Should the NFL limit Quarterback Salaries?

[Celticman]

In the NHL the maximum any player can earn is 20% of the salary cap. So today that is 16.3 AAV million on a cap of 81.5M. That said no player comes close to the 16.3. Connor McDavid with an annual average salary (AAV) of $12.5 million comes closest.

Some NFL quarterbacks are now reaching 50 million yearly contracts or approximately 25% of the NFL salary cap. It takes a lot more than just this important position from the NFL 53 man roster to succeed on the field. This disproportionate QB salary leaves far less money to pay the other players. It can also create a team salary cap crunch that causes valuable players to be cut rom the team because there is not enough money to pay them.

Can a team win the Super Bowl with a 50M QB? Should the NFL institute a player salary cap of 18% (say 36M of a cap of 200M)?

 

[Celticman]

Is this crazy especially for this guy?


Current Contract. Deshaun Watson signed a 5 year, $230,000,000 contract with the Cleveland Browns, including a $45,000,000 signing bonus, $230,000,000 ...

 

[bazokajoe]

I love football and don't think any player is worth $50 million/year.
But there will always be an owner willing to pay.
The problem is ,like the OP said, you commit to much money to 1 player then the rest of your roster suffers with average or young inexperienced players.
The NFLPA would fight tooth and nail against any contract language to restrict a cap on individual salaries.

 

[Just Looking For A Latina]

The NFL is the poster child for sports/capitalism in the USA. I don't think the NFL owners will agree to a salary cap for QBs since it would seem to these rich men too much like limit on their power. Does big QB money guarantee success for a franchise, no:

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: $45 million 1 Superbowl
Bills QB Josh Allen: $43 million 0 Superbowl
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott: $40 million 0 Superbowl
Texans QB Deshaun Watson: $39 million 0 Supebowl and still facing legal problems
Seahawks QB Russell Wilson: $35 million 1 Superbowl
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers: $33.5 million 1 Superbowl
Lions QB Gared Goth $33.5 million 0 Superbowls
Vikings QB Kirk Cousins $35 million 0 Superbowls

 

[Wappa]

The NFL is the poster child for sports/capitalism in the USA. I don't think the NFL owners will agree to a salary cap for QBs since it would seem to these rich men too much like limit on their power. Does big QB money guarantee success for a franchise, no:

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: $45 million 1 Superbowl
Bills QB Josh Allen: $43 million 0 Superbowl
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott: $40 million 0 Superbowl
Texans QB Deshaun Watson: $39 million 0 Supebowl and still facing legal problems
Seahawks QB Russell Wilson: $35 million 1 Superbowl
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers: $33.5 million 1 Super Bowl
Lions QB Gared Goth $33.5 million 0 Superbowls
Vikings QB Kirk Cousins $35 million 0 Superbowls

DANGERuss Wilson will be taking snaps in Denver now. Did he get a raise? Not sure.

Also I’m all for a guy making the most millions while working for billionaires. Would you stand in the pocket to complete a pass while Suh (or any other monstrous pass rusher) could end your career? I’d wanna be paid.

The NFL’s salary/employment “policies” are ludicrous. The average career length is something like 48 minutes.

Also, not for nuthin, but those guys with 0 Super Bowls need a supporting cast.

But Kirk Cousins lol.

“You like that?!??”

 

[Ref]

If you look at the last 21 Superbowls, there has been only three years where both teams had a less than premier quarterback. In 2000 Trent Dilfer beat Kerry Collins (even I could have been QB for that Ravens defense), 2002 where Brad Johnson beat Rich Gannon and last year where Stafford beat Burrows (Burrows may end up as a premier QB, Stafford is good, but not premier).

All other years had a premier QB in the show.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Super_Bowl_starting_quarterbacks

The multiple Superbowl winning QB's had a cast of characters around them - Brady, Eli Manning, Big Ben, etc.

Your chances of getting to the Superbowl improve greatly with a proven big name QB. You just need a smart GM to build a team around them.

 

[mjg1]

The NFL QB salaries are getting out of hand, but modern football is a passing game. Deshaun Watson just signed or agreed to a 5 year $230 million/year with all his problems, just proves it's a arms race in the NFL.

 

[Fun For All]

I love football and don't think any player is worth $50 million/year.
But there will always be an owner willing to pay.
The problem is ,like the OP said, you commit to much money to 1 player then the rest of your roster suffers with average or young inexperienced players.
The NFLPA would fight tooth and nail against any contract language to restrict a cap on individual salaries.

Is a player worth $50 mil a year? How much does a team make from their star players jersey sales, hats and other items wihis name/number on it...how much does the team make from national/worldwide TV exposure?

The players don’t get their fair share at the NCAA level so why not when they can...

 

[shack]

The players don’t get their fair share at the NCAA level so why not when they can...

I believe that the NCAA rules have changed to favour the players being able to profit off their images etc.

 

[shack]

As far as the concept of a QB not eating up too much of the cap, it should apply to all players. Maybe some incredibly phenomenal RB comes along and gets $50M. The concept is the same.

There's no harm in applying it to everyone.

 

[bazokajoe]

I believe that the NCAA rules have changed to favour the players being able to profit off their images etc.

Alabama QB is already a millionaire with these rule changes.

 

[Darts]

Don't always need a $40mm QB to win a SB.
Doug Williams (quarterback) - Wikipedia
A history of backup quarterbacks winning the Super Bowl (thecomeback.com)

 

[mjg1]

As far as the concept of a QB not eating up too much of the cap, it should apply to all players. Maybe some incredibly phenomenal RB comes along and gets $50M. The concept is the same.

There's no harm in applying it to everyone.

Back in the 70's and 80's football was a runningback game, those days are gone and so is the importance of a great RB. Now it's a completely a QB driven game, teams are almost at a disadvantage for overpaying for RB. Derrick Henry is probably the best RB in the league, and all Titans fans are talking about is getting a upgrade at QB.