To Hold Out Or Not

Jeremy Maclin faces an uncertain future in Philadelphia after his second ACL tear last July (Image Courtesy of Philly.com).

For many young highly coveted skill position players who are entering their prime, it is rare to show up to the first day of work without a contract.  These players often hold out for the promise of a long-term deal with guaranteed money.  Yet for every Darrelle Revis, Chris Johnson, and Vincent Jackson, there are players like Jeremy Maclin who decide not to hold out.

Right now, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin finds himself staring down the barrel of free agency.  As a rookie, the receiver was not averse to holding out, reporting to his first training camp eight days after other rookies, due to a brief holdout.  Now 25-years-old, however, a more mature Maclin reported to training camp last July without a contract extension, doing what was thought to be the honorable thing.

The Missouri product came into camp with the right attitude, a team-first attitude. Maclin made the decision to “let his play do the talking” in regards to his contract situation.  Unfortunately, the fifth-year player missed the 2013 season after suffering a torn ACL early in training camp. Maclin’s worst-case scenario was quickly realized as he was out for the season.  Six months later, he now finds his future in Philadelphia unclear.

When a player holds out, it is often construed as a selfish act to secure financial gain for the future.  Holding out affects the team, the player, and the fans.  When former rushing leader Chris Johnson held out, he did not regain his Pro Bowl form until the following year.  Likewise, when former San Diego Charger (and current Tampa Bay Buccaneer) wide receiver Vincent Jackson held out for the first ten games of the season, he quickly got injured upon his return because he was not in football shape.

That said, although holding out hurts the team, there are significant reasons why a player may engage in such action.  While the joke is often made that the NFL stands for “Not For Long” league, the reality is that the average career of an NFL player is only three years.  As such, a player only has a very finite amount of time in their career to make a lifetime’s worth of money.  

By not holding out, Maclin suffered a season-ending injury, and in doing so, greatly increased his likelihood of tearing his ACL a third time.  At only 25, the young wide receiver now enters into the age of unknown.   Although it has been reported that Maclin would accept a one-year “prove it” contract with the Eagles, his future is cloudy: a two-time ACL victim and playing a position where his contemporaries are getting massive contracts.

Still, Maclin vows to come back stronger than ever, and based on his history, it is certainly difficult to doubt him.

Hal Greenblatt covers the Eagles for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter: @HMGreenblatt