Russell Okung Bashes NFL Contracts After Mike Trout's Historic Reported MLB Deal

Los Angeles Chargers offensive lineman Russell Okung, who serves on the executive committee for the National Football League Players Association, questioned the lack of guaranteed contracts in the NFL after Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout reportedly signed a record-setting MLB contract.

On Tuesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reported Trout and the Angels were set to finalize a 12-year, $430 million contract extension. It's the largest deal in sports history and will be fully guaranteed.

Okung responded to the news with a series of Twitter posts disputing every claim about why football players shouldn't get the same financial treatment as their MLB, NBA and NHL counterparts.

"Owners understandably need ways to hedge against unforeseen losses. But the current arrangement places a disproportionate burden of risk on players," he wrote. "Owners enjoy the peace of mind of being able to cut losses without having to worry about making that mortgage payment."

The two-time Pro Bowl selection and Super Bowl XLVIII champion noted the high risk of injury, which is often cited as a reason NFL teams shouldn't have to guarantee long-term deals, is actually a main reason football players should be given more financial protection.

"Some say, 'Guaranteed contracts are becoming more common.' But only for very few star players," Okung added. "Bench players in the NBA have more financial security than the average NFL Pro Bowl player. We need a baseline that protects everyone; that is the point of our union."

The Chargers tackle noted the players' "approach to guaranteed contracts must change" during discussions about a new CBA in 2021.

In February 2018, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said the union wasn't expecting a simple agreement on a new labor deal: "No. We prepare for war."

The nature of how contracts are honored will likely be one of the major roadblocks if the sides are going to avoid another work stoppage. The last negotiations in 2011 resulted in a four-month lockout.