Colts attempting to void Trent Richardson's contract

[Devizier]

Here's a real scandal.
 

 
Trent Richardson didn't travel with the Colts to New England for the AFC Championship Game for what were termed "personal reasons" by multiple reporters at the time. Well, we now know what those personal reasons were. According to The Indianapolis Star, Richardson missed a morning walkthrough because of "serious complications with his girlfriend's pregnancy that could potentially have endangered the life of the child."
 
The Indy Star goes on to report that Richardson's girlfriend "appeared to be in premature labor at just 28 weeks of pregnancy," and he rushed her to the hospital. At the time, Richardson told ESPN that he missed the walkthrough because of a "serious family emergency," and that he "wouldn't purposely just miss walk-through." The Colts later suspended Richardson without pay for two games.

 
From the primary source:
 

 
Default language in Richardson's contract permits the Colts to release him and void the remaining $3.184 million in guaranteed money for a wide range of reasons. Those reasons include a failure to report, incarceration and — as is the case here — suspension by the team.
 
If the Colts release Richardson, who was the third overall pick in the 2012 draft, and withhold his 2015 salary, things will almost certainly get contentious. Such action would likely prompt his agent to file a grievance on Richardson's behalf, with an arbitrator ultimately deciding whether the team's position is justified.

 
 

 

[HomeRunBaker]

Stay classy Indy. Just wow!!

 

[Ed Hillel]

That is truly despicable. Not much more to say.

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

Wow. That's just ugly. And should be far higher up the moral outrage flagpole for any even slightly serious minded person. But it won't.

 

[bankshot1]

No more!

 

[Senator Donut]

That's what the Colts are, in effect, alleging based on their decision to suspend Richardson for two games without pay for not contacting the team prior to missing the walkthrough and flight before last month's AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots.

(Emphasis added)

The bolded seems to be the issue here. Richardson didn't even bother to send a text message?

 

[kenneycb]

(Emphasis added)

The bolded seems to be the issue here. Richardson didn't even bother to send a text message?

I don't think that's too egregious in this circumstance.

 

[Harry Hooper]

A real Commish would have been on the horn to Indy and prevented this from ever getting rolling.

 

[singaporesoxfan]

A real Commish would have been on the horn to Indy and prevented this from ever getting rolling.

Yeah, but Adam Silver was busy.

 

[RG33]

If he doesn't report, you must abort.

 

[DanoooME]

(Emphasis added)

The bolded seems to be the issue here. Richardson didn't even bother to send a text message?

 
I think at the time or a few days later he said his phone was dead.  I'll have to see if I can find a link.

 

[ALiveH]

I'm sure someone can dig out some moral outrage quote from Kravitz (about the Patriots) to throw back in his face all over Twitter over this situation.  Should be good for some epic trolling.

 

[Leather]

(Emphasis added)

The bolded seems to be the issue here. Richardson didn't even bother to send a text message?

 
Then it was, at worst, a technical violation that didn't have any impact on the rest of the team.

 

[Devizier]

It's honestly hard to see this as anything other than the Colts trying to weasel out of a contract on account of a technicality.

 

[Leather]

It's honestly hard to see this as anything other than the Colts trying to weasel out of a contract on account of a technicality.

 
Sure.  But it's about the most tone-deaf thing they could possibly do, given the league's *cough* issues with spousal and child abuse this past season.  
 
Guy does the right thing, takes care of his wife and child (who are in grave peril), and he gets fucked for it.
 
Yes, they will claim that it was the violation of some notice provision that he botched, or that he didn't call them once the kid and wife were safe, but that's all bullshit.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

 
Then it was, at worst, a technical violation that didn't have any impact on the rest of the team.

 
So what you're saying is that this is a league of rules and the Colts are only trying to protect the precious integrity of the game?

 

[Leather]

If the union finds out that this is an illegal maneuver by the Colts, they must fire every team official.  
 
If they don't, they have no integrity.   They have a history of doing stuff like this.

 

[ivanvamp]

They would love to void his contract because he stinks and doesn't deserve (from a football production standpoint) the millions owed him.  That they are using THIS as the way to do this is pretty despicable.  

 

[Leather]

I'd also add that, from a competitive standpoint, it's fucking bullshit.
 
You traded for that fucking guy: deal with it.  You don't get $3 Million of cap relief because he sucks.

 

[bakahump]

I know he sucks.
 
But if he is cut....I hope BB signs him and he becomes a cross between Jim Brown, Marshawn Lynch, Walter Peyton and Emmet Smith and absolutely destroys the Colts when we play them.
 
Every other team he can sit.....but against the Colts any doubt he would go "Hulk Mode" and destroy them.  Maybe this should be BBs new philosophy "Who hates the colts as much as I do.....hmmm Richardson....Bwhahahhaha"

 

[Leather]

Just for one game.  Why not.

 

[tims4wins]

Would be pretty awesome if a national columnist would call out the Colts for this, and deflategate, and going back a few years the crowd noise issue... just make the Colts out as the bad guys, the way that the Pats have. Will never happen, but would be awesome.

 

[OCST]

If he doesn't report, you must abort.

 
holy shit

 

[snowmanny]

I'm confused as to how Belichick caused these complications.

 

[Spelunker]

I'm confused as to how Belichick caused these complications.

When no one was looking, he let some air out of her.

 

[simplyeric]

I'm confused as to how Belichick caused these complications.

Thanks Obama.

 

[dbn]

Thanks Obama.

 
This meme has gotten out of control. Thanks Obama.

 

[MentalDisabldLst]

Colts cut Richardson.  A key unreported detail is that Trent apparently did call Chuck Pagano before the team flight left, and he was told not to bother coming.
 

He entered the 2014 season as the starter, only to lose his job to Daniel Herron late in the season. Richardson fell behind Herron and Zurlon Tipton, who spent the first part of the season on the practice squad, in the playoffs. After being inactive for the divisional playoff game against Denver, Richardson said that would never happen again.
 
Richardson was right; he wasn't inactive for the AFC Championship Game against New England. He was suspended for two games by the Colts after he failed to notify them that he would miss a walk-through session the day before the game against the Patriots.
 
Richardson missed the walk-through because his wife was in the hospital with serious pregnancy complications.
 
"Nothing would stop me from going to work other than my kids," Richardson said. "With that, I told Coach [Chuck Pagano] the situation. I said I could fly in or try to make the flight. He told me, 'We weren't going to dress you anyway.'"
 
Language in Richardson's contract allowed the Colts to avoid paying Richardson's $3.1 million salary for next season because of his two-game suspension. A grievance to try to recoup some or all of Richardson's salary will likely be filed.

 
If it were the Patriots that had done this to a player, I'd still hope that the player would get every dime he had been promised.  This is total bull and ought to be paraded in front of Indy's newspapers if the NFLPA has a remotely-competent PR agency.

 

[jsinger121]

ProFootballTalk ‏@ProFootballTalk  now5 seconds ago
Per source, Colts RB Trent Richardson has filed a grievance over his January suspension. $3.184 million hangs in the balance.

 

[MentalDisabldLst]

The league could always split this baby by telling the Colts to pay the man his money, but that it won't count on their 2015 cap.  Fans of other AFC contenders wouldn't be thrilled by that, but it would at least give the main antagonists the thing they want most.

 

[Van Everyman]

In my dreams, the Patriots sign Trent Richardson to a league minimum contract and he runs for 300 yards against the Colts next year, does a Doug Baldwin on the horseshoe at the 50 yard line and signs with Cowboys in the offseason for $25M guaranteed.

 

[Kevin Youkulele]

The league could always split this baby by telling the Colts to pay the man his money, but that it won't count on their 2015 cap.  Fans of other AFC contenders wouldn't be thrilled by that, but it would at least give the main antagonists the thing they want most.

But that would be like rewriting the rules as you go!
 
 
 
 
Oh wait, this is the NFL.

 

[Shelterdog]

The league could always split this baby by telling the Colts to pay the man his money, but that it won't count on their 2015 cap.  Fans of other AFC contenders wouldn't be thrilled by that, but it would at least give the main antagonists the thing they want most.

 
No chance of this.  Making every dollar paid to players count against the cap is fundamental to ownership's ability to keep costs down.  Hell if a player violates his contract and the team sues to get the signing bonus back the team only get cap relief if they get real cash money back. 

 

[crystalline]

The league could always split this baby by telling the Colts to pay the man his money, but that it won't count on their 2015 cap.  Fans of other AFC contenders wouldn't be thrilled by that, but it would at least give the main antagonists the thing they want most.

The other owners would never stand for weakening the cap in this way. Any weakening of the cap is likely to cost the owners money in the long run - potentially big money.

Edit: beaten to it.

 

[Reverend]

Colts cut Richardson.  A key unreported detail is that Trent apparently did call Chuck Pagano before the team flight left, and he was told not to bother coming.
 
 
If it were the Patriots that had done this to a player, I'd still hope that the player would get every dime he had been promised.  This is total bull and ought to be paraded in front of Indy's newspapers if the NFLPA has a remotely-competent PR agency.

I would hope so too and would also love to see Indy get dragged over the coals for this.

Fans usually side with management and capital and not the workers, much to the chagrin of Marxist tbeorists. Also, the fans that will take the most interest are Colts fans, who have their own interest in the team going another $3.1m below the cap.

We'll see, but it aorta sucks when there isn't much of a constituency for justice, yeah?

 

[Reverend]

I would hope so too and would also love to see Indy get dragged over the coals for this.

Fans usually side with management and capital and not the workers, much to the chagrin of Marxist tbeorists. Also, the fans that will take the most interest are Colts fans, who have their own interest in the team going another $3.1m below the cap.

We'll see, but it aorta sucks when there isn't much of a constituency for justice, yeah?

 
Hey, willyalookitthat...