Tarell Brown voids $2 million

[Blake]

LINK

49ers CB Tarell Brown voids $2 million base salary escalator by skipping offseason workout program

Tarell Brown voided a $2 million base salary escalator (USA Today Sports Images)
The San Francisco 49ers have picked up an additional $2 million of salary cap space as a result of one of their players opting to not participate in the team's voluntary offseason workout program.
Cornerback Tarell Brown had triggered a $2 million escalator to his 2013 base salary and was scheduled to earn $2.925 million in the final year of his contract. However, since Brown opted to do his offseason training at his home in Texas, instead of participating in the 49ers' workout program in Santa Clara, Calif., that escalator has voided and his base salary has returned to his original $925,000, a source with knowledge of Brown's contract details confirmed to "Shutdown Corner". Brown was also scheduled to receive a $75,000 workout bonus, but that has vanished, as well.
Brown said he learned about his $2 million loss on Twitter. Not surprisingly, he fired his agent.

 

[Blake]

This doesnt add up for me. How does a player and agent not have that date circled on their calendar all year? Such a strange amount placed on offseason workout.

 

[disaacks3]

I wouldn't only be firing my agent, I'd be suing him if it was something that just "slipped his mind".

 

[Rey]

Players should do a better job of trying to understand basic things like this in their contract.

 

[Blake]

Players should do a better job of trying to understand basic things like this in their contract.

Calling it a basic thing might be a little misguided. But even if it is basic to you, isnt that what the agent is for? To read, understand, and convey important pieces to the player? After all, these players arent exactly the best at reading contract law.

Edit: I heard Nick Wright on the radio say something about how if he found out that his salary was going to be cut by 2/3 because he missed the Xmas party that he would be upset, and that he didnt really read his entire 15 page contract from CBS. He got his agent to sign off on it and then he signed it. Not saying that is right or wrong, just that not alot of people fully understand contract law and how it works.

 

[TheIronDuke]

It's not a specific date on their contract that they have to show up and work out, it's a whole off-season workout program that he elected not to do. But I do agree that his agent should have known that he'd be forfeiting that much money by missing them.

 

[Rey]

Calling it a basic thing might be a little misguided. But even if it is basic to you, isnt that what the agent is for?

I knew someone would say that. And yes, that is what the agent is for. Did the agent do his job here? No he didn't. Is he going to get that 2 mil back? No he's not. So what does that tell you?

You can entrust whomever you want with certain things, but you should still attempt to get a basic understanding of what is going on with your own life so you can try to avoid situations like this.

And calling it something basic is not misleading at all. This doesn't involve any complicated formulas or anything like that. Yeah, the contract might have been long and no fun to read but when it involves my money I'd have read every word and had it explained to me by my agent and the team if there was something I didn't understand.

How hard is it to understand: go to voluntary workouts...get 2 mil...Don't go...miss out on 2 mil.

 

[Blake]

I knew someone would say that. And yes, that is what the agent is for. Did the agent do his job here? No he didn't. Is he going to get that 2 mil back? No he's not. So what does that tell you?

You can entrust whomever you want with certain things, but you should still attempt to get a basic understanding of what is going on with your own life so you can try to avoid situations like this.

And calling it something basic is not misleading at all. This doesn't involve any complicated formulas or anything like that. Yeah, the contract might have been long and no fun to read but when it involves my money I'd have read every word and had it explained to me by my agent and the team if there was something I didn't understand.

How hard is it to understand: go to voluntary workouts...get 2 mil...Don't go...miss out on 2 mil.

I didnt say misleading. And again, what you might do could be totally different from what these athletes might do. they have never been accused of being the sharpest tool in the shed. Mr. Brown paid or pays his agent to look out for him when it comes to the contract. And his agent utterly failed the task. Is Mr. Brown at fault too? Sure, but he cant fire himself.

 

[Rey]

I didnt say misleading. And again, what you might do could be totally different from what these athletes might do. they have never been accused of being the sharpest tool in the shed. Mr. Brown paid or pays his agent to look out for him when it comes to the contract. And his agent utterly failed the task. Is Mr. Brown at fault too? Sure, but he cant fire himself.

I'm just saying that I think these athletes (really people in general, but since we're talking sports here....) should try to get a better understanding of what they are signing.

I understand what he is paying the agent to do, but that means nothing at this point. He's out 2 million dollars because he completely put such an important aspect of his life in someone else's hands.

My statement isn't meant to disrespect anyone. Nor is it meant to excuse the agent for not having his client understand what he needed to do.

And I don't know how his contract was drawn up with his agent, but he might be screwed even further if he still has to pay his former agent based on the fact that he go him a 2 mil contract.

If I were talking to NFL rookies I'd tell them exactly what I said here. Be careful about what you're signing and who you hire as an agent. And try to have a basic understanding of what you are signing. If you must, have your agent and the team sit down together and go through the contract.

 

[Blake]

I'm just saying that I think these athletes (really people in general, but since we're talking sports here....) should try to get a better understanding of what they are signing.

I understand what he is paying the agent to do, but that means nothing at this point. He's out 2 million dollars because he completely put such an important aspect of his life in someone else's hands.

My statement isn't meant to disrespect anyone. Nor is it meant to excuse the agent for not having his client understand what he needed to do.

And I don't know how his contract was drawn up with his agent, but he might be screwed even further if he still has to pay his former agent based on the fact that he go him a 2 mil contract.

If I were talking to NFL rookies I'd tell them exactly what I said here. Be careful about what you're signing and who you hire as an agent. And try to have a basic understanding of what you are signing. If you must, have your agent and the team sit down together and go through the contract.

I think we are generally on the same side here. Dont be lazy and trust your finances to someone else. Take accountability for your finances and know your contract. Otherwise you are prone to predatory agents and people just itching to relieve you of your money.