Below is a brief history of free agency, and at times the lack thereof, in the NFL. The Reserve Rule (1920-1946) The reserve rule allowed teams with right to resign a player in perpetuity. Players could not move on to another team by choice. Players really had three options: play for the same team, get... Continue Reading →
Deion Sanders Career Accolades: 2x Super Bowl Champion 1x NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1994) 8x Pro Bowl 8x First-Team All-Pro #PrimeTime Career Stats: 513 tackles, 53 INT, 10 FF, 13 FR, 1 sack, 10 DEF TD Deion Sanders Contracts 1989 - 5 years, $5,225,000 #Falcons 1994 - 1 year, $1,134,000 #49ers 1995 -... Continue Reading →
Calvin Johnson Career Accolades 6x Pro Bowl 3x First-Team All-Pro 1x Second-Team All-Pro 2x Receiving Yards Leader NFL Single-Season Receiving Yards Record: 1,964 Megatron Career Stats: 731 receptions, 11,619 yards, 83 TD in nine seasons Calvin Johnson Contracts 2007 - 6 years, $55,500,000 2012 - 7 years, $113,450,000 Total cashflow: $113,816,086 *Notes: Johnson's rookie deal... Continue Reading →
Deion Sanders Contract Details Years: 7 Total Value: $34,983,999 Signing Bonus: $11.9M Deion Sanders Contract Structure 1995 – $178k base 1996 – $492k base 1997 - $335k base 1998 - $5.9M base 1999 - $6.25M base 2000 - $5M base 2001 - $5M base Deion Sanders Free Agent Summary After hoisting the Lombardi trophy for... Continue Reading →
Rod Woodson Contract Details Years: 3 Total Value: $5.7M Signing Bonus: $3M Rod Woodson Contract Structure 1998 – $500k base 1999 – $400k base + $1M Roster Bonus 2000 - $800k base *Also had annual $150k performance incentives for making the Pro Bowl. Rod Woodson Free Agent Summary After Woodson made seven Pro Bowls and... Continue Reading →
Charles Woodson Contract Summary Years: 7 Total Value: $52.7 Million Charles Woodson Contract Details Signing Bonus: $4 Million 2006 – $1.5M base + $4M Roster Bonus 2007 – $1.25M + $1M Roster Bonus 2008 – $3.25M 2009 – $5.5M 2010 – $6.5M 2011 – $5.5M 2012 – $6.5M Other (Incentives, etc.) *$100,000 Pro Bowl Bonus... Continue Reading →
Drafted by his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers with the 102nd pick in the 1955 NFL Draft, Johnny Unitas never made it to the preseason with his beloved team. After a year of semi-pro football, he received a tryout from the Baltimore Colts prior to the 1956 season. This one-year, $7,000 contract was fully UN-guaranteed. He earned... Continue Reading →
This 1957 deal called for Brown to earn $12,000 during his initial season with the Cleveland Browns. 75% of this amount was to be paid in weekly installments throughout the season ($750 per game), with the remaining $3,000 to be paid at the end of the 1957 season. The written addendum (see top right) calls... Continue Reading →
