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The most important part of NFL contracts is the financial structure. A player's overall income from a particular contract is calculated in a variety of ways. This includes their base salary, signing bonus, other bonuses, and incentives. While the distribution may be fairly complex, most NFL contracts have a fairly similar structure.
Then there are the outliers. Several contracts in NFL history have stood out as unique from the rest of the field. Sometimes particular clauses or other wordage may be controversial, confusing, or just strange.
Here are the most controversial NFL contract clauses of all time:
#5 - Rick Mirer, Seattle Seahawks
Rick Mirer ultimately went down as a draft day bust for the Seattle Seahawks. He was selected with the second overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft. Mirer managed a 20-31 record with 41 touchdowns and 56 interceptions during his four years with the team.
Mirer signed his first contract with the Seahawks during a transitional time in the NFL, as the salary cap was a relatively new concept. Some were skeptical of the way it would work. Mirer and his agent wanted to make sure they covered all angles of the guaranteed money. They even added a clause stating that the contract would be guaranteed up to and including the end of the world.
#4 - Eddie Lacy, Seattle Seahawks
Eddie Lacy began his career with the Green Bay Packers, where he found some success early on. He was selected as the Offensive Rookie of the Year and eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in consecutive seasons. His production drastically dropped off after that, with his weight and fitness becoming a major concern.
Lacy became a free agent during the 2017 NFL offseason and the Seattle Seahawks offered him a contract. They were also concerned about his weight, so they structured the deal to provide financial incentives for reaching certain weight goals. This is a common tactic used for linemen, but requiring it from a running back should be a red flag.
#3 - Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys
Dez Bryant is one of the best wide receivers in Dallas Cowboys franchise history. But he has also been known to be a controversial figure, especially off the field. He was known to party often during his time with the Cowboys and frequently got mixed up with behavioral-type issues.
When Bryant signed a new contract with the Cowboys in 2012, it featured several clauses to apparently help him focus more on football. He was given a personal security team that would also serve as his exclusive drivers for team practices as well as his personal life.
They helped implement a curfew and would only take him to nightclubs approved by the organization. The Cowboys also had cameras installed at his home to monitor what times he was coming and going.
#2 - Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray was seeking a contract extension with the Arizona Cardinals during the 2022 offseason. The former first-overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft has been relatively impressive in his career. He was looking for long-term security with the franchise.
The Cardinals provided Kyler Murray with the massive $230.5 million contract he was looking for. They made him the second-highest paid player in the NFL (by AAV). However, they put a clause in his contract requiring him to do homework, specifically a minimum of four hours of independent study per game week. The Cardinals were highly criticized for adding the insulting clause, and they eventually removed it.
#1 - D'Brickashaw Ferguson, New York Jets
D'Brickashaw Ferguson was selected by the New York Jets with the fourth overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft. He spent 10 years with the team and never missed a single game, starting all 160 games of his entire career.
The Jets signed Ferguson to a massive six-year contract extension worth up to $60 million during the 2010 offseason. The deal looked a bit bigger than it was because he was required to block seven punts per season to achieve all of his performance bonuses. This is basically impossible, especially for a player who has never appeared in a punt block unit.
