In the crazy world of the NFL, injuries are more a matter of “when” than “if”. It’s a hard-hitting league where even the toughest NFL players can be sidelined with a football-related injury.
But what happens to a player’s paycheck when they cannot lace up their boots and step onto the field? Does the influx of medical bills begin to pile up, or is there a safety net in place to protect the financial stability of these athletes? Do they get paid the full amount or just a fraction?
To answer this, we had to delve deep into the details of player contracts, the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and the various clauses that dictate the terms of salary continuation in the face of an injury. After doing the research, I can easily say that it’s a complex landscape where individual contract details, legal rights, and medical treatment provisions play pivotal roles.
Here is the summary:
NFL players typically do receive compensation while injured, the specifics of which are dictated by their contracts and the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Generally, they continue to be paid their base salary and may also be eligible for injury protection benefits.
Want to know more about how NFL contracts work and what protections players have? Keep reading to discover the ins and outs of NFL players’ earnings during injuries.
CBA and NFLPA role in player’s injuries
A study by Harvard in 2017 highlighted this, showing that, on average, there are 5.90 injuries per NFL game, a number significantly higher compared to other leagues: 0.45 in MLB, 0.16 in the NBA, and 0.59 in the NHL.
This heightened risk factor makes teams hesitant to offer long-term guarantees common in other sports industries. Yet, this elevated risk makes financial stability through guaranteed contracts a priority for players.
In the NFL, the rules and regulations surrounding player contracts and injuries are largely orchestrated by two pivotal entities: the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) and the guidelines outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The NFLPA represents the players and their interests, ensuring that the terms negotiated in the CBA are favorable and protective of the players’ rights, including what happens when they get injured.
The CBA, on the other hand, serves as a comprehensive rule book, outlining the specifics of how injuries are to be handled, including the financial aspects involved. This agreement forms the backbone of individual player contracts, setting the stage for the terms and conditions that govern the relationship between the players and the NFL teams.
How NFL contracts address injuries
If you dig deeper into the individual contracts, you will find a significant distinction between guarantee and no-guarantee clauses in contracts. A guarantee clause ensures that players will continue receiving a portion of their salary even if they are sidelined due to an injury.
However, there are cases where contracts are partly guaranteed. Let me explain.
Let’s illustrate this with a hypothetical scenario where a player secures a contract for 4 years with a clause that guarantees his full salary for the initial two years in case of an injury. This means that irrespective of his ability to play, he will receive his entire payment for the stipulated period.
Now, imagine in the first year of the agreement, the player suffers a severe shoulder injury, leading to an abrupt end to his career. Thanks to the protective clause in his contract, he is entitled to receive the total salary agreed upon for the first two seasons. This situation implies that the team must honor their financial commitment for the two years despite the unfortunate incident.
However, the silver lining for the team here is that their financial obligation ceases as they enter the third year. They are not bound to pay the player for the third and fourth years, thus relieving them from a portion of the financial burden that was initially agreed upon in the five-year contract.
In contrast, a no-guarantee contract doesn’t offer this safety net. A player under this type of contract might find themselves without a steady income if they cannot play due to an injury. It’s a riskier terrain, where the financial stability is directly tied to their ability to play, leaving them in a precarious position in case of an injury.
Remember Hamlin?
He was set to earn $825,000 this season under a four-year contract worth $3.64 million. However, due to a clause in his contract, landing on the injured reserve list meant his salary was reduced to $455,000, a cut of 45%. This situation arose following a cardiac arrest he experienced while performing his duties, a scenario that is unfortunately quite standard for players who sustain injuries.
However, it’s worth noting that while players do receive the guaranteed amount stipulated in their contracts, many also miss out on additional earnings due to performance-based incentives that are a common feature in many contracts.
These incentives are essentially bonuses awarded for reaching certain milestones or achievements, which, unfortunately, become unattainable when a player is sidelined due to an injury.
This reality is likely a significant factor driving an increasing number of players, particularly quarterbacks, to advocate for fully guaranteed contracts. These contracts ensure that a player’s entire salary is guaranteed, providing a financial safety net that is not dependent on fulfilling performance criteria, which becomes especially crucial in the event of an injury.
In this way, fully guaranteed contracts emerge as a more secure option, shielding players from the financial repercussions of missed performance incentives due to injuries. It represents a shift towards greater financial security, allowing players to maintain a steady income, even when facing setbacks in their playing career.
Who pays the medical bills?
In the NFL, covering medical bills largely falls on the club, especially when the injury occurs during official team activities such as games or practices.
Suppose a player is injured while representing the team in any official capacity. In that case, the team is generally obligated to take care of the ensuing medical bills, ensuring that the player receives the necessary medical treatment without incurring personal financial strain.
However, it is important to note that this obligation has its limits. If a player gets injured under circumstances that are not directly related to team activities — for instance, during personal training sessions or non-official practices — the team is not necessarily obliged to cover the medical expenses. In such scenarios, the responsibility might fall on the player, depending on the specific terms outlined in their individual contract.
Here is a famous example. Following Ja’Wuan James’ Achilles injury at a private gym in 2021, the league issued a cautionary statement. They clarified that injuries sustained during workouts that are not supervised by the team and occur outside NFL facilities are classified as non-football injuries. Consequently, the standard contractual injury guarantee does not cover such injuries.
If you want to see what the NFL contract looks like, check Arian Foster’s contract from 2012.
How does the NFL compare with other sports in that regard?
For instance, in both the NBA and MLB, players have a safety net regarding injuries, thanks to the provisions in their contracts and the guidelines set by their respective player associations.
Players in these leagues continue to receive their base salary while they are on the injured list, ensuring financial stability even in the face of physical setbacks. This is a testament to the strength of the collective bargaining agreements orchestrated by the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) in the NBA and the Major League Baseball Players Association in the MLB.
Moreover, every MLB player signs a guaranteed contract when they join the league, which means they are entitled to 100% of the promised money, barring certain exclusions such as team options and performance bonuses.
For instance, when Albert Pujols inked a deal with the Los Angeles Angels in the previous baseball offseason, the ex-St. Louis Cardinals first baseman secured a 10-year contract valued at $240 million. Regardless of the circumstances, he is entitled to the full amount, as the contract is fully guaranteed.
While in the NBA, contracts are generally fully guaranteed against injuries, offering a financial cushion to players if injuries occur while playing or training, except in activities explicitly prohibited in the contract.
