Sherman says strike might be needed to match NBA salaries
LOS ANGELES: Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, an executive with the NFL players union, says players must be willing to strike in order to obtain big contracts like those in the NBA.
Speaking to ESPN in Los Angeles on Wednesday, NFL Players Association executive committee member Sherman said that guaranteed deals like those in the NBA would require players to consider a walkout.
"If we want as a union to get anything done, players have to be willing to strike. That's the thing that guys need to 100 percent realize," Sherman said.
"You're going to have to miss games. You're going to have to lose some money if you're willing to make the point, because that's how MLB and NBA got it done. They missed games, they struck, they flexed every bit of power they had and it was awesome. It worked out for them."
Sherman cited the financial examples of NBA stars Kevin Durant of reigning champion Golden State and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers as examples of how NFL players should view contracts.
"NBA players like KD and LeBron are sitting there taking two-year deals like it's nothing," Sherman said. "They figure, 'I'll take a twoyear deal because I'm going to wait for the salary cap to increase and get another bite at the apple.' In our sport, they won't do it."
NFL salaries are not totally guaranteed, a team is able to escape salary cap issues by cutting players unless other terms are struck in the deal. It can often mean going to players and asking to renegotiate deals to provide room under NFL salary cap limits.
The 32-team NFL, the world's richest sports league, is expected to have $14 billion in revenue this year after making $13 billion last year.