This is interesting. It feels like itâs obvious that Frank retired because he was physically fighting through injuries and pain, and it got to a point that he no longer could play the game in an enjoyable, effective, or healthy way.
The whole purpose of a signing bonus is to be a guarantee up front that insures a salary irregardless of performance metrics, or most importantly injuries that could compromise your career in the future.
What makes this interesting is that Frank likely retired âvoluntarilyâ, meaning, he wasnât declared medically unfit to play by a doctor, which allows the team to ask for a prorated amount of his signing bonus back. Had he been medically deemed unfit to play football by a doctor before he retired, the team wouldnât be able to recoup part of the signing bonus.
Let me say this first, if a player truly just retires without reason, or because theyâve lost the desire to play, I completely get and acknowledge teams should be able to recoup compensation when players donât fulfill there contractual obligations and agreements.
However, Frank was known for being hurt and playing through injuries most players wouldnât play through constantly. Broken foot, a torn pec, multiple knee injuries, back issues. There was always something, and Iâm sure he was continuously dealing with multiple ailments to try and continue playing the game. His body clearly had deteriorated to a degree that made football no longer a viable option, physically, and probably mentally. In my opinion, the signing bonus is supposed to protect players from future physical ailments limiting their availability on the field, thatâs one of the reasons you want more guaranteed money upfront.
So while I get that the team has a right to ask for money back, in the spirit of the agreement, I think itâs bullshit Frank is being asked to return money. This was clearly a player that the game had physically taken its toll on, and his body was clearly no longer holding up to the rigors of the NFL. It wasnât just some player deciding he didnât want to play anymore, it wasnât that simple, and these signing bonuses are there to protect players from the inevitable injuries they incur on the field.
The
#Lions made Frank Ragnow return part of his signing bonus after retiring early, continuing a franchise policy that dates back to Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson, per President Rod Wood, via
@DaveBirkett:
âOur precedent goes all the way back to Barry Sanders⌠And I think the reality is, theyâre not paying back their money, theyâre returning our money, because they were paid in advance for services that they hadnât completed.â
More here:
freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lâŚ