"I want to play for a contender" The BIGGEST LIE in pro sports?

[Cheektowaga Chad]

"I want to play for a contender" = our team sucks so you better pay me more to be okay with your bad team

[JohnNord]

11 minutes ago, All_Pro_Bills said:

Yup, solid logic. Every contender needs a QB. Through the drought years the Bills had some good teams that just needed a QB. Going through some old Bills stuff this weekend I ran across a 2003 season calendar. They had some great players on that team but Bledsoe crapped out as the season progressed and they finished 6-10. 9-7 the next season. No playoffs.

 

On the team:

Pat Williams

Travis Henry

Nate Clements

Eric Moulds

Ruben Brown

Antoine Winfield

London Fletcher

Brian Moorman

Aaron Schobel

 

I'd take every one of those guys today w/Allen or Allen with that 2003 roster and the Bills are pretty good.

 

Even if you look to last season.  Russell Wilson was decent in the first half of the year but killed them in big games down the stretch and in the playoffs.  
 

You don’t need a decent QB… you need a GOOD QB to content 

[WNYFAN1]

11 minutes ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

Culture, Allen whatever...some folks just don't want to come to BUFFALO. It has nothing to do with the Bills.

 

I disagree with them,but it's still a thing.

Why wouldn't anyone want to come to Buffalo to play. The weather may be cold but at least the taxes are high!

[Rigotz]

23 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

It’s mostly true.  Find an example where someone took lower pay to go to a contender?

 

I would bet anything that it’s slightly lower but that’s it.  
 

Players want to win AND get paid.  And the paid part almost always trumps winning

 

This is impossible to prove. However, be honest ... have you heard the words "I took less money to play for a contender" mentioned by a player in free agency? I have. A lot.

 

You can also look at players like Tom Brady, Josh Allen, and Pat Mahomes prioritizing the team over themselves in signing team-friendly deals. If they demanded fully guaranteed contracts like Deshaun Watson, they would get it because that's what they're worth.

[klos63]

47 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

If Cleveland fixed their QB position, they're still arguably the 3rd best team in that Division.

 

I'm not criticizing the players. I get it. I'm just pointing out the absurdity of their statement and reminding us fans to not believe everything we hear.

 

 

But you're ignoring the fact that Garrett had 2 years remaining on his contract and Cleveland refused to trade him.  He was in a corner. 

[strive_for_five_guy]

1 hour ago, BillsFan130 said:

I definitely believe Garrett wanted out and to play for a contender. But..

 

When Cleveland offered him an insane contract, he probably thought there's no way he could turn it down.

Money talks more often than not

How long before he still forces his way out to a contender?

[SoonerBillsFan]

24 minutes ago, WNYFAN1 said:

Why wouldn't anyone want to come to Buffalo to play. The weather may be cold but at least the taxes are high!

I mean, other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?

[frostbitmic]

A contender is a team willing to pay him what he wants.

[Mark Vader]

1 hour ago, DrDawkinstein said:

Myles Garrett wants to play for a contender, ultimately signs $40M/yr with the Browns.

DK Metcalf wants to play for a contender, ultimately signs $30M/yr with the Steelers who have no QB

DeAndre Hopkins wanted out of Arizona so he could play for a contender, signed with the hapless Titans

 

Feel free to add your own examples to the thread because I know there are others.

 

 

We need to just stop even acknowledging that statement as potentially helping the Bills sign any big name FA. They're all just after the money. And I cant blame them for that, but cmon...

You left out JJ Watt.

[Alphadawg7]

1 hour ago, DrDawkinstein said:

Myles Garrett wants to play for a contender, ultimately signs $40M/yr with the Browns.

DK Metcalf wants to play for a contender, ultimately signs $30M/yr with the Steelers who have no QB

DeAndre Hopkins wanted out of Arizona so he could play for a contender, signed with the hapless Titans

 

Feel free to add your own examples to the thread because I know there are others.

 

 

We need to just stop even acknowledging that statement as potentially helping the Bills sign any big name FA. They're all just after the money. And I cant blame them for that, but cmon...

 

Not sure why people keep saying otherwise...but the Steelers were a playoff team and are a contender this year.  Are they as strong as contender as the Bills...no, not yet.  But if they can land an upgrade at QB, they could legit challenge for their division.  If they bring back one of the QB's they had, they are still a probable playoff team.  

Edited 4 hours ago by Alphadawg7

[SoonerBillsFan]

Yes. Its always about the money. I like what Shaw said, sure deep down at their core they WANT to win, but like Garrett, was he going to turn down that money to hold out?  No.  Odds are he will never sniff a SuperBowl, so he will be content with racking up stats for a HOF career and be extremely well off.

[Cubanmist]

1 hour ago, DrDawkinstein said:

Myles Garrett wants to play for a contender, ultimately signs $40M/yr with the Browns.

DK Metcalf wants to play for a contender, ultimately signs $30M/yr with the Steelers who have no QB

DeAndre Hopkins wanted out of Arizona so he could play for a contender, signed with the hapless Titans

 

Feel free to add your own examples to the thread because I know there are others.

 

 

We need to just stop even acknowledging that statement as potentially helping the Bills sign any big name FA. They're all just after the money. And I cant blame them for that, but cmon...

I can only imagine how that conversation went and how it resulted. In the end, money talks! But the Browns have a reputation to uphold.

[DrDawkinstein]

3 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

Not sure why people keep saying otherwise...but the Steelers were a playoff team and are a contender this year.  Are they as strong as contender as the Bills...no, not yet.  But if they can land an upgrade at QB, they could legit challenge for their division.  If they bring back one of the QB's they had, they are still a probable playoff team.  

 

No QB, and in a tough division. They certainly arent Cleveland, and anything is possible. They are definitely the most solid of the examples I provided.

[Mark Vader]

1 hour ago, BillsVet said:

Ranks up there with a woman saying she just wants a nice guy.  A statement that needs translation.  

 

[Alphadawg7]

11 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

No QB, and in a tough division. They certainly arent Cleveland, and anything is possible. They are definitely the most solid of the examples I provided.

 

But they are not going into the season with no QB.  They will either bring back Wilson/Fields or add an upgrade.  So worst case they are about the same as last year, when they were a playoff team before adding a WR like DK to fill one of their biggest needs.  

 

DK also doesn't likely agree to go there unless he knew the plan at QB already.  

[GunnerBill]

2 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

But they are not going into the season with no QB.  They will either bring back Wilson/Fields or add an upgrade.  So worst case they are about the same as last year, when they were a playoff team before adding a WR like DK to fill one of their biggest needs.  

 

DK also doesn't likely agree to go there unless he knew the plan at QB already.  

 

But you wouldn't call them a "contender" would you? A playoff team? Sure. But nobody in their right mind thinks they can contend for a Superbowl in 2025, surely?

 

They are a similar tier team as Seattle were last year IMO. Though granted that was before they traded away their QB.

[Simon]

3 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

But they are not going into the season with no QB.  They will either bring back Wilson/Fields or add an upgrade.  So worst case they are about the same as last year, when they were a playoff team before adding a WR like DK to fill one of their biggest needs.  

 

DK also doesn't likely agree to go there unless he knew the plan at QB already.  

 

If I was a Steelers fan I would be a little spooked that they just traded for a guy that has played with Russel Wilson half his career.

[DrDawkinstein]

6 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

But they are not going into the season with no QB.  They will either bring back Wilson/Fields or add an upgrade.  So worst case they are about the same as last year, when they were a playoff team before adding a WR like DK to fill one of their biggest needs.  

 

DK also doesn't likely agree to go there unless he knew the plan at QB already.  

 

Alright man, you win. Steelers to the Super Bowl. Book it!

 

(They'll be lucky to make the playoffs)

[BuffaloBillyG]

I think it's an "if all things are even or very close" I want to play for a contender. Like, if the Bills are offering a 2/30M contract vs Carolina that's offering a 2/32M contract they would choose the contender.

 

But like Ted DiBiase used to say "Everyone has a price". 

 

There's also the fact that with most high level players it's easy for them to take a team like Pittsburgh and talk yourself into the thought process of, "Me signing with them MAKES them a contender." Pittsburgh is always above .500 and routinely in the playoffs. Add DK and whatever their plan is at QB (which they probably assured him on what they were doing there in loose terms) and it's not hard for that elite athlete to think he tips the scale.

 

But yes, a bad team paying a huge contract is always in the mix as well.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

When you're under contract... and the guarantee's are fairly dried up, it becomes an issue of security.  Usually contracts input these large roster bonuses that force teams to make a decision before the opening of free agency.  Kind of like a team "out" should you get injured, and the team is out the initial guarantees.  Once you hit the end stage on deals though, players want more guarantees and will say what they need to say to outleverage the team in negotiations.  

Edited 3 hours ago by Bleeding Bills Blue