Steve McNair Banned From Titans Practice Facility

#1
Monday, April 3, 2006
Agent: Titans want McNair's contract status resolved
By Chris Mortensen
ESPN.com

Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair was asked to leave the team's training facility when he reported Monday for offseason workouts, his agent and team sources confirmed.

McNair was told by a team trainer that he would not be allowed to work out until his contract situation is resolved, according to James "Bus" Cook, who represents McNair.


"Steve was told that until he got his contract straightened out, he wasn't welcome at the facility," said Cook. "Heck, he's got his contract already straightened out and now he's trying to fulfill it by reporting for the offseason."

Cook said there had been no warning of the team's position. Titans sources said it was a decision was made by owner Bud Adams, who apparently fears that an offseason injury would make him liable for McNair's current contract.

Titans coach Jeff Fisher, who was in Los Angeles observing USC quarterback Matt Leinart in a private workout Monday, declined to elaborate but said, "Things got blown out of proportion. ... We'll get it straightened out."

McNair is scheduled to make $10 million in 2006, including a $1 million team penalty because the Titans declined to exercise a three-year option. His salary cap charge is almost $24 million, and the team is trying to get McNair to restructure his deal. It has been speculated that the team could release the quarterback if there is not a new contract in place in the near future.

"The reason his cap number is $24 million is because they kept asking him to restructure every year to create space," Cook said. "This guy has done everything for the team, and he has two or three really good years left. Now, they treat him like this."
ESPN's Chris Mortensen is a regular contributor to Insider. He chats every Wednesday in The Show.
 
#2
That is just straight up wrong. Let me get this straight. When athletes complain about their contracts and want to negotiate, they are the bad guy? But when an athlete wants to fulfill the terms of his current contract and has renegotiated over and over and now wants to fulfill his contract he is the bad guy as well?

Something is wrong with that picture.