Thread: Chris Borland retires

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/...njury-concerns

This is getting a bit odd with San Francisco. That's three early retirements in less than three weeks.

Don't expect this trend of people retiring early due to concussion risks to end anytime soon. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Originally Posted by BroncoWave

Don't expect this trend of people retiring early due to concussion risks to end anytime soon. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

I agree. Your are already seeing middle class kids being steered away from football because it's "too dangerous".

It may soon be that the NFL will be the domain of inner city kids like the NBA is. It's already predominantly African-American but there are a lot of second and third-generation kids who play because their daddies or uncles or cousins played that don't *need* pro football to pay the bills. I suspect many of them will not be choosing football in the near future.

I am strong discouraging my 8 year old from playing who has been expressing interest.

Good thing the Broncos didn't draft him.

If I were the 49ers I'd be getting my signing bonus back.

Originally Posted by Jaded

Good thing the Broncos didn't draft him.

If I were the 49ers I'd be getting my signing bonus back.

Yeah, the coach that drafted him should be furious. Oh, wait.

Originally Posted by Jaded

Good thing the Broncos didn't draft him.

If I were the 49ers I'd be getting my signing bonus back.

They have absolutely no right to go after his signing bonus. A player is free to retire from football whenever he would like. Plus, the players accociation would sue the hell out of them if they did that. Because that would send the message that you can't retire due to long term health concerns if you want to keep your signing bonus.

Players get to keep their guaranteed money when a team cuts them, so there is no reason they shouldn't get to keep it when they retire as well.

Originally Posted by BroncoWave

They have absolutely no right to go after his signing bonus. A player is free to retire from football whenever he would like. Plus, the players accociation would sue the hell out of them if they did that. Because that would send the message that you can't retire due to long term health concerns if you want to keep your signing bonus.

Players get to keep their guaranteed money when a team cuts them, so there is no reason they shouldn't get to keep it when they retire as well.

Completely different, IMO. Didn't the Dolphins go after Ricky Williams when he suddenly retired? I think they won, and he ended up going back to play.

Originally Posted by BroncoJoe

Completely different, IMO. Didn't the Dolphins go after Ricky Williams when he suddenly retired? I think they won, and he ended up going back to play.

Do teams typically go after signing bonuse when a player suffers a career ending injury and retires? I don't believe so. While this is not that, it goes along the same lines IMO. It would just be a really bad look to go after his bonus due to the current climate of football. It would basically send a message that the only way to protect your long term health if you are scared for it is to pay the team back for doing so.

If you told me I could choose my son be in the NFL or in the MLB I'd choose MLB every day and twice on Sunday. I love football and always have but I wouldn't be terribly upset if Charlie told me he didn't want to play anymore, just as long as he didn't follow that with "I wanna play soccer instead".

Originally Posted by BroncoWave

Do teams typically go after signing bonuse when a player suffers a career ending injury and retires? I don't believe so. While this is not that, it goes along the same lines IMO. It would just be a really bad look to go after his bonus due to the current climate of football. It would basically send a message that the only way to protect your long term health if you are scared for it is to pay the team back for doing so.

I just wouldn't really have a problem if they got some of the upfront money back. JMO. His signing bonus wasn't all that much, around $650k I think, but still. He took that money "promising" to play for four years, and retires after one. In an injury scenario, I'd think most teams (and players) have insurance policies.

Originally Posted by BroncoWave

They have absolutely no right to go after his signing bonus. A player is free to retire from football whenever he would like. Plus, the players accociation would sue the hell out of them if they did that. Because that would send the message that you can't retire due to long term health concerns if you want to keep your signing bonus.

Players get to keep their guaranteed money when a team cuts them, so there is no reason they shouldn't get to keep it when they retire as well.

I suspect that is incorrect. The signing bonus is technically prorated throughout the length of the contract, unless there was some language making it fully guaranteed. Common sense says a player can't just collect a signing bonus on a multi-year contract and then renege on the multi-year portion of that. The precedent would allow guys to skate on the back end of their contract with no repercussions.

Originally Posted by Buff

I suspect that is incorrect. The signing bonus is technically prorated throughout the length of the contract, unless there was some language making it fully guaranteed. Common sense says a player can't just collect a signing bonus on a multi-year contract and then renege on the multi-year portion of that. The precedent would allow guys to skate on the back end of their contract with no repercussions.

Yea, that would be just bad business to allow players to sign and then say "hmmm, i dont want to play anymore" and still keep the money. Pay the man for the time he did play and then get the rest back. I dont blame the guy for wanting to get out but you shouldnt get paid in full for not fullfilling your contract.

He wouldn't get paid in full though. He still has to forfeit his base salary over the rest of the contract.

These are all valid points though. I would be interested in seeing what the contract language is for situations like this.

Didn't Brian Bosworth make a chunk of change and only play 2 years?