Many NFL coaching staffs have already taken pay cuts during the lockout, accepting punishment for the follies of their bosses.
Things will only get worse as the lockout drags on, especially if the work stoppage affects the regular season. Greg A. Bedard of the Boston Globe reports that only seven teams have promised not to cut coaching staff pay if the lockout extends into the season: Seattle, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Oakland, New York (Giants), Indianapolis, and Dallas.
Other teams, like the Patriots, haven’t made any staff pay cuts but they reserve the right to do so in the future if necessary. Supposed “model” franchises like the Packers and Ravens have cut pay, even though they’ll refund the money if no games are missed.
Larry Kennan, director of the NFL Coaches Association, explains the difficult situation assistants are in.
“It’s not sitting well at all because what happens is there will be a staff meeting and management says to the coaches, ‘We are in this fight with the players.’ And coaches are saying, ‘OK, if we’re in this fight, how come we’re taking a pay cut? Are we with you or are we with the players?’” Kennan said. “It’s crazy. Nobody’s losing money at this point. They will lose money if there are no games played, but they’re not losing money yet. Yet they’re docking money from the coaches and other people working the building, and that doesn’t seem right.”
In a labor war with shades of gray every where you look, this is a black and white issue.
The owners already cutting pay are wrong.
