 

[WisconsinCard]

I think HB would be open to a restructure, like the one chopper outlined. What I wonder is would he be open to an out right pay cut? To me restructure mean he still gets all his money, an possibly more guaranteed if he signs it. Taking a pay cut would be just that, so if the Cards went to him about restructure, it is just to free up cap space.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

This is in no way a shot or remark to you, Brian, but this easy to say when we’re not the ones on field playing a rough game like football. I believe if you’re a professional athlete, you should aim as much as you can every deal.

Taking a pay cut may be the best way for HB to maximize his earnings. Being stubborn, refusing it, and getting cut may end up in less pay on some other team away from his support system. Just saying.

 

[football karma]

I think HB would be open to a restructure, like the one chopper outlined. What I wonder is would he be open to an out right pay cut? To me restructure mean he still gets all his money, an possibly more guaranteed if he signs it. Taking a pay cut would be just that, so if the Cards went to him about restructure, it is just to free up cap space.

I think the real problem with HBs contract is the very high guaranteed salaries in 18 and beyond relative to his good, but not "top 3 safeties in the game" performance. Restructuring cant fix that

 

[Buckybird]

I think the real problem with HBs contract is the very high guaranteed salaries in 18 and beyond relative to his good, but not "top 3 safeties in the game" performance. Restructuring cant fix that

Exactly.

Lesson learned, NEVER give a player a mega deal coming off a major injury I don’t give a damn who it is unless it’s a franchise QB & then I’m not breaking the bank.

One of the worst moves by Keim yet! Oh & giving Gresham huge $$$

 

[Mitch]

Exactly.

Lesson learned, NEVER give a player a mega deal coming off a major injury I don’t give a damn who it is unless it’s a franchise QB & then I’m not breaking the bank.

One of the worst moves by Keim yet! Oh & giving Gresham huge $$$

The Cardinals have had horrible luck when it comes to big second contracts. What, was it a mere week or two after they re-signed Carson Palmer to his lucrative extension that he blows out his knee? Just as you said, look at Gresham this year. When they gave Whiz and BA lucrative extensions both a year before they had to, and both suddenly start losing. Go figure.

 

[WisconsinCard]

I think the real problem with HBs contract is the very high guaranteed salaries in 18 and beyond relative to his good, but not "top 3 safeties in the game" performance. Restructuring cant fix that

I agree, that is what I was thinking when a poster said he heard on the news that the cards had approached him about a "restructure".

 

[BW52]

Just cut hois overpaid sorry ass and move on to someone who can run and tackle and cover people.Enough wasting time with a guy who is vastly overpaid and a simply can`t do the job required .Get him the hell out of dodge.Same with any of these guys.Time to re-tool and rebuild without overpaid coasting veterans.

 

[cardncubfan]

He isn't going anywhere & there's no need to ''cut his sorry ass'.

 

[Mitch]

I would love to see what Wilks and Holcomb and Merritt can do with the Honey Badger. I just hope that HB can agree to a revised contract.

Honey Badger appears to be at a crossroads with regard to his career right now. He stopped writing up his personal and team goals last season. There is no question that he has lost some of his passion---he often looked like he was brooding on the field, when in the past he would be bubbling with excitement. Sure, the knee injuries were dispiriting, no question. But, what's hard to know for sure is whether his knees were preventing him from making plays he normally would make, or whether it was a deflated psyche. Too frequently, he looked mentally and physically fatigued. Of course, they practically never took him off the field...which is part of it. But the other part is that even coming into the season he didn't look like he was in very good shape, not at least to his accustomed standards.

 

[BW52]

He isn't going anywhere & there's no need to ''cut his sorry ass'.

I can always hope they rid themselves of his sorry ass overpaid underproducing self.

 

[football karma]

there is a well known phenomenon in the NFL:

1. Existing team offers reduced contract to player that is still market or better
2. Player's ego doesnt want to accept such reduction
3. Player gets cut
4. Player accepts market deal from another team that is no better or even worse than No. 1 above

for some reason, its easier for guys to take lower deals when its a new team offering

not every player reacts this way -- but plenty do.

its where a good agent can be a team and player's best friend: providing an accurate take on market, and, constructing a ego saving way to get it done

 

[SO91]

Taking a pay cut may be the best way for HB to maximize his earnings. Being stubborn, refusing it, and getting cut may end up in less pay on some other team away from his support system. Just saying.

I'm curious if you, or any of the other posters demanding he take a pay cut because he's underperforming his current contract are okay with players demanding a better contract when they overperform their current deal. Or is that when the "he signed a contract, he needs to honor it" mantra comes in?

 

[Arz101]

I'm curious if you, or any of the other posters demanding he take a pay cut because he's underperforming his current contract are okay with players demanding a better contract when they overperform their current deal. Or is that when the "he signed a contract, he needs to honor it" mantra comes in?

requesting for this user for making a logical statement on a fan forum