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Contract Negotiation NFL Players NFL Teams

Sand Cassels Full Of Cash

When Matt Cassel signed with the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason, Dominic Perilli noticed that Cassel, a college backup to USC starting quarterback, Matt Leinart, will make more money on this contract than Leinart will make on his current contract, which has a length of one year more than Cassel’s contract.  To be fair to Leinart, he is still working on his rookie contract.  But then again, with the work that Leinart has done since entering the league, I am not sure that I want to see the structure of Leinart’s second deal (to be seen in the future).

Cassel’s 5-year deal for $63 million with $27.75 million guaranteed looks great on paper, but those numbers don’t do justice to the actual contract that was signed between Cassel and the Chiefs.  J.I. Halsell wants you to start looking at metrics other than potential total value of contracts and guaranteed money.  Here are a few:

  • Average Per Year (APY) – Take the total value of the contract and divide that number by the term of the agreement.  If it is a contract renegotiation or extension, subtract the money still to be earned on the former contract and divide by the term on the new contract (new years).
  • 3-Year Total (3YT) – The total amount of money that a player will receive if his contract is terminated 3-years into the term of the agreement.  As an agent, you want the contract to be front-loaded (a high 3-year total), because a lot of players never make it through the term of their agreements.  You can also re-negotiate the deal after three years if the player is performing at a high level and is due to make a small amount thereafter.  You then have the leverage!
  • Guarantee Per Year (GPY) – Take the guaranteed money and divide it by the term of the agreement.

Cassel’s APY = $10.5 million, 3YT = $30.5 million, and GPY = $4.625 million.  As Halsell points out, amongst his peers of small track record, NFL starting quarterbacks (Romo, Rodgers, Anderson), Cassel did very well for himself.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.