6 Clauses GMs Should Demand Are Written into Contracts of Star Players

The NFL has a very complex salary cap situation that can be manipulated with clauses in contracts. There are many ways to get around the cap, whether by incentive clauses, bonus clauses or even a clause that guarantees part of the salary and converts it to a bonus. 

There are certain types of clauses that players have been subjected to throughout the years that have also completely cancelled contracts and showed breach of trust. There are a million different things players and teams can do to create a bad situation.

However, there are ways to help try to prevent them through contract clauses, and the following are things every general manager should put into every player's contract they write.

The 'You Don't Refuse Medical Attention' Clause, A.K.A. The Colt McCoy Clause

Colt McCoy got laid out by James Harrison in Week 14 vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers and had a concussion. Then he went and got his hand checked out. Colt McCoy's dad was quoted (h/t ESPN):

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"He was basically out (cold) after the hit. You could tell by the rigidity of his body as he was laying there. There were a lot of easy symptoms that should've told them he had a concussion. He was nauseated and he didn't know who he was. From what I could see, they didn't test him for a concussion on the sidelines. They looked at his (left) hand."

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However, there are many on the team that state they followed the procedures and couldn't tell that he had a concussion. McCoy should have stated that he had one to the medical staff. 

The way to prevent this in the future would be to simply have a clause in the next contract. Have it state something along these lines:

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Should player at any time continue to play without seeking medical attention for any injury, one full game check shall be withheld and donated to charity of player's choosing.

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It punishes a player for being stupid and not taking the medical assistance needed, especially in concussion situations. It essentially forces the players to accept that they will be getting medical assistance for any injury, including concussions.

The DUI Clause A.K.A. The Justin Blackmon Clause

This could apply to almost any player who has earned a DUI but as a way of protection for the team, there should be the following clause in the contract:

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If arrested for driving under the influence, player will have to sit out at least half of a game during the regular season and will be docked two game checks to be donated to a charity.

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How hard is it for players earning a minimum of $390,000 a year to shell out $40 for a cab to go home and then come back the next day to pick up the car sober? The truth is there is no reason for players to have to hold press conferences like what Justin Blackmon had to.

With the clause like what is above Blackmon would never have had to make the following statement that he did to the press (h/t The Florida Times-Union's Gene Frenette):

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"First off, I want to openly apologize to Gene [Smith], to Mr. Khan [owner Shad] and his family and Coach Mularkey and the whole organization, teammates, everyone that with my poor judgment over the weekend brought bad press to."

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The Motorcycle Clause A.K.A. The Ben Roethlisberger Clause

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"In the past few days, I’ve gained a new perspective on life. By the grace of God, I’m fortunate to be alive."

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Ben Roethlisberger uttered these words to the Associated Press (h/t NBC Sports) just days after getting into a motorcycle accident. However, his lapse of judgment wasn't riding a motorcycle. His lapse of judgment was him not wearing a helmet or protective gear.

NFL contracts shouldn't punish players who want and like motorcycles. However, they should force players to protect the bodies that they pay for the use of. The clause should be something along these lines:

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If player is caught riding a motorcycle without the proper helmet or equipment, he can be suspended by the team, fined to where he is only making minimum salary and/or released from contract completely.

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As crazy as this clause may seem, if the player isn't going to take care of his own body and life, why should the team take care of him? The team has every right to suspend and/or fine a player if he isn't smart enough to put on a helmet on when riding one of the most dangerous vehicles ever created.

With all the complaints about concussions, it would make more sense for the players to be completely agreeable to a clause that is about protecting their heads and even lives.

The Basketball Clause A.K.A. The Terrell Suggs Clause

While prohibiting players from playing basketball should not be part of contracts, what should be prohibited is players lying to the owners about how it happens. Terrell Suggs originally told the owners that he was injured while working out. As ESPN's Adam Schefter reported,

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Despite continuing to say he tore his right Achilles tendon during conditioning drills, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs injured his right lower leg playing basketball on Sunday, April 29, according to staff members who attended a three-day basketball tournament in which Suggs played that weekend.

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Suggs should be punished for lying to his team about how it happened. Basketball as a whole is an excellent way to keep in shape and keep cardio up. Had he been honest in the first place, no one would have criticized him about playing basketball. The clause should state:

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Players are permitted to play other sports in the offseason including, but not limited to, basketball, baseball, mixed martial arts and boxing, provided that the player is completely up front about all injuries that have been sustained in activities with the team. If it is found out that the player was injured in another sport and did not disclose with medical staff the reason, player could be fined and/or suspended by the team for his actions.

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It's more of an honesty clause. While it's not banning those sports, it is saying that any injury sustained needs to be presented to the team. Players should be allowed freedom to enjoy any sort of training activity they want as long as they can be honest with the team should they sustain any injury. Otherwise, suspensions and fines should be expected.

The Medical Clause A.K.A. The Tedy Bruschi Clause

While most of these are about protecting the team, sometimes the GM needs to protect the players as well. This is an interesting idea when it comes to players who suffer injuries that are either non-football related or similar to Tedy Bruschi's stroke. 

Bruschi suffered a stroke back in February 2005. He was in the middle of an excellent deal that was helping him profit from his talent and role as a defensive captain of the Patriots. However, had the team put him on injured reserve, the following clause should kick in:

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If a player is placed on injured reserve before the first preseason game, he is paid the salary for that year as agreed upon in his contract up to $1 million. Then there is a mutual option to either have that year placed onto the back of the contract or to have it as an early termination option for the player at the end of it.

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So for example, the Patriots had owed Bruschi $850,000 in 2005 as part of his contract. They could have taken advantage of this contract clause by paying him $850,000 and giving him an extra year on the end of his contract as an Early Termination Option of $850,000 or veteran minimum, whichever is higher.

By doing this, the Patriots make sure that he is protected and can fully heal from his stroke while also allowing him the option of another year on the team.

The Felony Clause A.K.A. The Michael Vick Clause

Michael Vick is the perfect example of the following clause. He was convicted of multiple felonies and served his 23-month sentence.

He also was forced to repay the Falcons the guaranteed money he was given as part of a bankruptcy settlement. He was also released without question as his contract had a clause similar to the following:

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Should player get convicted of a felony, he will repay all guaranteed money and bonuses received to the team. He will also be able to be subsequently released from his contract and all financial obligations from the team. 

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The Falcons exercised the clause in Vick's original $100 million contract that was similar to this and are benefiting this year from $3 million in cap credits from money received by them. On a bright note, it looks like the man has finally learned his lesson. In his recent speech at the rookie symposium, he was quoted saying (h/t Jeff Darlington of NFL.com):

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"As I sat in a prison cell, I understood why I was in there. That's bad. You don't want to end up that way. True story: I could see it all coming. I could see it happening. I thought about it. I asked myself, 'Should I stop doing what I was doing?' And I didn't stop. That's having no discipline."

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Without the clause in his contract that allowed the Falcons an easy out and their subsequent drafting of Matt Ryan, Vick would have never learned his lesson, though.

By getting released halfway into his prison term, he finally understood the ramifications of his actions and chose to change for the better. If only more players could learn to keep their noses clean, then this clause would be obsolete.

Scott Carasik is a Featured Columnist and Trends and Traffic Writer for Bleacher Report. As a Featured Columnist, he covers the Atlanta Falcons, NFL and NFL Draft. He is also the Falcons analyst at Drafttek and also runs the NFL Draft Website ScarDraft.com and the host of Kvetching Draftniks Radio.

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