NFL franchise tag: the worst rule in sports

| Contributing Writer

It’s better for sports when star players stay with their team for years. Fans build a deeper connection with these players, become more invested in storylines, and feel that their team has an identity. To help teams maintain continuity, most leagues have special rules and exceptions. In the case of the NFL, however, its rule is the most unjustifiable one in sports: the franchise tag.

The franchise tag works as follows: When a football player finishes his rookie contract (typically around four years after being drafted ), they usually hit free agency, allowing them to sign for any team they want at any price. However, before free agency, the team has the option to franchise tag one player on its team. This locks in the athlete with a one-year deal at a set price, which is determined by averaging the salary of the top five earners at his position over the past five years. Furthermore, after the first year on the tag, teams can use the tag again at 120% of the previous year’s salary.

If the whole system sounds one-sided, it’s because it is. Teams are able to keep their best players for an extra year (or more) without taking the risk that comes with long contracts. In the case of an injury or poor performance, the team can let the player walk at the end of the season without owing him anything. Also, while the tag salary is no small value, the tagged player is often able to earn a higher salary on the free market than the predetermined price.

A number of players have lost out on generational wealth because of the franchise tag system. One such player is Cowboys linebacker Anthony Spencer. At age 28, entering the prime of his career, he was franchise-tagged for $8 million. After a dominant season with 11 sacks, he stood to earn a long-term contract. However, he was tagged again for a single season for $10 million. After fracturing his knee in week one, Spencer only played one more season in the NFL. He likely would’ve commanded $40 million for four years if he had not been franchise-tagged. Instead, he was left with a quarter of that.

The NFL is the only major sports league with a rule like the franchise tag, yet it’s also the most violent and injury-filled league. The average career length is 3.3 years, so by the time a player is done with his fourth year, there’s not always much left in the tank. Instead of having the opportunity to gain stability with a long contract, these athletes are forced to risk their earning power.

Frankly, it’s shocking that the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) allowed the franchise tag to remain when signing a new collective bargaining agreement in 2020. No other rule comes close to restricting the free market and earning power of athletes to the extent of the tag. However, with only a small portion of players demonstrating the quality to be tagged, could it be that the NFLPA as a whole doesn’t care as much?

 

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