Latest news with #PFTLive
NBC Sports
27-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
The NFL draft needs an Ace Bailey
All major pro sports leagues have a draft, which gives incoming players little if any power to resist the sorting-hat exercise they're supposed to regard as 'an honor and a privilege.' And if they dare to push back when stripped of their freedom to choose where to live and work, they become vilified by fans and media. During the 2025 NBA draft, something happened. As reported by the representatives of former Rutgers guard/forward Ace Bailey told a team picking in the top five to not select him — and that, if that team picked him, he wouldn't show up. The Utah Jazz selected Bailey at No. 5. It seems as if Bailey has no problem with playing for the Jazz. If so, and if the report is accurate, Bailey didn't want to play for one of the other teams in the top five. And none of the other teams in the top five took him. So maybe it worked. Regardless, more players (in all sports) should be willing to do it. And more (any) fans and media should understand the reason for it. And, please, drop the 'if there's no draft there will be chaos' routine. Bad teams usually stay bad, even when they have dibs on the best players. There's a way to do it. And if, as Peter King said on PFT Live not that long ago, there was no draft, the NFL would pivot. And the replacement would be as big (if not bigger) than the draft. Regardless, it's better for the players. And until the players have true freedom, we should applaud (not criticize) the players who choose to try to make a bad system work better for them.
NBC Sports
18-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
PFTPM returns today
The PFT Live hiatus began on Friday. I've promised to do #PFTPM during the break. And, yes, I've heard from more than a few of you that we've yet to post a new episode. I should have explained that the first order of business on Monday was to have my annual physical in Pittsburgh. On Tuesday, it was back to Pittsburgh for a non-serious medical issue that has been properly diagnosed and soon will be resolved — hopefully. So far, those are the only two things on the docket that will keep me from doing #PFTPM every weekday until PFT Live returns on July 28. Which means we'll get started today. If you have any specific questions or topics you'd like to see addressed, drop a line at florio@ We'll tape late this morning (which in that respect makes it not #PFTPM) and post in the afternoon (which in that respect absolutely makes it #PFTPM).
NBC Sports
15-06-2025
- Business
- NBC Sports
Re-entering the draft isn't a viable option for Shemar Stewart
With the Bengals and first-round defensive end Shemar Stewart dug in over a misguided effort by the team to change an obscure potion of the team's boilerplate contract language without offering a corresponding concession, Stewart doesn't have many options. The nuclear option would be for Stewart to sit out the entire season and re-enter the draft. While the NIL era will reduce the urgency of many incoming NFL players to get paid, it's a lot of money to give up. Among other things, Stewart is missing out on a slotted signing bonus in excess of $10 million. And it's unlikely that he'd be taken in the same spot — 17th overall — if he doesn't play in 2025. For starters, he'd be competing with a fresh crop of players who will have played in the upcoming football season. Then there's the question Michael Holley raised on Friday's PFT Live: Would teams shy away from Stewart because he dared to buck the system? On one hand, some teams may relish the ability to stick it to the Bengals, who have a well-earned reputation for putting business issues ahead of football concerns. On the other hand, thou shalt not rebel against the sorting-hat 'honor and privilege' known as the NFL draft. Regardless, it won't be easy for Stewart to walk away from his $10 million signing bonus and total four-year deal in the range of $19 million. Especially since that number would likely be much smaller a year from now. And since he would have to give up playing football for a full year, all in the name of proving a point. Whether that means Stewart eventually will blink and agree to the team's new default language remains to be seen. If he's going to do it, he needs to get any and all gripes about the team out of his system before he puts pen to paper. After he signs, he'll risk his future guarantees if he dares to 'make any public comment . . . that breaches Player's obligation of loyalty to Club and/or undermines the public's respect for the Club, Club coaches, or Club management.' So air your grievances now, Shemar. Once you're under contract, the Bengals will be squatting on your First Amendment rights.
Time of India
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
NFL rookie contract shakeup: 30 second-round picks still unsigned as guaranteed deals disrupt the system
Photo by Christopher Mast/Getty Image With just a month left until training camps kick off, one surprising trend has emerged: nearly the entire second round of the 2025 NFL Draft remains unsigned. While rookie deals are usually a formality in today's league, this year's second-round class has thrown a wrench into that timeline. Why? Two early signings—Houston's Jayden Higgins and Cleveland's Carson Schwesinger—have quietly set a new bar, demanding fully guaranteed contracts that were once reserved for first-rounders. Now, teams like the Seattle Seahawks are in a holding pattern as the ripple effects of those deals play out. Guaranteed rookie deals spark second-round freeze, signaling a major shift in NFL contract norms As of mid-June, 40 drafted players remained unsigned—and 30 of them were taken in the second round. It's a staggering number, especially when you consider the precedent. According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, only two second-rounders have officially inked their rookie contracts: linebacker Carson Schwesinger (No. 33, Browns) and wide receiver Jayden Higgins (No. 34, Texans). What do both players have in common? Fully guaranteed rookie deals—an anomaly for players outside the first round. 'When Higgins signed his contract with the Texans, it raised eyebrows,' Florio explained during an appearance on PFT Live this week. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo 'Not just because it was historic, but because it forced every other team to reassess how they structure second-round deals.' Schwesinger's contract soon followed the same pattern, suggesting this could be more than a one-off. Among the teams affected by this contract standoff are the Seahawks, who moved up to grab safety Nick Emmanwori with the 35th pick and also added tight end Elijah Arroyo later in the second round. They've signed nine of their 11 rookies—but these two remain unsigned. Seattle fans may recall that this wouldn't be their first experience with a groundbreaking second-round deal. In 2023, outside linebacker Derick Hall had most of his signing bonus paid before training camp and secured $100,000 guaranteed in his fourth season. However, that hasn't been the standard. Zach Charbonnet, Boye Mafe, and Kenneth Walker—other recent Seahawks second-rounders—don't have any guaranteed salary entering the final years of their deals. This standoff might just be the beginning of the NFL's next contract revolution This isn't about players trying to stir drama. It's a negotiation ripple that began with a bold new precedent—and could signal a permanent change to how second-round deals are structured. Emmanwori and Arroyo will likely sign eventually, but whether they follow the Higgins-Schwesinger route remains to be seen. As Florio put it, 'This might be the new normal. And the NFLPA has every reason to smile about it.' Until pen meets paper in Seattle and beyond, the rookie contract clock keeps ticking—and the rest of the league is watching. Also Read: The Cleveland Browns won't start Shedeur Sanders — But he might be the future they can't overlook
NBC Sports
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC Sports
It's a Father's Day Father of Mine giveaway weekend
Michael Holley has spoken. The once-per-week PFT Live co-host has read Father of Mine. And he likes it. He shared a surprise review of the book during Friday's PFT Live season finale. (The video is attached to this blurb.) You can get the ebook for a mere 99 cents on Amazon. It's an incredible bargain. A stupidly low price. It's the continuation of a misguided New Year's resolution to make the Father of Mine and Son of Mine ebooks available for less than a dollar for all of 2025. I don't care about the money, obviously. The goal is to give you something to fill the space between football games. And with fewer than three months to go until the next football season starts, you can pass the time by diving into both books. And since it's Father's Day weekend, I'll be giving away three signed copies of the print edition. Send an email to florio@ with this subject line: 'Father's Day weekend 2025 giveaway.' I'll get them signed and stuffed and sent later this week. Send the email. Download the ebooks. Take it from Michael Holley.
