March 18th 2022 鈥 Deshaun Watson鈥檚 contract that sparked the entire collusion fiasco
The Cleveland Browns traded for and then signed quarterback Deshaun Watson to a $230 million, fully guaranteed contract. The deal caused a major stir around the league, as other teams鈥 QBs would now expect similar treatment.
Giving a franchise quarterback $46 million per year set a new record for the largest guaranteed contract in NFL history. It was an unprecedented deal and the first time ever a deal of that magnitude had been fully guaranteed, despite the allegations surrounding Deshaun Watson and his behaviour with massage therapists while a member of the Houston Texans.
March 30th 2022 鈥 Arthur Blank stunned by Deshaun Watson contract
Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank made a comment on the contract, stating:
鈥淭he fact that it鈥檚 $80 million above the highest contract ever guaranteed in the history of the league, that鈥檚 102 years old, says a lot.鈥
Late March 2022 鈥 Team owners meeting
The NFL management council gave a 45 minute presentation at the league owners meeting, with all team owners in attendance.
The council, which advises team owners on how the league wants to conduct business, would have consulted with commissioner Roger Goodell and then built the presentation based on the messages they wanted to put across. Slide 17 of that presentation read:
鈥淟astly, if guarantees continue to grow in both amount and number of players, then there鈥檚 a risk that they become the norm in contracts regardless of player quality. That not only has the potential to hinder roster management but set a market standard that will be difficult to walk back.鈥
鈥淥f course, all Clubs must make their own decisions. But continuing these trends can handcuff a Club in the future.鈥
Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, testified that he didn鈥檛 recall a conversation about bonuses and guarantees. Falcons owner Arthur Blank then said he had heard the conversation, but it didn鈥檛 alter the way he worked contracts out with his team鈥檚 players.
New York Giants owner John Mara then said: 鈥淚鈥檓 not going to be told what to do in terms of an individual player contract by anybody from the management council or by anybody from another club.鈥
He continued: 鈥淛ust the thought of me calling Jerry Jones or somebody and asking him not to guarantee Dak Prescott鈥檚 contract or somebody else鈥檚 contract 鈥 I mean, they 鈥 he would laugh at me, among other choice words I鈥檓 sure. Just the whole notion is ridiculous.鈥
Mike Florio suggested that the mere existence of the NFL鈥檚 management council means there is collusive activity happening in the NFL. He hinted that they hide being their 鈥榮uggestions鈥, but are telling team owners how to conduct business behind closed doors.