A few weeks ago I listened to Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid on ESPN’s Mike & Mike talk about wanting his players to make as much money as possible. This was in the context of Eric Berry, who remains out with his unsigned franchise tender. I thought that quote was interesting because Reid, while he loves his players, is still management. He’s on the other side of the negotiating table but he appears to be playing both sides.
“I want the players to make money,” Reid said this week on Colin Cowherd’s show. “This is a rough business now with normally short careers. Whenever they’re playing, I want them to make money.”
But...
“On the other hand, you have to balance it. You have this cap thing you have to work with. You want to do what’s best for the team and the player. They’re busting their tail for you. This guy you’re talking about is phenomenal. He’s a great person and a great player. I want him to make as much money as he can.
“On the other hand you have these capologists and they’ve gotta make sure they balance that and it’s normally on a three year scale. You can’t have everyone be the highest paid player. You can’t have that. You have to work that out and make sure there’s a balance there and you take care of that side of it.”
This stands out: You can’t have everyone be the highest paid player. He’s right. The Chiefs made Berry the highest paid safety once already. His $10.8 million tender will make him one of the highest paid this year. But Berry wants the long-term security (and respect) that all players want.