Can Fans Expect the Chiefs First Round Pick Tyson Jackson to Hold Out of Training Camp?
by Chris Thorman on Jun 10, 2009 9:49 AM CDT
in 2009 Offseason
21 comments
You know, there are few times when a movie line truly sums up a profession. But when sports agent Jerry Maguire yelled, "Show me the money!", he pretty much nailed what the MO of that profession is all about.
And I'm not criticizing. I understand that NFL players are essentially trading their health later in life (at many positions anyway) for a payout now and a physical beating for their entire career. If I was going to do that, I'd want to get paid out the wazoo from the day I entered the NFL. I can't imagine putting something as precious as my health on the line for my job and not expect to be compensated to the point where I can support myself and my family the rest of my life without having to work ever again.
So I'm one of these guys (and it seems like there are not that many of us) who says let the contracts - rookie or veterans - run wild. The owners could band together if they wanted to and refuse to pay above certain levels..but they don't. They give in, year after year, to big time demands from NFL agents.
There's the rub for me. This is all voluntary between the players, owners and agents. Nobody's hand is truly forced into deals. It's a matter of who blinks first.
Which brings us to the Kansas City Chiefs' first round pick, the #3 overall pick Tyson Jackson. Jackson's agent is Eugene Parker of Maximum Sports Management. Parker is a highly successful NFL agent who represents a range of NFL stars. Check out his full client list here. Parker negotiated Deion Sander's deal back in 1995 which made him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL at the time. He got a deal that satisfied Deion Sanders? Well, I think that means you can say that Eugene Parker is good at what he does.
Parker's greatest negotiating victory came in 2004 while negotiation WR Larry Fitzgerald's rookie contract. Fitzgerald was the #3 overall pick and Eugene Parker was able to secure the largest contract ever for an NFL rookie and not miss a day of practice due to the negotiations. Fitzgerald's contract was worth $20 million in guaranteed money and had a ceiling of nearly $60 million. 2004's #1 overall pick, Eli Manning, received similar guaranteed money but only a ceiling of $54 million.
You're the agent of the #3 overall pick and you negotiate more money than the #1 pick, who was a quarterback no less? Eugene Parker is a shark of an agent.
Parker's agency also represents the Kansas City Chiefs third round pick Alex Magee.
What I wanted to do this morning was take a look at some of Eugene Parker's higher profile clients and see if they held out during their rookie or second contract negotiations. Here are some of Parker's higher profile clients, active and retired:
| Offense | Defense |
| WR Hines Ward | DL Richard Seymour |
| WR Larry Fitzgerald | LB Derrick Brooks |
| WR Laveranues Coles | S Rod Woodson |
| WR James Hardy | S Aeneas Williams |
| WR Greg Jennings | QB Rex Grossman |
| RB Cedric Benson | DL Sedrick Ellis |
| RB Curtis Martin | |
| RB Felix Jones | |
| RB Tashard Choice | |
| RB Steven Jackson | |
| T Walter Jones | |
| T Jason Peters |
Before we go on checking out these possible holdouts, there are a couple caveats. One, I'm assuming that Eugene Parker has represented each player for their entire career, unless I find information otherwise. Two, there is no "holdout database" so this is all manual research. Finally, I'll do my best to confirm that each holdout I mention is contract related.
After the jump, let's see which of Parker's clients have been holdouts during contract negotiations.
A quick Wikipedia search reveals that 10 of Parker's 18 clients listed above had holdouts at some point in their career.
Hines Ward - 2005
Ward missed the first two weeks of the Steelers' 2005 training camp while holding out for a new contract. He eventually came to the team's preseason games but didn't play in them. He signed a contract on September 5th, 2005, the richest in team history after rejecting an earlier offer that was also the richest deal in Steeler team history.
"No negotiations -- that was the policy," Parker said. "As Hines said -- and as Bill Cowher said -- they communicated. They weren't negotiating. They were talking, and that was a big factor in Hines coming back. He wanted to get a feel for what his coach felt about it. And, once he got clarity and was comfortable, that gave him an opportunity to get back and get things started (with negotiations)."
Winner: Eugene Parker
Richard Seymour - 2005
Seymour only held out the Patriots training camp for a few days before receiving a modest contract reworking. It was a mild contract dispute at best but Seymour got more money in the middle of his rookie deal.
During the negotiations, Parker relayed thoughts on player holdouts:
"Based on the alternatives available, you go back and play for the (salary you're contracted for), but what are the pros and cons of that? At least you're playing. But you're playing for less, and if you're injured, that's it. Absent that, the only recourse a player has is not to play."
Yep, sounds like an NFL agent alright.
Winner: Eugene Parker
Walter Jones - 2002-2004
Jones actually held out of three consecutive training camps for the Seahawks, feeling he was a victim of the franchise tag. The Seahawks franchised Jones from 2002 to 2004. In 2002, Jones held out of all of training camp and missed two regular season games. In 2003, he sat out of all of training camp. In 2004, Jones missed training camp again and played under the franchise tag for the third consecutive season. I don't think you can call this one for either side.
Winner: Draw
Derrick Brooks - 2001
Brooks held out of the Bucs training camp for 10 days while his agent and the Bucs GM worked on a contract extension. His new contract made him one of the highest paid linebackers in the NFL.
Winner: Eugene Parker
Devin Hester - 2008
Hester held out of the Bears training camp for two days before receiving a contract worth approximately $40 million. With a scheduled 2008 salary of $445,000 before the holdout, I would consider Hester's contract ridiculous.
Winner: Eugene Parker
Cedric Benson - 2005
Benson was a rookie in 2005 and he held out of training camp for the 36 days before receiving a 5-year, $36 million dollar contract from the Bears with $17 million guaranteed. The holdout cost Benson big time. The Bears had planned to make Benson their #1 RB but because of his missed practice time, the Bears chose Thomas Jones to lead the running attack instead. Jones had a great 2005 season and Benson ended up sitting behind Jones on the depth chart for the next two seasons. The fans and team soured on Benson, mainly because of his terrible attitude. Everybody lost in this one. Benson got paid but lost a career.
Winner: Draw
Laveranues Coles - 2008
Coles began to hold out of the Jets off season condition in spring 2008 with 2 years left on his contract worth about $11 million dollars. After a brief holdout, the Jets basically guaranteed the rest of Coles' contract. It was a compromise on both sides.
Winner: Draw
Jason Peters - 2008, 2009
After being signed by the Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2004, Jason Peters made the Pro Bowl in 2007 and subsequently held out of all of training camp and the preseason hoping to get an increase on his meager $3.25 million dollar a year salary. The Bills didn't cave. Peters reported to the team on September 5th without a new contract.
Jason Peters again voiced his displeasure over his low salary in the 2009 off season, causing the Bills trade Peters to Philadelphia. Peters scored a $60 million dollar contract in Philly after the trade.
Winner: Buffalo Bills
Steven Jackson - 2008
In 2008, Jackson was entering the final season of his five-year, $7 million rookie deal. He held out of training camp for 27 days before securing a deal worth $21 million in guaranteed money. Despite getting top money, Jackson was reportedly dissatisfied with Eugene Parker early on the negotiations, with one report saying that Jackson was considering firing Parker.
Winner: Eugene Parker
Sedrick Ellis - 2008
Ellis was the #7 overall pick in the '08 draft and he had a brief holdout from the Saints training camp. Ellis signed a deal worth nearly $20 million in guaranteed money on July 29th after sitting out for six days of training camp. The 2007 #7 overall pick, Adrian Peterson of the Vikings, received $17 million guaranteed in his rookie contract.
Winner: Eugene Parker
***
There are ten holdouts listed above and Eugene Parker and his clients were pretty clear winners in six of those holdouts.
One reason I don't think there will be an issue with Tyson Jackson is that his draft position was much, much higher than anybody expected him to go. That gives the Chiefs leverage in the negotiations, as does Jackson's defensive end position which won't garner as much as a quarterback or a wide receiver for example.
When Tyson Jackson was drafted by the Chiefs, here is what Parker had to say:
"I know that Scott Pioli likes LSU players. He likes the discipline, the work ethic and the way they play the game."
Hopefully that translates into a quick and painless negotiation.
Thoughts on Eugene Parker's reputation and what we might see come training camp?
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And apparently we have lots of it.
Beat the Donkeys!!
by schraggyj on Jun 10, 2009 11:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I just
think at some point you have to draw the line on what a guy can make! I dont know about you but i could live my life with just 1 million! With 10 million everyone in my family would be livin pretty good! Some of these guys are getting over 100 million dollars over 6 or 7 yrs and like 41 million up front………..its getting crazy! I know the owners make all that money on the players, so why not get payed, but damn!
It’s to bad that this world has turned into nothing but money hungry people who will do anything to get it,and not care who they hurt in the process to get it!
by CPT.Caveman on Jun 10, 2009 5:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No one is getting $100 million
In the fifth year of Haynesworth’s reported $100 million deal, the base salary jumps up to like $29 million so it’s essentially a four year, $48 million deal.
It’s the owners that are signing these guys and raising the bar. And if you played football, there’s a good chance you couldn’t live on one million based on the potential medical bills alone.
Let’s remember that these guys usually die years before the average person. It would take a lot of money for me to sacrifice my long-term health.
by Joel Thorman on Jun 10, 2009 5:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
gooooooooooo kickers!!!
seriously – if my kid wants to make it to the NFL, I’m going to push him to punt/kick. I know it’s not a glorious position, but still, behold the list of positives:
1. Least amount of contact of any player on the field
B. Fewest minutes played in the game – especially if you’re a punter for the Colts recently – so you’re getting paid to watch the game from the sidelines… hello!!!
3. If you’re good you’re still getting paid exceptionally well and you play longer (see 1. and $.) so that’s an added bonus.
$. Oh yeah, least amount of contact of any player on the field
You don’t see many kickers retire because they’ve had too many concussions, or a broken spine, or a compound fracture of the soul. You can play forever! Morten Anderson is 64 and I think he’s still on the market – and capable of making any extra points with striking accuracy.
by Ochophosphate on Jun 11, 2009 2:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
comparison
is there any capital in comparing the numbers of holdouts/stupid contracts signed by Peterson and Pioli?
Blame my wife!
Waiting until August!
by sir eccles on Jun 10, 2009 11:39 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Chiefs are about average when it comes to holdouts
For some reason, Carl had a terrible reputation regarding holdouts but he was no better and no worse than the league average.
by Joel Thorman on Jun 10, 2009 11:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Is there any bit of information that you do not possess?
I picture you in a room like the Smithsonian library, scouring volumes for 40 times…
by TheQ on Jun 10, 2009 4:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Which reminds me
I broke the #1 rule around here – CIte your sources! This info is via KCChiefs.com (via Bob Gretz).
by Joel Thorman on Jun 10, 2009 4:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Holdout history/trends
I may have a totally false impression but it seems like Rookie holdouts have declined over the years. The Franchise Tag would seem to be clear provocation to an agent/increase an agent’s leverage with Client.
I think Peterson’s poor reputation came from the years preceding 2003…
1998 Victor Riley Auburn OT
1999 John Tait Brigham Young OT
2000 Sylvester Morris Jackson State WR
2001 No selection6
20027 Ryan Sims North Carolina DT
Seems like 3 of these four had lengthy/bitter negotiations.
by Kane on Jun 10, 2009 11:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Anybody remember Stephon Paige?
If my memory serves me, Paige’s contract was up the year Peterson joined the Chiefs and was one of the first that Peterson worked on. Paige had just had his best year with the team, one that included a record setting game and he was the best receiver the team had. He was expecting a payday. Peterson offered him only a scant raise and back then, players didn’t have many options (except to holdout) so a disheartened Paige eventually took the money that was there and the legend of Peterson being a hard negotiator was born.
As I think back though, I can’t remember any real brutal negotiations between the Chiefs and a player already under contract with the team except the Paige deal and maybe Dan Williams. Peterson went out of his way to pay the guys he liked. Guys like Priest Holmes and Derrick Thomas even Gonzalez got what they wanted.
I can’t really say that he played hardball with the rookies he signed although he always took his time. But that was by design. Peterson “slotted” players, waiting until the players above and below his player were signed and then offering a contract in the middle. It was a sound practice, but hardly hardball. After Sims held out for so much of camp his rookie year, he ended up signing for pretty much just what he was offered before camp started.
The Tait contract is the one to which most fans will refer when talking about Peterson being a hard negotiator, but in my opinion, the issue was that his agent wasn’t very capable. Tait’s agent wanted a certain number and Peterson wouldn’t cave in so the agent gets in front of the tv microphones and complains about how mean Peterson was and how he used vulgar language in front of his client, therefore negotiations were stalled. The media had a field day with it with Jack Harry and Whitlock in the lead. I always wondered why nobody asked how Tait, if he was so fragile as to be offended by foul language that he couldn’t complete negotiations for millions of dollars, would be able to handle a DE who might cuss at him in a game. After a week or so, Peterson flew out to Utah and after speaking with John Tait’s father got a contract worked out. This tempest-in-a-teapot was manufactured by Tait’s agent and furthered by a complicit local media.
It wouldn’t surprise me if years from now Chiefs fans “remember” what a hardball negotiator Peterson was, but they would be largely wrong. Noisy agents coupled with a local media that thrives on drama are why they remember it as they do.
by LennytheCool on Jun 10, 2009 7:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don't recall Stephon, but Albert Lewis was a hold out.
Lenny:
I pretty much agree with what you said, but I do think that Peterson’s reputation was soured by these negotiations (seems like the Williams flap happened in this time frame too) at least as portrayed by the press. I don’t remember Paige’s hold out, but seems like early in the Peterson era we had consecutive years with veteran defensive players holding out…Deron Cherry? and Albert Lewis. The reason I remember Lewis was that in one of the pre-season games, he was (dramatic drum roll) spotted in Carl’s box meaning he was all but signed..we knew for sure because the same thing happened with the previous year’s hold-out. Long Hold-out, spotted in Carl’s box at a preseason game, signed next day…or there-abouts.
by Kane on Jun 10, 2009 8:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I love how Rex Grossman..
made it into the Defense column. He is pretty good at getting an opposing defense some good stats, so I was wondering if you did that on purpose?
by dragon6172 on Jun 10, 2009 12:22 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Tyson
I agree that the players deserve top pay for playing a pretty vicious game … I think everyone would agree that on any given Sunday your going to see someone get a vicious hit that can be career ending … However, (and there always is one) some of these salaries are just plain ridiculous. I think anyone can live comfortably on 16-20 million so come on let’s get real … it’s the fans who pay these salaries so give the fan a break! I do think Tyson wants to be there day 1 in training so I do think there won’t be a hold-out. Also, I think Tyson is going to be a good player for the Chiefs in years to come. IMHO it’s in both parties interest to get the contract done and Tyson in training camp. I really liked the Bears article yesterday and wish the Chief’s would adopt their proactive attitude toward signing players. Let’s get everyone signed before training camp starts … it’s good for the plaers and good for the Team.
So says Rats :)
by RatsoReily on Jun 10, 2009 12:46 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Rookies should have incentive contracts....
with a set amount of guaranteed money based upon their draft position. I would leave it up to the NFLPA and the NFL to hash out what number each selection recieves regardless of postion played on the field. That would be fair, IMO, everyone gets some money up front and they EARN the rest based on performance. If your draft choice comes out guns blazing and makin’ plays all over the field and hitting all of his incentives then you can open up talks about a contract restructure. No hold outs unless a player or agent isn’t happy with the terms of the incentives and I suppose those could be worked out with little problem. Teams are getting buried by bad draft choices, and by bad I mean players that didn’t pan out. At the time I wouldn’t have called Ryan Leaf a bad draft choice but clearly he was. Small market teams can’t afford mistakes like that, if the Chiefs would have taken a QB #3 overall and he didn’t turn out to be a Payton, Brady, or even an Eli we would be digging out of that financial hole for years.
Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.
by BigRedChief on Jun 10, 2009 1:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I think we'll get Jackson in camp on time
He’s a high character guy. He cried when the Chiefs drafted him at #3. He knows he was taken a lot higher than most of the “experts” thought he would be taken, so I think he’d probably be happy with the size a #3 contract would offer him. Obviously, the agent has to make himself look good and get as much money for his client as possible, but I don’t think it will turn into a holdout situation.
by Vince D on Jun 10, 2009 4:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I have been wondering
what kind of deal Tyson would be expecting. He was picked third, but would have gone later in the draft, most likely out of the top 10! So i bet he wants 3 pick money, and that could cause some problems!
by CPT.Caveman on Jun 10, 2009 5:25 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
ignore
my comment above! Vince did it much better, maybe i should start reading every comment, that could help!
by CPT.Caveman on Jun 10, 2009 5:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
A couple of issues
Chris wrote:
So I’m one of these guys (and it seems like there are not that many of us) who says let the contracts – rookie or veterans – run wild. The owners could band together if they wanted to and refuse to pay above certain levels..but they don’t. They give in, year after year, to big time demands from NFL agents.
In the NFL, each team operates under a salary cap. So, every year there is a limit to the money that can be paid to players. When untested rookies command so much of that money it diminishes the money that is available to pay proven players. I can’t imagine a 1st year MD or a lawyer who only recently passed the Bar Exam getting paid more than somebody who had been practicing his craft for a decade, but that’s how it works in the NFL. Some kind of system that rewarded actual NFL performance would be a lot more fair to all the players in the league.
If there were no salary caps and salaries were allowed to “run wild”, the NFL would go the way of MLB where year in and year out only a few rich teams routinely compete for championships. The NFL would sacrifice the amazing parity that makes it the best sports league in the country but at least the Redskins would be good every year.
Owners can’t band together, even if they wanted to, and refuse to pay above certain levels. That is called collusion and it is illegal.
by LennytheCool on Jun 10, 2009 8:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
"The owners could band together if they wanted to and refuse to pay above certain levels..but they don't. They give in, year after year, to big time demands from NFL agents."
Pretty silly comment there. Once upon a time owners DID get together and refuse to pay about certain levels… and the NFLPA took them to court with a charge of collusion and negotiating in bad faith… and they won. It was this very decision that ultimately gave the NFLPA the leverage to secure 59% of gross league revenues in salaries.
by CurtMerzFan on Jun 10, 2009 10:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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