Zac's Contract for Longer Than 3 Years??? (Hobson Article)

[TJHoushmandzadeh's Shiny Shoes]

(01-11-2021, 03:40 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: I mean, that's just not the way coaching contracts are structured in the NFL (performance targets, break clauses, damages, etc.) 

If Mike Brown were to somehow work in that language into a deal he's be a unicorn in terms of uniqueness.  And I would imagine any coach and any agent would immediately be turned off from negotiations.

There's only two ways to get out of paying a coach that I'm aware of:

1.) Firing with cause. (Think of Al Davis vs. Josh McDaniels)  If the team can prove that a coach broke some rules, broke the law or somehow violated their contract, then they can recoup money remaining.  This involves lawyers and the onus is on the team to prove it's case.

2.) Any new employment's salary will be deducted from remaining dollars.  This is to prevent double-dipping, and is much more common.  Ex:  Coach makes 3 million a year and has 2 years remaining when fired.  Coach takes OC/DC/Position job where he makes 1 million.  Team owes the difference of 2 million (3 mil guaranteed minus 1 mil in new salary).

Maybe you're right, maybe Mike has sneaked some crazy things into his negotiations but I find that highly unlikely.  There is no way an established coach like Marvin Lewis, nor his agent, would have allowed that language to exist in any of his extensions.  And if they tried to place into Zac Taylor's contract I'm sure his agent would be spreading the word. (It would look VERY bad for the Bengals)

Well Mike Brown is a unicorn amongst owners, Zac Taylor was not an established coach and since when has Mike Brown cared about looking bad to agents and not about protecting his bottom line?

But such a clause doesn't even have to have come from the Bengals. It could be finding a mutual solution that works for both parties. Zac's agent might have for example wants comfort that his client will get a fair chance and won't be sacked after a year and a half if he gets off to a rocky start because AJ Green and Geno Atkins are injured. The parties could mutually agree that if Zac is terminated in the first 3 years then the Bengals have to pay $10m compensation, but if he's sacked in years 4-5 then it is only $1m compensation. That builds in an incentive for the Bengals not to fire Zac before he's had an goodextended run but allows the Bengals an out if he isn't the man after 3 years. If you're Zac and the choice is between that and a flat 3 year deal which do you take? Or do you just go back to your job as a QB coach?

There are plenty of options open if you have an open mind and are willing to think outside the box.