Opting out of Bowl Games

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Sounds like the NFL could treat them like employees rather than interns. That might help.

Recently heard Ben Utecht story about getting injured and not drafted but Dungy and the Colts gave him a contract, paid him in full and gave him an entire year of rehab and health care so he could heal completely. Obviously didn’t need to. I think the NFL has enough money to give basic benefits to guys who are hurt and under contract even if it didn’t happen on their property. Another reason to shame the NFL.
 


here's a wild idea - the NFL and NCAA could agree to share the cost of accident insurance for players appearing in Bowl Games, so that players are protected in the event of a career-ending injury.

then the NFL could put out a statement that it encourages players to participate in Bowl Games.

even crazier idea: NFL announces that if you opt out of a bowl game, you will not be drafted in the 1st round.

that would end most opt-outs overnight.
 


I have to imagine on the NFL's side of things, it's some legal tape that prevents them from paying players who were injured in a game not connected to the league. One would hope that maybe an extra amount of money could be worked into rookie contracts, in specific cases like these for promising draftees who got injured in a bowl but can still add value down the line.

I will say, though, while Jake's story probably has players thinking about opting out, his story is different since he was in a NY6. Most opt outs happen with lower level bowls, but in his case, it was the Orange Bowl. Michigan had a great chance to finish high in the Top 10 had they won it. That was the case for Jaylon Smith, too, who was playing in the Fiesta Bowl for Notre Dame.

In contrast, for last year's Duke's Mayo Bowl, Drake Maye opted out ahead of the draft. Games like that are, in a lot of cases for players with high draft expectations, easier to skip probably.

It should also be noted that Butt recovered during the 2017 season but reinjured his ACL in practice at the start of the 2018 schedule. Smith, meanwhile, went on to have a nine year career in the NFL, earning a Pro Bowl along the way.

Ted Ginn Jr. was injured in the national title game back in 2006 as well, and had a 14 year career. So, there's also the chance that a player injured in a bowl game can bounce back and have a successful career.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
here's a wild idea - the NFL and NCAA could agree to share the cost of accident insurance for players appearing in Bowl Games, so that players are protected in the event of a career-ending injury.

then the NFL could put out a statement that it encourages players to participate in Bowl Games.

even crazier idea: NFL announces that if you opt out of a bowl game, you will not be drafted in the 1st round.

that would end most opt-outs overnight.
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How does NFL benefit from that? Especially if in the case of a guy like Jake Butt who was a fringe NFL guy to begin with
 

IceBoxGopher said:
I have to imagine on the NFL's side of things, it's some legal tape that prevents them from paying players who were injured in a game not connected to the league. One would hope that maybe an extra amount of money could be worked into rookie contracts, in specific cases like these for promising draftees who got injured in a bowl but can still add value down the line.

I will say, though, while Jake's story probably has players thinking about opting out, his story is different since he was in a NY6. Most opt outs happen with lower level bowls, but in his case, it was the Orange Bowl. Michigan had a great chance to finish high in the Top 10 had they won it. That was the case for Jaylon Smith, too, who was playing in the Fiesta Bowl for Notre Dame.

In contrast, for last year's Duke's Mayo Bowl, Drake Maye opted out ahead of the draft. Games like that are, in a lot of cases for players with high draft expectations, easier to skip probably.

It should also be noted that Butt recovered during the 2017 season but reinjured his ACL in practice at the start of the 2018 schedule. Smith, meanwhile, went on to have a nine year career in the NFL, earning a Pro Bowl along the way.

Ted Ginn Jr. was injured in the national title game back in 2006 as well, and had a 14 year career. So, there's also the chance that a player injured in a bowl game can bounce back and have a successful career.
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Pretty sure there are insurance policies guys can take out in the event of an injury
 

Perhaps the playoffs need to end due to all the unknowns with injuries etc. and go back to where it was before. The good players are going to continue to drop off. The playoffs aren't really going to mean anything.
 



Strongazzoffer said:
How does NFL benefit from that? Especially if in the case of a guy like Jake Butt who was a fringe NFL guy to begin with
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He wasn’t a fringe NFL guy before the injury. He was the best tight end in the country and dropped to the fifth round post injury. That’s not fringe.

Insurance policies don’t replace what could have been but hedge bets in case something goes wrong, like an injury. By themselves insurance policies aren’t the answer and won’t keep players from opting out.
 

This is all crap. Just play. You can get hurt at the combine or working out, it happens. Opting out is not a great life lesson.
 





MaxyJR1 said:
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Only a fool would play in ANY bowl game if he was considered an NFL draft prospect unless it was already in their NIL contract that they must play in post-season games (as is rumored of Colorado players). This is no longer amateur football, it is completely professional football and professionals do not risk injury for no pay.
 


Mick Turition said:
Only a fool would play in ANY bowl game if he was considered an NFL draft prospect unless it was already in their NIL contract that they must play in post-season games (as is rumored of Colorado players). This is no longer amateur football, it is completely professional football and professionals do not risk injury for no pay.
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Seems against rules for pay for play. I’m sure a Colorado player could get out of the bowl game if they wanted.
 


Strongazzoffer said:
How does NFL benefit from that? Especially if in the case of a guy like Jake Butt who was a fringe NFL guy to begin with
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He wasn’t a fringe NFL guy, but I agree with the rest. Why would the NFL care if players play in bowl games? In fact, one could argue it’s better for the NFL if the best players do opt out and keep healthy.
 

Holy Man said:
Sounds like the NFL could treat them like employees rather than interns. That might help.

Recently heard Ben Utecht story about getting injured and not drafted but Dungy and the Colts gave him a contract, paid him in full and gave him an entire year of rehab and health care so he could heal completely. Obviously didn’t need to. I think the NFL has enough money to give basic benefits to guys who are hurt and under contract even if it didn’t happen on their property. Another reason to shame the NFL.
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They aren’t in the NFL yet, so why would they be treated like employees?
 

MaxyJR1 said:
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I don’t think it is complicated at all. If your choices are millions of dollars in guaranteed money or a 1% chance of a career-altering injury playing a game for a school that doesn’t pay you, then take the millions of dollars in guaranteed money.
 

Strongazzoffer said:
How does NFL benefit from that? Especially if in the case of a guy like Jake Butt who was a fringe NFL guy to begin with
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Not only was he not a ‘fringe’ nfl guy, he was the reason for one of my all-time favorite espn news stories ‘Jake Butt wins award for best tight end’
 

btowngopher said:
They aren’t in the NFL yet, so why would they be treated like employees?
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Butts was in the NFL. He had been drafted.That was my reference to interns. The whole college football as a minor league question is also in play as well.
 

Holy Man said:
Butts was in the NFL. He had been drafted.That was my reference to interns. The whole college football as a minor league question is also in play as well.
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Quite a racket by the NFL to have their overwhelming developmental league not cost them a nickel.
 

Ope3 said:
Quite a racket by the NFL to have their overwhelming developmental league not cost them a nickel.
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Yeah, but with the way football is structured it makes sense not to have a minor league system the way the other sports do. NFL season is significantly shorter in terms of the number of games then the other major pro sports.
 


MNVCGUY said:
Yeah, but with the way football is structured it makes sense not to have a minor league system the way the other sports do. NFL season is significantly shorter in terms of the number of games then the other major pro sports.
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Of course it makes sense for the NFL. Their minor league is FREE.

What percentage of NFL players are coming straight from NCAA Football? 95%? Higher?
 

Ope3 said:
Of course it makes sense for the NFL. Their minor league is FREE.

What percentage of NFL players are coming straight from NCAA Football? 95%? Higher?
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Considering their "minor league" existed long before they did, how else would you expect it to turn out?

Should the NFL have tried to kill college football and created their own minor league that they'd have to prop up while at the same time trying to keep their own league(s) going?

And they weren't nearly as rich back then as now.
 

GopherTheJugular said:
Considering their "minor league" existed long before they did, how else would you expect it to turn out?

Should the NFL have tried to kill college football and created their own minor league that they'd have to prop up while at the same time trying to keep their own league(s) going?

And they weren't nearly as rich back then as now.
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I wouldn't expect it to turn out any other way than it has. It's not a critique, just a fact.

As I said, it's quite a racket, regardless of how it was developed, the NFL gets their talent base free of charge.
 

my point was - players are opting out because they don't want to get injured and hurt their potential NFL draft status.

so - if you want to stop players from opting out, the NFL has to be part of the solution. assuming the NFL has no interest in changing the status quo, players will continue to opt out.

the only thing the colleges could do - and this would probably invoke a legal challenge - is to base revenue-sharing payments or NIL payments on a per-game basis - so that players who opt out would forfeit some of their NIL or revenue-sharing.

bottom line - under the current rules, there is no way to compel players to play in a bowl game.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
my point was - players are opting out because they don't want to get injured and hurt their potential NFL draft status.

so - if you want to stop players from opting out, the NFL has to be part of the solution. assuming the NFL has no interest in changing the status quo, players will continue to opt out.

the only thing the colleges could do - and this would probably invoke a legal challenge - is to base revenue-sharing payments or NIL payments on a per-game basis - so that players who opt out would forfeit some of their NIL or revenue-sharing.

bottom line - under the current rules, there is no way to compel players to play in a bowl game.
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and we have had it beaten over our heads over and over and over again the past several years- Bowl Games are JUST exhibition games.

(I still like winning them)
 

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