Baltimore Ravens LB Terrell Suggs’ ‘nonfootball injury’ may cost him millions in pay-NFL News
Baltimore Raven’s linebacker, Terrell Suggs, is on course of a financial setback due to a ‘nonfootball’ injury unless the management adopts a generous approach towards him given that he is a high-profile player.
Suggs has suffered a partial knee injury in an off-field activity during the offseason and under the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which declares a player injured outside team facilities ineligible for pay, he might lose millions from his salary
for the number of games he misses during the 2012 National Football League (NFL) season.
According to article 20, Section 3 provision of CBA:
"A player who is placed on a Nonfootball injury or Illness list ("N-F/I") is not entitled to any compensation under his contract while on such list."
In view of these rules, Suggs’ case now very much rests on Ravens’ management.
If they consider his key position in the team and pay him continually, it will be a great development for the player. Otherwise, he has no right to claim his salary for the time he spends on recovery and rehab.
The only good news for Suggs is that he had suffered the injury partially and could return to the squad by October this year. He has had a procedure done on his knee to repair the torn Achilles on May 7.
In almost the same situation is Philadelphia Eagles’ tackle, Jason Peters, who has torn his Achilles muscle in circumstances similar to Suggs’.
He might not have a chance to redeem his chances for pay given he suffered a deeper injury and is on the course to miss the entire 2012 NFL season.
Whether the team will be willing to compensate Peters fully or partly seems to be a question without an answer, for the time being at least.
Even Ravens have not spoken on the details of Suggs’ injury and the possibility of compensation. So, both players seem to be in an uncertain situation at the moment.
In case of no luck, Peters is set to lose approximately $3.25 million from his base salary of $7.9 million.
Suggs, on the other hand, will not get salary for at least the first six games of the season which he is expected to miss from his total base salary of $4.9 million. If he misses more than six games, then the equation will be quite different.
Tags: