Holding out has become a signature move for elite NFL athletes. Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller really broke the mold when he refused to play under the franchise tag and forced a huge contract in 2016.
Miller decided to represent for future generations of players and be recognized as a new age shot-caller. He’s carrying on the tradition of player empowerment that we have witnessed.
Odell Beckham Jr on Twitter
I’m on Von Miller’s Studio 58 tonight on Facebook Watch! Check out me and my brother LIVE @ 8pm EST /5pm PST. https://t.co/eetD5HhxcO https://t.co/OmmucrWkDA
There are still some folks out there who think players like Odell Beckham Jr. are just being greedy, but recent proof that CTE‘s inevitable, damaging effects on the brains of college and pro football players has raised the stakes and elevated the risks they are taking, which consequently raises the necessary value of their contracts.
Here are all the reasons Odell Beckham Jr. needs to hold out:
Hes a 25-year-old receiver whose 288 catches through three years tied him with former college teammate Jarvis Landry for the most ever. His 4,122 receiving yards ranked just behind Randy Moss for the second-most in NFL history, and his 35 receiving touchdowns ranked fifth. The Giants aerial attack was miserable without Beckham Jr. in 2017 and why wouldnt he test the franchises poker face.
With the Giants considering drafting a running back or defensive player with the No. 2 pick, theres still no guarantee that Manning will be the quarterback past this season and if the Giants strike out on a replacement, it could affect Beckhams numbers and the success he has in the future. Holding out and maybe even forcing a trade to a new team might be in Beckham’s best interest. The Bleacher Report dropped an article a few minutes ago stating that if the Giants are open to trading Beckham, but the price tag will be a first-rounderand more.
Beckham said he wanted to change the game as far as how NFL players are paid. He knows the Giants desperately need him. Beckham would probably have the support of many fans and players if he does hold out for a record-breaking $20 million per because they just want to see him on the field. NFL teams are making money hand over first and Big Blue could pay Beckham $30 million a year and it still probably wouldn’t equal what hes worth to the Giants in productivity and excitement, jersey sales and celebrity.
Holding out to get his way is just something a prima donna, super talented, new age NFL Don like OBJ would do. Hes all about pushing the envelope and placing high value on himself. Hes proven that he feels that his public persona and celebrity is just as important as the games he plays in so to be the highest paid receiver in history and set a new standard is something thats probably as important to him as winning. And to do it after cutting up the entire offseason is a boss move to say the least.
Beckham has made lists of all sorts since entering the league; Best Player, Most Hated, Most Popular, Sexiest, “Best Hair,” “Best End Zone Dance”… but a long, nasty holdout would garner him a spot on a list such as The Bleacher Reports “20 Infamous Sports-Contract Holdouts” list. For an athlete, holding out and getting the bag from ownership is the ultimate G status and shows the burgeoning bargaining power of the black athlete.
