Chris Johnson can't play for $550K
 

Titans running back Chris Johnson is one of the best players in the NFL, and he can't stand the fact that he isn't paid like one of the best players in the NFL.

"I can't play for $550,000,'' Johnson told Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, referring to what he's scheduled to make this season. "The money that I am playing for, I am getting paid less than the [other] starting 11 [players on the Titans' offense] and I'm one of the lowest paid starting running backs in the league.''

Johnson, who has three more years on the five-year, $12 million deal he signed after the Titans drafted him in 2008, said he'll hold out of training camp if he has to.

"Right now, I am not sure what is going to happen," Johnson said. "I just hope they pay me, but I don't know.''

The Titans don't seem inclined to give Johnson a new deal, noting that they've still got Johnson locked up for three more years, and that the "30 percent rule" would make it tough for them to dramatically increase Johnson's salary. And the Titans have a lot of leverage if Johnson holds out, because if Johnson doesn't report within 30 days of the start of the regular season, he could lose a year of credit toward free agency.

The truth is, if the Titans refuse to play ball with Johnson, he ultimately will play for $550,000. And if he gets fined for holding out, he'll play for even less than that.



So if he signed a 5 year 12 Million dollar deal isn't he in effect making 2.4 Million being paid in advance for his efforts?

Sorry Chris but no sympathy here.

His body will probably be shot in four years. He needs to get paid now while he is the best in the league. If he gets hurt and never gets his speed back the Titans will drop him in an instant.

It's not like he could embarrass the Tits
after Pac and Young

I'll never blame a man for trying to get as much money as he can.

RBs aren't worth long expensive contracts anymore....

He should of thought about this when he signed his contract. Poor overpaid athletes.

his contract was his rookie deal. teams upgrade contracts, specifically rookie contracts, all the damned time. he was one of the best players in teh nfl last year. he's earned a healthy raise to say the least.

keep in mind too, they wouldn't hesitate for a MINUTE to cut his ass if he wasn't living up to his side of the bargain. he's protecting his own interests (as a position player whose average lifespan in the nfl is roughly 3 years) by trying to get his. I can't blame him.

My point is he isn't playing for 550K he's playing for 2.4 Mil. He basically was paid about 1.8 Million of this years salary when he signed his contract.

If I were him, I'd be trying to parlay last year into more money, too.

**** yeah. He's the best in the business. His time is now.

titans should ride him for another couple of years and then trade him to somebody and let them pay him.

He basically wants a signing bonus, so if I'm the Titans...try to ink him to a new 3-year deal, with a low per-year salary.

He'll be pretty much shot after this anyway, but he'll do enough to warrant the money up front.

This isn't quite like the LJ situation.

Sorry, you're just a RB.

If only he could win games by himself.
He put up 2006 yds and the team was .500.
I think he deserves an upgrade on his rookie contract but not one that is based on him having 2000+ yards per season.
The Tits won't be winners untill they can balence their offense thus lowering CJ's stats.

If a guy is a free agent (Not college free agent) and signs a deal, I agree that he should live with it.

But, when a guy gets drafted, the contracts are slotted. I wouldn't play for that much either. Especially not at running back. And, he is perhaps the best back in the league, and perhaps the ONLY legitimate offensive threat for the Titans.

Sorry, but he has a few years to set himself up for the rest of his life. He needs to take every opportunity to do so.

Who does this guy think he is, jamaal charles?

He has the opportunity to not get paid at all this year if he wants to.

Yep. In this case I think he is justified. He probably won't make it to the end of his rookie contract.

With the short life span of a running backs career, he should get his deal extended.

What kind of a message is Tennessee sending its fan base if it keeps letting its best players walk/be disgruntled to the point of not playing?

Yeah, and the Titans have the opportunity to win even fewer games, and have their most popular player sitting at home.

I don't think the Titans are that stupid, but I could be wrong.

how much has he already been paid ????

He deserves it. As a RB, you need to get as much money as possible while you're still young. 550k for the best rb in the NFL is ****ing peanuts.
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No.

The advance was slotted. It wasn't based on performance in the NFL, it was a signing bonus.

His salary is $550,000.00 this year. He's smart to hold out because it's possible that he could have a career ending injury this year without ever being "paid". Or, he could rush for 2,000 yards again or more for only $550k.

Personally, I think he's doing the right thing and if the Titans don't want to pay him, I'm sure there are a dozen or more teams that would.

Tru Dat. Pay the man. Small running backs don't last long. Pay him what you think he's earned and make it a 5 year deal.

Give him like 50 mill for 5 years with 20 guarenteed.

He just had a 2000 yard season! Pay the man.

Im about as big of a "youre rich, STFU and play" guy as they come, but the guy is worth way more than that.

Same here. This is an exception to the rule.

I don't blame him for holding out. Get paid now.

If I were the Tits, I'd give him an incentive laden contract. Sure, I’d give him a million or so upfront, but he has to get at least 1800 yds per year to reach his incentives.
This way it’s in the Tits best interest to diversify their offence and move away from the CJ show and it’s in CJ’s personal interest to beat the record books by striving for 2000 every year.

Well, even if that were true, which it isn't....

A 2,000 yard back is worth a hell of a lot more than $2.4M.

When owners start guaranteeing contracts, we won't have holdouts like this. Johnson's playing this smart. You either pay him or you let him sit. And Tennessee sure as hell knows they can't win without him. Nor can they sell tickets.

1800 yards to reach incentives? That's silly. How many backs hit that number every year? Yet that's the minimum standard?

Sorry, I meant 1800 yds to reach full incentives.

Much more fair, and something I'd agree with. He wants to get paid this early, he has earned it, but I would make sure he continued to earn it.

Poor guy. I hope he can survive on that meager salary.

On top of that, the Tits would have incentive for him not to earn to his full potential.

You either get paid for performance or get a big payday up front. I don't agree you get both. Or you structure the rookie contract with performance bonuses.

better to pay him now than later

Every man is entitled to what they're valued at.

Chris Johnson sells tickets and merchandise. He makes the Titans a hell of a lot more than what he'll end up getting paid. I don't blame him for wanting a piece.

Me, on the other hand? I'm expendable. I don't get paid $550K because there are thousands of people who can do what I do.

Chris Johnson can't play for $550K
 

Ok, then don't play.

That hurts the Titans a HELL of a lot more than it hurts Chris Johnson. And everybody knows it.

Not really. The Tits aren't going to win anything this year, anyway. They can find someone else to help them to 8-8 and the team will still make money.

Really? Where?

Because if those guys are floating around, the Chiefs need to snag them up.

8-8 is not an achievement. Management has to be actively inept to consistently miss that mark.

Really?

So injuries aren't a factor.

Thanks. I didn't know that.

Injuries are not a factor every year.

I agree. If you are a running back making 550K coming off one of the best years in the history of the game, your ass better be sitting out as long as possible or you have a terrible agent. I can't blame him. He better get AT LEAST 2.5 mill per yr this year. I mean the poor guy is going to get LJ's in about four years. He's gotta make his money fast. RB's have a career about 1/2 of the rest of the players, and even if they can play when they are in their early to mid 30's they usually aren't going to make huge money.

Eat a full buffet of ****-you-sammich.

You were considered high when drafted and exploded for one season. Right now you're Larry ****ing Johnson.

Yup, that.

RB's are a dime a dozen (outside KC) and the fact that you had an outstanding season and are now demanding a new, top 5 deal, is EXACTLY why the Titans shouldn't give you one.

The player's union has no clue how much it ****ing hosed itself...

Shoot. Give me $550,000 and I'll play anything, anytime, anywhere. Players need to start understanding it's a privilege to play in the NFL, and they wouldn't get payed squat if it wasn't for the fans that watch them perform.

It's far too much of a "me" league. His excuse that he won't honor his contract because NFL teams don't honor the players contracts is B.S. As a player, you are a product of the team, and all contracts are able to be broken at any time by the NFL team that you have a deal with. You as a player, has to understand you're not bigger than the team.

Animal, mineral, or vegetable...

When you can run a 4.2 40 yard dash, avoid NFL defenders and run for 2,000 yards on an 8-8 team, I'm sure that NFL teams would be lining up to sign you to a huge contract, probably worth around $40 million over four years.

Until then, everything you stated is completely irrelevant.

It's like saying "Give me $20 million dollars and I'll star in Iron Man II".

The fact of the matter is that no one, probably not even your parents, would pay a penny to see you perform at the local playhouse.

Perspective.

Until the NFL Players Union wants to change the rookie scale so the top guys do not get sick undeserved money then I see no problem with it..

His option is to show up and suck or not get hit so he is released to get paid..

Sorry but I think they should play hardball like this across the board until the get a rookie cap in the slotting system..

I do not have a problem with him asking for a new contract.. But until the players association agrees to a new rookie system players should have to deal with it as they signed up for it..

This.

Rookies are paid far too much and accomplished vets...well.....they tend to be overpaid as well.

Point is at least the vets have PROVEN they can play. The rookies wasting cap and cash on a CHANCE they might be what's expected of them is untarded...

Thus, how dey is hosed...

Come on, Dude.

NFL players are NOT overpaid. These guys risk injury to life and limb every time they step on the field. When you've got a 300 pound man running at you at 18 miles an hour, it's a health risk.

Furthermore, the players are entitled to 64% of the "revenue", even though the owners won't open the books for the union to observe. It's a joke.

Without the players, there IS no NFL. The players are what fill the seats, pay the bills, sell the jerseys and make the NFL a multi-billion dollar corporation, free of Anti-Trust laws.

The players deserve everything they can get.

When you guys entertain millions on a weekly basis, risk health every day of the year, and do what only a handful of players have done ever, you get to talk about how he shouldn't get more.
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Exactly. I never understand the frequent "players are overpaid and should never get X amount of dollars to play a game" argument that always comes up in response to salary disputes.

This, yes.

And that's every reason why vets deserve to get MORE than unproven rookies...

yeah, they only won 8 games....8 of their last 10 games once Vince Young came in....they were 0-6 when the owner demanded that VY start.

Especially the leagues best players.

Players that guys buy tickets to see, buy the jersey of... even if they arent a fan of the team.

Players like Chris Johnson.

PAY

THE

MAN

A guy like Chris Johnson has to have well paying endorsement deals
You'd think it would be written into those deals
If you're setting for other than injury we get some of those millions back

I'm not playing for $550K either. Take that, Clark!

I don't either but I also like to see a man honor the contract he signed....
I hope he holds out, looks like Young and Johnson may be out for the Raiders opener in Nashville :clap:

I like the idea that the Tits can turn the screws on his ass too, it's about time they give the teams some leverage.

I don't see why some of you guys would be rooting for the team in this case.Johnson had a monster rookie year.Then he blew that away with a historical season in terms of yards from scrimmage last year.This is one time for sure that they should count their blessings and reward him.Look at some of the dipshits in the league who make much more.I also don't think he is near done.They can get several more years out of him at a very high level without 2000 yd type seasons.
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Sign a Jamarcus Russell and see how you feel about players who don't honor their contracts.

Oh and laugh at those pathetic Raiders for being the ones getting screwed because I can't honestly say I would not laugh and make smartass remarks had you guys been the one who drafted him...:doh!:

I agree on the Russell deal,but you can't compare CJ to that.If anything that supports the idea that if guys come in and play with pride and work hard,they should get an upgrade.The Russell type deals are what need to go.That shit hurts the quality of the league.Even Revis deserves pretty good treatment.The players can go overboard wanting,but sometimes it is only right.Like people have said,the teams will cut the shit out of guys and not think twice.
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well then lets do it this way, ..... if you perform, you get paid at the end of the year for what you did,but the next year if you don't perform, you have to pay the money back.... Deal?

Chris Johnson deserves to get paid. The kid is seriously sick...he is crazy fast.

he wasn't a top five pick. he was a late first rounder, those guys never break the bank. it's not like he's making tyson jackson money.

Greedy ****ing bastards ! He should honor his contract and EARN his pay. One or two good seasons does not make you great. Let's see if he can last more than a few years in the league.

the raiders are the other side of the coin. they cut russell loose because he wasn't performing.

that's just it: johnson has outperformed his contract by FAR, he's earned a healthy raise. if he hadn't, and was a dissappointment, he'd have been cut. the teams have no emotion behind their decisions, it's just business.

they wouldn't hesitate for a MINUTE to cut johnson if he wasn't performing. he has to get his whenever and however he can.

I agree 100% with Chris Johnson.

He's clearly outperformed his contract...time to tear it up and pay the man what he's worth.

frankly, it frightens me that h00tie is on my side in this. maybe I'm wrong about all this...

Then the players union needs to abolish the current rookie salary system.. You cannot get it both ways..

If you outplay your contract and want a new better contract then they better also allow a team to get money back when you LarryJOhnson it or Russel the contract..

I agree with this statement in principle.

However, I think the problem is how you define this in the agreements. On the one hand, a player can "Russell" a contract. On the other hand, whats to say a team or coach can't purposely sabotage a players performance - through scheme or play calling - to get give the perception that the performance is not up standards laid out in the contract.

I agree that some players ruin it.Hell,I would like to see the Skins get some money back and toss Haynesworth out with the trash.I just see CJ seems to want to perform.When he started running his mouth about 2k, I thought he was high.He did it though.With the numbers he has put up in such a short time,that says to me that he wants to grab a spot in history.We shall see on that,but it's not like he is slamming into the line for 3 yds a carry.Also a damn fine receiver.He sure doesn't seem like he will ever dog it,but I could be wrong.
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he can't live on 500 grand he has bigger issues.

Just throwing this out there, but I bet most defending the team are white and most defending the player are of another race. Sound about right?