Frank held his hostage, waited until it was too late to replace him last year. Sorry i agree with the front office this time.
Frank held his hostage, waited until it was too late to replace him last year. Sorry i agree with the front office this time.
35 comments
If you get paid up front for a job that you don’t complete, do you expect to keep all of the money, or have to pay some back? Typical Media just making stories outta nothing to stir the pot.
guy also played with us while literally suffering from a fractured throat. he deserves every penny he’s gotten.
I agreed with it last time, too 🤷♂️
End of the day its a business.
What I’ll never understand is why they just go after a portion of the money. Taking any amount is going to be viewed by players as a slap in the face, so either get it all or let them keep it all.
This seems like the worst possible option.
He broke his body for this team in 2022. 2023 and 24. Tried to comeback last year. Let the man keep his money. He earned it.
The way they’re gouging the fans with the crazy ticket prices too, let Frank keep his money at this point ffs.
I just dont like how they do it with guys that meant things to the organization. Like its not worth the money to added back to the salary cap which is what this is about.
This is how I can tell Rod Wood retired… he was all about getting Barry and Calvin back in good with the organization. While I understand Frank isnt those guys, he undoubtedly is the Best OL guy I have ever seen play for the Lions and im 40. He is a sure fire addition to the Pride. Why do this and create more public backlash? Its not worth it.
they should have him pay it back, then let him earn it through doing promotional work for the team
this way he gets his money and the Lions get salary cap relief
>It’s unclear if this decision will alienate Ragnow
I’m not sure how everyone else feels, but I feel alienated from Ragnow. The timing of his retirement, the ridiculous botched return, radio silence since. I find it hard to really care.
Boooo just give him his money. Be a different franchise than the rest.
Sure you can do stuff like that. No rule against it.
Just goes to show you why the Fords are terrible owners.
Also shows other players to avoid Detroit.
Fords don’t care it’s just another investment. They paid a fraction of what the franchise is now worth back in the 60’s.
Course haven’t won a damn thing since then either. Lions used to be an elite team…
Just because you can do something doesn’t mean that you should.
For an amount of money that is essentially lost change found in their couch cushions, the organization alienates fan favorite players and sometimes hall of famers after they put their bodies on the line, and will potentially be dealing with lifelong physical challenges as a result.
It honestly seems more petty than financially prudent.
Like a salty ex who is mad you broke up with them before they could break up with you.
I’m with the Lions on this one
Does this affect cap space at all?
Everyone crying “salary cap relief” is hilarious. It’s 3 million dollars. Keep going to bat for a franchise that has never given you anything. 👍
What does his contract say? Follow the contract.
Why would he do this?
I can understand Rod Woods perspective, the team has set a precedent on this now that would be awkward to go back on. If Barry and Calvin had to repay their remaining bonus for years they aren’t playing, then you gotta make everyone.
I can understand it, but I don’t agree with it. End the precedent. You already bent over backwards to try and make things right with Calvin because of this.
Both things can be true. They should claw some money back and they shouldn’t have taken Calvin’s money.
With Calvin, we were mediocre at best regardless of any salary cap implications and it was just a terrible look. He also announced his retirement a month before the draft…
Frank retired after the draft and just based on who Brad drafted and what was done in FA, he didn’t really know it was coming. Totally different circumstances with the team too. The Lions were hoping to repeat in the division and compete for a championship. Your All Pro Center leaving you hanging right before training camp really fucks your plans up…
What’s the controversy? Didn’t Frank sign the contract?
It’s not controversial. Literally how contracts and signing bonuses work in all industries.
It’s a story when it’s something like the Colts allowing Andrew Luck to keep his money. It’s not a story when the player is required to pay it back
Can’t have it both ways. Retire early to save your body. In the woods of Don Draper. “That’s what the money is for”.
Does his bonus count against the cap in anyway? Or is it just getting money back to Shiela?
If it does anything to the cap, I am for it. If not, that’s pretty shitty.
I’m getting to take some serious heat for this, but this is stupid and a repeat of the Calvin Johnson ordeal.
Is it the legally correct thing to do? Sure.
Is it a smart business move? Hell no. This is way too visible and you just alienated one of the best player the Lions have had this past decade. Such a dumb move and a chip in the brand they’ve worked so hard to rebuild with the players
I’m supposed to feel sorry for someone who gets to retire before 30? Lemme think real hard about that while I go back to work, for the next 40 years of my life.
Same team that overpayed Derrick Barnes bidding against no one is pinching pennies in key areas, lolz
I understand fans feeling some sort of way, and yes the contract is the contract. But the bigger issue is that this is not what most teams do. So we can all talk fairness, but if most teams don’t this, then the Lions are stingy for asking for it back and players take note of it. And we now see Anzalone chirping in too. Ultimately, this can affect players’ want to come here in free agency. So I wish the lions ownership would stop penny pinching when they also penny pinch fans at every turn as well.
Turning on Frank after everything he’s done for this team is wild, especially from fans who are weirdly in love with anyone the moment they sign here.
The organization already showed who they are with the Calvin Johnson situation. If they’ll do that to him, they’ll do it to anyone. Frank gave this team everything. He shouldn’t have had to pay a dime back.
I mean, he refused to take a pay cut. that jerk.
I’ll say that it would be a really bad look if the team made Barry and Calvin pay back their bonuses and then Frank retires and then they say it’s all good man enjoy the money.
If I was a black fan hearing they let Frank keep his money I’d be thinking there was more at play.
Now obviously there is some nuance in that the team learned how bad negative relations with franchise icons can be, but I think you have to take they money back from an optics stand point.
But I also think Frank would be understanding.
Frank alienated me
I disagree. It’s unfortunate how things ended but this just is’t good PR. It took the better part of a decade to get Megatron to show his face again. Hell, Berry wanted nothing to do with the organization for what, 15 years, after his retirement.
This falls under “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” The Detroit Lions are a billion-dollar business owned by the Ford Family. $3 million is like $20 to you or me. I didn’t think they should have made Barry or Calvin pay it back. Letting the bonus go would have brought 10x more goodwill and benefited the Lions long-term with players.