The NFL is rife with contradictions, like how one of the most visible and pivotal positions in the sport is facing a pay disparity. Running backs are not feeling the love from the league, and their voices of contention are being heard. However, one general manager sees the issue as one where the gunslinger must sacrifice to keep their weapons in the arsenal.
“You don’t have to be a mathematician to figure it out,” Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan told TribLive.com. “But when quarterbacks’ salaries start increasing at the rate that they’re increasing, at some point, it’s going to have a residual effect somewhere on the roster. Every franchise is going to handle things differently.
“It’s up to every franchise to decide how to build their roster, but eventually, that’s going to have an effect when the quarterback salaries are growing at a rate higher than what the cap is. I get it, There are ways to get around whatever the top cap number is, but it’s just going to have a natural effect.”
Doing Running Backs Dirty?
Running backs across the NFL make an average of $1,794,500 per year in salary, according to Spotrac. The amount is even less than kickers, with a reported average salary of $2,166,357.
However, in 2020, the NFL and NFLPA agreed on a collective bargaining agreement that doesn’t expire until 2030. Until then, players are restricted from modifying financial matters, including franchise tag tenders and rookie contracts. As a result, running backs like Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley are more often offered short-term deals by their teams.
Barkley signed a one-year deal with an adjusted franchise tag of $10.1 million with almost an additional $1 million in available incentives and a $2 million up-front signing bonus.
Running Back The Bag
Steelers running back Najee Harris also spoke about needing to get the paydays he expected.
“They’re choosing when to devalue the running back,” Harris said to Sports Illustrated. “What I mean is there have been numerous times – I can speak on my behalf – they ask me alone that ‘The game is going to rely on you. You need to do this for the team. Hey, it’s time to close out the game. Hey, we need to lean on you right now.’ It happens in a lot of places.”
Steelers GM Khan kept it very real.
“You know what [front offices] are trying to do,” Khan said. “You’re trying to utilize as much of us as you can out of us for cheap. And then they’ll get another [younger] back and try to do the same thing again. That’s the trend that’s happening right now. …I have not talked to Najee specifically about that.”
Is the running back pay disparity a matter of the quarterback taking one for the betterment of the team financially? If so, the spotlight can shift to the gunslinger and how much the running back means to them.