The NFL owners have been making noises about "uncertain future of the NFL", and the "strong possibility of a lockout". To quote Mike Ditka regarding the possibility of a lockout "I can't believe anybody is that stupid". Keeping with that here are 10 reasons why I think there will be a new CBA done in time to continue football.
1.) Julius Peppers. Six years, $84 million, $42 million guaranteed
| Career Stats more | |||||||||||||||
| Season | Team | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
| G | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | ||
| 2009 | Carolina Panthers | 16 | 14 | 42 | 36 | 6 | 10.5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 13T | 1 | 5 |
| 2008 | Carolina Panthers | 16 | 16 | 51 | 40 | 11 | 14.5 | -- | 5 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 5 |
| 2007 | Carolina Panthers | 14 | 14 | 38 | 30 | 8 | 2.5 | -- | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2006 | Carolina Panthers | 16 | 16 | 57 | 48 | 9 | 13.0 | -- | 6 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 3 |
| 2005 | Carolina Panthers | 16 | 16 | 50 | 38 | 12 | 10.5 | -- | 6 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 2 |
| 2004 | Carolina Panthers | 16 | 16 | 64 | 52 | 12 | 11.0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 143 | 71.5 | 97 | 1 | 4 |
| 2003 | Carolina Panthers | 16 | 16 | 44 | 37 | 7 | 7.0 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 3 |
| 2002 | Carolina Panthers | 12 | 12 | 35 | 28 | 7 | 12.0 | -- | 4 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 | 21 | 0 | 5 |
| TOTAL | 381 | 309 | 72 | 81.0 | 0 | 41 | 6 | 177 | -- | 97 | 2 | 30 | |||
2.) Elvis Dumervil. Six years, $61.5 million. $41 million guaranteed
| Career Stats more | |||||||||||||||
| Season | Team | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
| G | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | ||
| 2009 | Denver Broncos | 16 | 14 | 49 | 42 | 7 | 17.0 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 4 |
| 2008 | Denver Broncos | 16 | 15 | 24 | 17 | 7 | 5.0 | -- | 0 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 1 |
| 2007 | Denver Broncos | 16 | 16 | 39 | 34 | 5 | 12.5 | -- | 4 | 1 | 27 | 27.0 | 27 | 0 | 4 |
| 2006 | Denver Broncos | 13 | 0 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 8.5 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 1 |
| TOTAL | 129 | 107 | 22 | 43.0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 27 | -- | 27 | 0 | 10 | |||
3.) Dunta Robinson. Six years, $57 million, $23.5 million guaranteed
| Career Stats more | |||||||||||||||
| Season | Team | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
| G | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | ||
| 2009 | Houston Texans | 16 | 16 | 64 | 54 | 10 | 0.0 | -- | 9 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 1 |
| 2008 | Houston Texans | 11 | 6 | 38 | 35 | 3 | 0.0 | -- | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | Houston Texans | 9 | 9 | 34 | 29 | 5 | 0.0 | -- | 7 | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | Houston Texans | 16 | 16 | 82 | 69 | 13 | 0.0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 9T | 1 | 1 |
| 2005 | Houston Texans | 16 | 16 | 88 | 69 | 19 | 1.0 | -- | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2004 | Houston Texans | 16 | 16 | 87 | 73 | 14 | 3.0 | -- | 13 | 6 | 146 | 24.3 | 61 | 0 | 3 |
| TOTAL | 393 | 329 | 64 | 4.0 | 0 | 54 | 13 | 162 | -- | 61 | 1 | 6 | |||
4.) Jahri Evans. Seven years, $56.7 million. $12 million guaranteed
| Career Offensive Line Stats | |||||||||
| Year | Team | G | GS | Pen | Yds | False Start | Holding | Sacks Allwd | Yds |
| 2006 | NO | 16 | 16 | 5 | 53 | 1 | 2 | 1.00 | 7.00 |
| 2007 | NO | 16 | 16 | 4 | 34 | 0 | 4 | 2.00 | 14.00 |
| 2008 | NO | 16 | 16 | 5 | 30 | 4 | 1 | 1.00 | 9.00 |
| 2009 | NO | 16 | 16 | 5 | 40 | 1 | 3 | 2.00 | 20.00 |
| Totals | 64 | 64 | 19 | 157 | 6 | 10 | 6.00 | 50.00 | |
5.) Patrick Willis. Seven years, $53.5 million, $29 million guaranteed
| Career Stats more | |||||||||||||||
| Season | Team | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
| G | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | ||
| 2009 | San Francisco 49ers | 16 | 16 | 152 | 114 | 38 | 4.0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 33 | 11.0 | 23T | 1 | 3 |
| 2008 | San Francisco 49ers | 16 | 16 | 141 | 109 | 32 | 1.0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 86 | 86.0 | 86T | 1 | 1 |
| 2007 | San Francisco 49ers | 16 | 16 | 174 | 135 | 39 | 4.0 | -- | 5 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 2 |
| TOTAL | 467 | 358 | 109 | 9.0 | 0 | 23 | 4 | 119 | -- | 86 | 2 | 6 | |||
6.) Brandon Marshall. Five years, $47.3 million, $12.5 million guaranteed
| Career Stats more | |||||||||||||||
| Season | Team | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||||||
| G | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FUM | Lost | ||
| 2009 | Denver Broncos | 15 | 13 | 101 | 1,120 | 11.1 | 75T | 10 | 7 | 39 | 5.6 | 14 | 0 | -- | -- |
| 2008 | Denver Broncos | 15 | 15 | 104 | 1,265 | 12.2 | 47 | 6 | 2 | -4 | -2.0 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| 2007 | Denver Broncos | 16 | 16 | 102 | 1,325 | 13.0 | 68T | 7 | 5 | 57 | 11.4 | 24 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 2006 | Denver Broncos | 15 | 1 | 20 | 309 | 15.5 | 71T | 2 | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 327 | 4,019 | 12.3 | 75 | 25 | 16 | 104 | 6.5 | 24 | 0 | 8 | 4 | |||
7.) Karlos Dansby. Five years, $43 million, $22 million guaranteed
| Career Stats more | |||||||||||||||
| Season | Team | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
| G | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | ||
| 2009 | Arizona Cardinals | 16 | 16 | 109 | 89 | 20 | 1.0 | -- | 4 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 11 | 0 | 1 |
| 2008 | Arizona Cardinals | 16 | 16 | 119 | 95 | 24 | 4.0 | -- | 5 | 2 | 47 | 23.5 | 34 | 0 | 2 |
| 2007 | Arizona Cardinals | 14 | 14 | 97 | 77 | 20 | 3.5 | -- | 8 | 3 | 55 | 18.3 | 28 | 0 | 4 |
| 2006 | Arizona Cardinals | 14 | 10 | 80 | 67 | 13 | 8.0 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 2 |
| 2005 | Arizona Cardinals | 15 | 15 | 88 | 69 | 19 | 4.0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 31 | 10.3 | 18T | 2 | 2 |
| 2004 | Arizona Cardinals | 15 | 11 | 60 | 43 | 17 | 5.0 | -- | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 553 | 440 | 113 | 25.5 | 0 | 25 | 10 | 146 | -- | 34 | 2 | 12 | |||
8.) Vince Wilfork. Five years, $40 million, $25 million guaranteed
| Career Stats more | |||||||||||||||
| Season | Team | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
| G | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | ||
| 2009 | New England Patriots | 13 | 13 | 43 | 31 | 12 | 0.0 | -- | 2 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 1 |
| 2008 | New England Patriots | 16 | 16 | 66 | 45 | 21 | 2.0 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 0 |
| 2007 | New England Patriots | 16 | 16 | 48 | 36 | 12 | 2.0 | -- | 2 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 0 |
| 2006 | New England Patriots | 13 | 13 | 50 | 40 | 10 | 1.0 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 0 |
| 2005 | New England Patriots | 16 | 16 | 54 | 40 | 14 | 0.5 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 0 |
| 2004 | New England Patriots | 16 | 6 | 42 | 27 | 15 | 2.0 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 0 |
| TOTAL | 303 | 219 | 84 | 7.5 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
9.) Deion Branch. Six years, $39 million. $13 million guaranteed
| Career Stats more | |||||||||||||||
| Season | Team | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||||||
| G | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FUM | Lost | ||
| 2009 | Seattle Seahawks | 14 | 5 | 45 | 437 | 9.7 | 35 | 2 | 1 | -8 | -8.0 | -8 | 0 | -- | -- |
| 2008 | Seattle Seahawks | 8 | 8 | 30 | 412 | 13.7 | 63 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2007 | Seattle Seahawks | 11 | 11 | 49 | 661 | 13.5 | 65 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2006 | Seattle Seahawks | 14 | 13 | 53 | 725 | 13.7 | 38T | 4 | 4 | 30 | 7.5 | 19 | 0 | -- | -- |
| 2005 | New England Patriots | 16 | 15 | 78 | 998 | 12.8 | 51 | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2004 | New England Patriots | 9 | 9 | 35 | 454 | 13.0 | 26T | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 |
| 2003 | New England Patriots | 15 | 11 | 57 | 803 | 14.1 | 66T | 3 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 11 | 0 | -- | -- |
| 2002 | New England Patriots | 13 | 7 | 43 | 489 | 11.4 | 49T | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 390 | 4,979 | 12.8 | 66 | 28 | 8 | 33 | 4.1 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |||
10.) Antrel Rolle. Five years, $37 million, $15 million guaranteed
| Career Stats more | |||||||||||||||
| Season | Team | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
| G | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | ||
| 2009 | Arizona Cardinals | 15 | 15 | 72 | 61 | 11 | 1.5 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 71 | 17.8 | 29 | 0 | 1 |
| 2008 | Arizona Cardinals | 16 | 16 | 89 | 78 | 11 | 0.0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 40 | 40.0 | 40T | 1 | 0 |
| 2007 | Arizona Cardinals | 16 | 8 | 62 | 52 | 10 | 0.0 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 231 | 46.2 | 57 | 3 | 0 |
| 2006 | Arizona Cardinals | 16 | 16 | 84 | 77 | 7 | 0.0 | -- | 10 | 1 | 23 | 23.0 | 23 | 0 | 2 |
| 2005 | Arizona Cardinals | 5 | 4 | 28 | 26 | 2 | 0.0 | -- | 1 | 1 | 29 | 29.0 | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 335 | 294 | 41 | 1.5 | 0 | 34 | 12 | 394 | -- | 57 | 4 | 3 | |||
You don't shell out this kind of money on players if you're not certain what the market will be. Not if you plan on staying in business.
Bonus reasons:
1.) Average NFL team's net worth is close to $1 billion. (Forbes).
2.) Average profit per NFL team in 2009. $212,500,000.
3.) Most profitable sport in the US? The NFL
MLB--Average franchise worth $491 million. Total income of $6.8 billion. Operating costs of $522,000 Average profit per team $209 million
NFL--Average franchise worth $1 billion. Total income of $7.8 billion. Operating costs of $1.034 billion. Average profit per team $212.5 million
NBA--Average franchise worth $367 million. Total revenue of $4 billion. Operating costs of $233 million. Average profit per team of $125.5 million
NHL--Average franchise worth $223 million. Total revenue of $3 billion. Operating costs of $184 million. Average profit per team of $93.86 million
Source: Plunkett Research
Despite rising costs the NFL continues to be a gold mine for the owners and is basically a license to print money.
4.) Rookie signings are up 29% over last year at this time.