NEW YORK JETS Keyshawn knows holdouts As contract showdown with Revis continues, Johnson remembers own ordeal with Jets Tuesday, August 07, 2007 By DAVE HUTCHINSON ADVANCE STAFF WRITER HEMPSTEAD, L.I. -- Long before Darrelle Revis and his bitter contract stare-down with the Jets, which reached its 11th day yesterday, there was Keyshawn Johnson, the No. 1 pick of the 1996 draft who waged a 24-day holdout. Johnson, who recently retired, can certainly relate to Revis and recalled yesterday his often-acrimonious contract battle with the Jets more than a decade ago. "They weren't going to scare me into taking a bad deal," Johnson said. "Missing training camp wasn't my concern. I knew the game. I really wasn't worried about that. ... I wanted to get into camp. I wanted to play football. But I was in the opportunity of a lifetime to get what I felt I deserved." Revis, the cornerback whom the Jets took 14th overall after trading up 12 spots, and the team are at an impasse over the length of the contract. Revis wants a five-year deal, but the team has offered six. All but one of the players taken between sixth and 16th overall have signed five-year deals. Only defensive tackle Amobi Okoye, the Houston Texans' pick at No. 10, signed a six-year pact. But Okoye's contract has a "voidable" year that can be easily triggered by reaching very attainable incentives, meaning Okoye would be eligible for free agency after five seasons. The Jets have a policy against voidable years. Johnson, who has joined ESPN as an analyst, said the number of years on the contract shouldn't be a sticking point. "It doesn't really matter because if you're any good, you're going to get your money in the third or four year," said Johnson, referring to the practice of NFL teams usually locking up their star players with contract extensions early in their careers. "And if you can't play, they're going to cut you anyway." Only three first-round picks -- Revis and quarterbacks JaMarcus Russell, who went to the Raiders with the No. 1 overall selection, and Brady Quinn, who fell to Cleveland at No. 22 -- remain unsigned. Neither Revis' agent, Neil Schwartz, nor Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum has commented on the negotiations, which showed no signs of a thaw. Jets cornerback Justin Miller, who is having a solid camp, tweaked his right hamstring during Sunday's simulated game at Fordham, but it's unlikely that's enough to jump-start talks with Revis with the season still more a month away. "I would tell (Revis) to keep working out and let his representatives handle things, because either way he's going to get more money than he has ever had in his life," Johnson said. It worked for Johnson. In the summer of 1996, Johnson chose not to report to training camp on July 13 and didn't show up until Aug. 6. He and his agent, Jerome Stanley, fought the Jets over voidable years and the total value of the contract. Stanley even threatened to have Johnson sit out the whole season and live off money from his shoe contract with Adidas and re-enter the draft the next year. Then-Jets president Steve Gutman, who tried to get Johnson to agree to a contract before the draft, said the Jets would take money off the table if Johnson didn't sign. Johnson wanted a better deal than the previous No. 1 overall pick, Ki-Jana Carter, who signed a seven-year, $16.4 million deal with a $7.12 million signing bonus and a voidable year in 1995. Johnson ended up with a six-year, $15 million deal that included a $6.5 million signing bonus. He said he earned roughly another $1 million in incentives. Johnson said a deal was struck when he and Stanley flew to New York and Stanley drove out to Hofstra unannounced to negotiate with Gutman. "The Jets paid me essentially what we wanted, and at the end I got my opt-out because I was traded (to Tampa) after my fourth year," said Johnson, adding that he wasn't bitter. "So really, the Jets gave me a $6.5 million signing bonus on a four-year deal. Not bad, huh?" http://www.silive.com/sports/advance/index.ssf?/base/Sports/1186482707266480.xml&coll=1 thats exactly what i said a few days and weeks ago
and to think people used to bad mouth him for being selfish.. after how the Panthers did Keyshawn this off season, nothing could be more proof teams don't give a rats ass about the players.
You've gone from quoting Canofbizarro to quoting Meshawn to support your argument. And you see nothing wrong with this?
Johnson, who has joined ESPN as an analyst, said the number of years on the contract shouldn't be a sticking point. "It doesn't really matter because if you're any good, you're going to get your money in the third or four year," said Johnson, referring to the practice of NFL teams usually locking up their star players with contract extensions early in their careers. "And if you can't play, they're going to cut you anyway That's what I've said the whole time.. What the hell does it matter - We have Pete Freaking Kendall looking for a new deal after 1 year, If Revis is THAT good he'll be looking for more money long before 6 years anyway.
That's probably my biggest problem with the sport. WTF does a contract matter? Guys play a couple years under lengthy contracts, with enormous signing bonuses, then demand a raise, and even refuse to show for camp until they get it. Since when is a contract not a legally binding agreement? I guess since the NFLPA was created. Revis should sign the damned 6 year deal already, and get his ass in camp. I hope Mangini has him doing laps all practice long for a week before he allows him one snap on the practice field.
Personally, anyone that believes that Me-shawn wasn't selfish is a bit cracked in the head. I don't blame the guy, but he is selfish all the same.
Football is a business as we all know and with that, being "selfish" is really a side effect. I would equate being "selfish" with "self preservation". The teams really don't give a shit about players. They're assets to be used upj and discarded. Why should players give anything back to the teams? In the end, the owners make huge stacks of money. the players get theirs and the TV providers get theirs. Its a win/win for everyone except the fan.
