does something like this bother the NFL or is it just talk? (NIL related)

[Zeldas Open Roof]

college players potentially staying in school over getting drafted by crappy teams. i dont know, just talk for now but these guys in college are making more than 2nd and 3rd year NFL players in their rookie contract, who knows..

not even sure if the nfl cares. it's not like they need a caleb williams to enter draft after his jr year or senior year to succeed in the market place..

was this any different than elway or eli manning threatening to sit out a year or go play baseball if Team X drafts them? we've been seeing this card played for decades, just now it's NIL related.. heck, i remember Rod woodson threatening to go to the olympics in track over signing with the steelers..

just thought id share to see what yinz think..

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

The team that might have wanted to take him that particular year in the draft would care, I guess. Otherwise I’m not sure the league does. I mean, the league will get him or anyone like him eventually anyway. There is no competition after all. Not like the AFL in the sixties or even the USFL for a couple seasons in the 80s. Meanwhile it generates a lot of talk in the midweek and off-season dead time and keeps the NFL as King. So, as far as ‘care’ in the negative sense, not really.

Would the players union care, at least enough to push back on NFL ownership and a less feudal system, especially for rookies? One might think so, but for one, a college punk like him isn’t in the union ranks yet, and second, the union certainly doesn’t push back on much of anything else. It’s ok to smoke weed now, I guess. But it caves on everything else. Gloriously so, for fans…I’m not complaining. A strong union helped kill MLB.

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

If a high end guys stays in school and ends up being good in the long run he’ll be costing himself money. The sooner you enter the league the sooner the next big contract comes. So some of it is betting on yourself.

Applies to anybody really I guess.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

If a high end guys stays in school and ends up being good in the long run he’ll be costing himself money. The sooner you enter the league the sooner the next big contract comes. So some of it is betting on yourself.

Applies to anybody really I guess.

Agree. Mazel tov to him, I guess. And I see both sides of it, who would want to be drafted by, say, the Lions (or the Pirates in baseball)? Ok, you eventually get the chance to leave … but you had to waste several prime years of your career (heck, your life) toiling for a certain loser. It would be nice to be have some legit options. The thing is, it’s not like if you avoid the Lions one season that you won’t just end up with another loser ( perhaps even the Lions again … after all, they had been deprived of the best player the season before!) in the next. Seasons come and go but there always seems to be a Lions, Redskins, Browns, Jags, Bears, Carolina etc that have terrible ownerships, draft idiotically, and hire bad coaches. The chances of getting one of those at the top of the draft is pretty good each year,

But sitting out or playing a sixth (7th? 8th?) year in school comes with obvious risks. You might get a nice NIL deal but can it possibly compensate for missing out on NFL money and glory (and the really big time merchandising and advertising payoffs)? Meanwhile you are a year older and yesterdays news.


It really is a tough situation for a player that truly is that desperate to avoid playing for a loser

 

[NatronaHeightsPanther]

I think this may be Williams telling the Cardinals he doesn’t want to go to Arizona. Problem is, the Cardinals may suck for a long time. If you don’t want to play for the team that drafts you, pull an Eli Manning and they’ll eventually trade you.

 

[pitt90seven]

college players potentially staying in school over getting drafted by crappy teams. i dont know, just talk for now but these guys in college are making more than 2nd and 3rd year NFL players in their rookie contract, who knows..

not even sure if the nfl cares. it's not like they need a caleb williams to enter draft after his jr year or senior year to succeed in the market place..

was this any different than elway or eli manning threatening to sit out a year or go play baseball if Team X drafts them? we've been seeing this card played for decades, just now it's NIL related.. heck, i remember Rod woodson threatening to go to the olympics in track over signing with the steelers..

just thought id share to see what yinz think..

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i saw something about the high end BB players' NIL is like $200k. football far lower b/c most aren't getting anything. caleb williams isn't getting more from USC than he would being the overall #1 pick (or wherever he goes top 5). not even remotely close.

Agree. Mazel tov to him, I guess. And I see both sides of it, who would want to be drafted by, say, the Lions (or the Pirates in baseball)? Ok, you eventually get the chance to leave … but you had to waste several prime years of your career (heck, your life) toiling for a certain loser. It would be nice to be have some legit options. The thing is, it’s not like if you avoid the Lions one season that you won’t just end up with another loser ( perhaps even the Lions again … after all, they had been deprived of the best player the season before!) in the next. Seasons come and go but there always seems to be a Lions, Redskins, Browns, Jags, Bears, Carolina etc that have terrible ownerships, draft idiotically, and hire bad coaches. The chances of getting one of those at the top of the draft is pretty good each year,

But sitting out or playing a sixth (7th? 8th?) year in school comes with obvious risks. You might get a nice NIL deal but can it possibly compensate for missing out on NFL money and glory (and the really big time merchandising and advertising payoffs)? Meanwhile you are a year older and yesterdays news.


It really is a tough situation for a player that truly is that desperate to avoid playing for a loser

joe burrow went with an all time stinker and totally changed the organization. it can work. but yeah, for the most part, don't go to the jets, browns, lions, cards if you can help it.

 

[pittdan77]

I do think the NFL cares. TV people care, too. There is a lot of money in play. A heck of a lot more than any college TV deal. There will be pressure to make changes if this becomes a problem to the league.

 

[NTOP]

Agree. Mazel tov to him, I guess. And I see both sides of it, who would want to be drafted by, say, the Lions (or the Pirates in baseball)? Ok, you eventually get the chance to leave … but you had to waste several prime years of your career (heck, your life) toiling for a certain loser. It would be nice to be have some legit options. The thing is, it’s not like if you avoid the Lions one season that you won’t just end up with another loser ( perhaps even the Lions again … after all, they had been deprived of the best player the season before!) in the next. Seasons come and go but there always seems to be a Lions, Redskins, Browns, Jags, Bears, Carolina etc that have terrible ownerships, draft idiotically, and hire bad coaches. The chances of getting one of those at the top of the draft is pretty good each year,

But sitting out or playing a sixth (7th? 8th?) year in school comes with obvious risks. You might get a nice NIL deal but can it possibly compensate for missing out on NFL money and glory (and the really big time merchandising and advertising payoffs)? Meanwhile you are a year older and yesterdays news.


It really is a tough situation for a player that truly is that desperate to avoid playing for a loser

And what happens next year? He might have a worse #1 or a traded #1. Pretty arrogant.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Pretty stupid to count any team out in the NFL, because things can turn on a dime. Manning didn't want to go to San Diego, but San Diego ended up going 12-4 his rookie year (they were 4-12 the season before), and they won more games than the Giants did over his career. Obviously the Giants won two Super Bowls, but at 9-7 and 10-6 they were kind of fluky. The Bengals are Jaguars will probably both win their divisions this season. The Lions don't suck. I mean, whoever the quarterback is goes a long way in dictating how a team performs. But unless there's some helicopter owner ruining the franchise, the system in place offers a pretty clear path to rebuilding.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

Elway threatened to play baseball instead of signing with the Colts forty years ago.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

college players potentially staying in school over getting drafted by crappy teams. i dont know, just talk for now but these guys in college are making more than 2nd and 3rd year NFL players in their rookie contract, who knows..

not even sure if the nfl cares. it's not like they need a caleb williams to enter draft after his jr year or senior year to succeed in the market place..

was this any different than elway or eli manning threatening to sit out a year or go play baseball if Team X drafts them? we've been seeing this card played for decades, just now it's NIL related.. heck, i remember Rod woodson threatening to go to the olympics in track over signing with the steelers..

just thought id share to see what yinz think..

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LOL, Caleb should ignore his father. You take the contract and money as soon as you can. One thing is certain, there are no guarantees if you stay. Injury, poor play, worse college team, and who knows who will pick you next year. Might be better, might be worse.

Take the $40m contract you're going to get and go sign somewhere else after 4 years. If you're good, you will be good, even on a bad team.

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

And by the way, for a Caleb Williams the first contract matters too. As much as some of them are getting for NIL I doubt it remotely competes financially with even the 1st contract.

Lots of posturing and BS. If a team likes him they’re gonna draft him and call his bluff. Or trade it for a boatload (which is likely the message). He’d be a fool to go back to school financially speaking.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Just stay another year, collect $10 million in NIL incenties, and then skip the NFL and CTE and retire.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

Elway threatened to play baseball instead of signing with the Colts forty years ago.

That would serve the guy right, threaten to go onto the baseball draft instead, and then get drafted by the Pirates.

 

[Burgh15]

Would the players union care, at least enough to push back on NFL ownership and a less feudal system, especially for rookies? One might think so, but for one, a college punk like him isn’t in the union ranks yet, and second, the union certainly doesn’t push back on much of anything else. It’s ok to smoke weed now, I guess. But it caves on everything else. Gloriously so, for fans…I’m not complaining. A strong union helped kill MLB.

They wouldn't. More money for the rookies means less for the veterans.

It's tough to pass on being the No. 1 pick. Injuries or other players stepping up can jump you. The little bit of extra money in college isn't going to make up for the year of service time loss in the NFL. QBs should want to get to that second contract as quickly as possible and that money will dwarf whatever he's getting in college. You don't even have to be the best anymore because now the next guy is becoming the highest paid.

 

[h2p_5150]

And by the way, for a Caleb Williams the first contract matters too. As much as some of them are getting for NIL I doubt it remotely competes financially with even the 1st contract.

Lots of posturing and BS. If a team likes him they’re gonna draft him and call his bluff. Or trade it for a boatload (which is likely the message). He’d be a fool to go back to school financially speaking.

The number one overall pick is looking at a signing bonus of about 25 million dollars. Is USC gonna match that?

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

They wouldn't. More money for the rookies means less for the veterans.

It's tough to pass on being the No. 1 pick. Injuries or other players stepping up can jump you. The little bit of extra money in college isn't going to make up for the year of service time loss in the NFL. QBs should want to get to that second contract as quickly as possible and that money will dwarf whatever he's getting in college. You don't even have to be the best anymore because now the next guy is becoming the highest paid.

This situation isn’t really even about the rookie money though. In this case it’s about having no options on who you can play for and for how many years you are stuck. The union could prioritize fighting for those rookie deals to be shorter, or giving the player the ability to ‘buy out’ of a the deal early, or fight to eliminate or change the franchise tag, etc.

Again, I certainly don’t care; nobody seems to want to avoid getting drafted by MY team. And a stronger players union ruined baseball, and no doubt would do the same for football. It can’t be a coincidence that the sport with the weakest union is the most successful and popular.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

college players potentially staying in school over getting drafted by crappy teams. i dont know, just talk for now but these guys in college are making more than 2nd and 3rd year NFL players in their rookie contract, who knows..

not even sure if the nfl cares. it's not like they need a caleb williams to enter draft after his jr year or senior year to succeed in the market place..

was this any different than elway or eli manning threatening to sit out a year or go play baseball if Team X drafts them? we've been seeing this card played for decades, just now it's NIL related.. heck, i remember Rod woodson threatening to go to the olympics in track over signing with the steelers..

just thought id share to see what yinz think..

View embedded media

These kids are pros now. They should consider all aspects of jumping from one pro league to another. If they have a good situation in the college pro league and dont like their potential NFL spot, stay in college. I'm fine with it

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

These kids are pros now. They should consider all aspects of jumping from one pro league to another. If they have a good situation in the college pro league and dont like their potential NFL spot, stay in college. I'm fine with it

Lol. Who is against it? Of course we are fine with it. I would have been fine with Larry Fitzgerald staying in school, McCoy too, dion, kancey.

Of course we are fine with it, we are college football fans.

The question is, is it finally reached the point where it makes more sense financially to stay in college or enter the draft.

Elite college players are making more nil money then nfl players under a rookie contract.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Lol. Who is against it? Of course we are fine with it. I would have been fine with Larry Fitzgerald staying in school, McCoy too, dion, kancey.

Of course we are fine with it, we are college football fans.

The question is, is it finally reached the point where it makes more sense financially to stay in college or enter the draft.

Elite college players are making more nil money then nfl players under a rookie contract.

Caleb Williams wont make more at USC than in the NFL but if he's making $5 million/year in college, there is no rush to leave unless he loves his landing spot.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

The number one overall pick is looking at a signing bonus of about 25 million dollars. Is USC gonna match that?

The other thing is that the really big money is in the second contract. Staying in school now for a million or two in NIL money and thus delaying the fifth year option and the start of a second contract where the really big money is would be moronic. As an example, right now Joe Burrow's fifth year option is going to be worth at least $29.5 million and if he plays well this year it could be worth around $32.5 million. And then even if he gets the franchise tag right now for a quarterback that's again almost $32.5 million. Which, of course, will certainly be a lot higher by the time that it would affect Williams.

If Williams is anywhere close to as good as he surely thinks he is, staying in school another year is going to cost him not just a few million, but tens of millions of dollars in the long run.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

Yeah, it seems pretty clear the guy is just starting making noise right now to signal that he’ll be a pain in the ass to the Cardinals (and whoever else he feels he’s too magnificent to play for), hoping it’ll force the team to trade its pick. But if they don’t do so, financially he’d be a fool to not go to the NFL ASAP no matter with what team, even if USC would provide him with a LA-level NIL deal. But possibly he IS a fool and he’ll try it.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

He is aware that the first draft picks tend to go to the teams wi the worst record the year before, right?

Maybe the solution to his “problem“ would be to tank this season in college, and he wouldn’t be drafted so high.

Problem solved.

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

The point that goes unnoticed here is the top college players have a very good situation now and really arent forced AT ALL to go into draft early, with the NIL situation. before, it was mostly empty threats because nfl knew their situation was pretty much their only option (Outside of a few guys like elway that could have played baseball)..

we can debate about getting the clock for the 2nd contract going and what's better but if these players are making 7 figures in college, the NFL can and will wait in a lot of situations.

does that or does that not bother the NFL? again, i dont think so but it's worth keeping an eye on..

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

The point that goes unnoticed here is the top college players have a very good situation now and really arent forced AT ALL to go into draft early, with the NIL situation. before, it was mostly empty threats because nfl knew their situation was pretty much their only option (Outside of a few guys like elway that could have played baseball)..

we can debate about getting the clock for the 2nd contract going and what's better but if these players are making 7 figures in college, the NFL can and will wait in a lot of situations.

does that or does that not bother the NFL? again, i dont think so but it's worth keeping an eye on..

Short answer is that until there is a viable alternative LEAGUE for many of the college players to go to (like the AFL became in the 60s, or very briefly the WFL in the 70s and USFL in the 80’s), I don’t think the NFL cares at all. Ultimately, these players will still have to join the league.

As far as individual teams that miss out on this guy or that in a certain year … yes THAT given team will care about this, at least in that given year. But remember that the “NFL” is really an amalgamation of individual owners, and the others won’t give a rats butt that the Lions missed out in 2024, mainly because the guy will just go to someone else in the same NFL in 2025.

Now, if he would be able to go to viable CONTENDING pro league (that the NFL had no involvement in), and if many others would also do so, THAT’S when the NFL would truly be worried (just as it was in the 60s, leading to the AFL/NFL merger).

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The other thing is that the really big money is in the second contract. Staying in school now for a million or two in NIL money and thus delaying the fifth year option and the start of a second contract where the really big money is would be moronic. As an example, right now Joe Burrow's fifth year option is going to be worth at least $29.5 million and if he plays well this year it could be worth around $32.5 million. And then even if he gets the franchise tag right now for a quarterback that's again almost $32.5 million. Which, of course, will certainly be a lot higher by the time that it would affect Williams.

If Williams is anywhere close to as good as he surely thinks he is, staying in school another year is going to cost him not just a few million, but tens of millions of dollars in the long run.

It delays him the millions, it doesn't really "cost" him the millions. He will get the money eventually, just have to wait a year for that 2nd contract. And if he thinks he is going to be a Pro Bowl type, he probably figures he is going to be massively rich, making $100 million, $200 million, whatever over the course of his career not including endorsements. So to him. waiting that extra year for the right fit while making $5 million at USC is worth it

 

[happjack]

The point that goes unnoticed here is the top college players have a very good situation now and really arent forced AT ALL to go into draft early, with the NIL situation. before, it was mostly empty threats because nfl knew their situation was pretty much their only option (Outside of a few guys like elway that could have played baseball)..

we can debate about getting the clock for the 2nd contract going and what's better but if these players are making 7 figures in college, the NFL can and will wait in a lot of situations.

does that or does that not bother the NFL? again, i dont think so but it's worth keeping an eye on..

That's true for someone who in the past would leave early to be a late 1st round or early 2nd round pick, now with NIL they can stay in college the extra year get paid and play well enough to move up to a top 15 pick. Williams is in a different situation since he can only drop in the draft by staying the extra year, dropping in the draft means less money and still no guarantee that a "desirable" will pick him.

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

It delays him the millions, it doesn't really "cost" him the millions. He will get the money eventually, just have to wait a year for that 2nd contract. And if he thinks he is going to be a Pro Bowl type, he probably figures he is going to be massively rich, making $100 million, $200 million, whatever over the course of his career not including endorsements. So to him. waiting that extra year for the right fit while making $5 million at USC is worth it

It’s one less year of potential much bigger earnings. Throw in interest and yes, there’s ABSOLUTELY a real cost of millions.

Probably won’t alter a lifestyle but it’s still leaving money on the table.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

It’s one less year of potential much bigger earnings. Throw in interest and yes, there’s ABSOLUTELY a real cost of millions.

Probably won’t alter a lifestyle but it’s still leaving money on the table.

I'm not saying that he isnt giving up millions. But its all just a 1 year delay until he retires and realizes he could have had a few extra million in his bank account had he played in the NFL when he was 21 as opposed to waiting until he was 22. But when he is 38, will he really care he has $223 million instead of $218 million, especially if got drafted by the right team.

His cost to wait is:

2024 NFL Salary - 2024 USC Salary

Interest and dividends on the waiting 1 year to hit that 2nd contract

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

I'm not saying that he isnt giving up millions. But its all just a 1 year delay until he retires and realizes he could have had a few extra million in his bank account had he played in the NFL when he was 21 as opposed to waiting until he was 22. But when he is 38, will he really care he has $223 million instead of $218 million, especially if got drafted by the right team.

His cost to wait is:

2024 NFL Salary - 2024 USC Salary

Interest and dividends on the waiting 1 year to hit that 2nd contract

Everyone has different motivations. But some guys get every penny they can. So if it’s a financial decision the correct move is to move on to the NFL. If not then do your thing.

And for a kid like Williams the difference will be quite a lot larger than the 5 million in your example. Just his signing bonus alone will exceed that compared to whatever he gets for NIL.

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

Everyone has different motivations. But some guys get every penny they can. So if it’s a financial decision the correct move is to move on to the NFL. If not then do your thing.

And for a kid like Williams the difference will be quite a lot larger than the 5 million in your example. Just his signing bonus alone will exceed that compared to whatever he gets for NIL.

5m in the bank is a nice little nest egg while you wait for a 2nd NFL contract that may or may not come 4 years later.. it's not like every qb drafted in first rd pans out and gets that 2nd contract..

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

To recalibrate, the op didn’t ask if not making oneself available for the draft in a given year is the right or the smart decision for him; he asked if the NFL would care. And that answer is no. It won’t care at all. Because there’s no other place for him to go, ultimately. So they get him in 2024 or 2025, they don’t care.

The only team that might care is the team that might have wanted him in 2024, but even that team will still have dozens of other great prospects to draft. No, the NFL doesn’t care that some delusional punk with a posse at USC believes he’s too important to play for lowly Arizona or whatever. Sure, don’t come this year. Where else ya gonna go?

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

5m in the bank is a nice little nest egg while you wait for a 2nd NFL contract that may or may not come 4 years later.. it's not like every qb drafted in first rd pans out and gets that 2nd contract..

I agree. And It’s possibly changed things a bit. But if he’s the number 1 overall pick that 5 mil NIL is dwarfed by the signing bonus.

Again it’s priorities. Not everyone is driven solely by money.

 

[pittdan77]

This thread is proof people watch football but don't pay attention to football.

1. The NIL is a legalization of pay for play that always existed at the schools that were okay with cheating. So, most blue bloods.
2. Highly regarded college football players have always manipulated the draft if they can. Ton of risk goes with it but it does happen. See John Elway.
3. It's not unfathomable that some goofy fan-boy billionaire could fork over a premium to get a star player to forgo a year of NFL time. Seems unlikely but we all know stupider things have happened.
4. If #3 were to happen, the next logical step would be for a school to sue the NCAA to drop eligibility limits. I mean, why not? Hey, this washed up NFL star wants to "go back to school" to finish his degree.
5. This is probably the most important thing to remember; nothing is really off the table anymore. Would any of us have believed someone claiming to be a time traveler that said college football world would look like this a decade after Pitt entered the ACC?

 

[Ski11585]

They should abolish the draft.

Give each team a set amount of money to spend on rookie free agency based on their finish the previous year. Let rookies play where they want.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

I'm not saying that he isnt giving up millions. But its all just a 1 year delay until he retires and realizes he could have had a few extra million in his bank account had he played in the NFL when he was 21 as opposed to waiting until he was 22. But when he is 38, will he really care he has $223 million instead of $218 million, especially if got drafted by the right team.

His cost to wait is:

2024 NFL Salary - 2024 USC Salary

Interest and dividends on the waiting 1 year to hit that 2nd contract

You don't know what you're talking about. It could be a $50m year on the back end of his career.

You make all these assumptions and use bad math to try and justify a point that's clearly wrong. Take a break.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Everyone has different motivations. But some guys get every penny they can. So if it’s a financial decision the correct move is to move on to the NFL. If not then do your thing.

And for a kid like Williams the difference will be quite a lot larger than the 5 million in your example. Just his signing bonus alone will exceed that compared to whatever he gets for NIL.

He still gets the signing bonus. Just has to wait a year.

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

He still gets the signing bonus. Just has to wait a year.

True enough.

We could all go back and forth from now until the draft and unless someone throws a lot more money for an NIL it’s a financial loser to wait a year.

 

[happjack]

He still gets the signing bonus. Just has to wait a year.

But he could play his way to a lower draft pick/lower signing bonus if he stays in college, along with the chance of still being drafted by a crummy franchise.

Also, it's pretty ballsy to be talking about staying in school an extra year because you don't want to be drafted by the Cardinals only 1 game into the current season.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

True enough.

We could all go back and forth from now until the draft and unless someone throws a lot more money for an NIL it’s a financial loser to wait a year.

Again, not saying he wont lose money waiting a year. Im saying not that much. Maybe $5 million over a 15 year career.