Getty Images
In 2015, Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning agreed to reduce his total payout from $ 19 million to $ 15 million. The $ 4 million haircut was not unconditional; Manning had the ability to recover every penny if the Broncos won the Super Bowl. They did, and he did.
In 2021, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger agreed to reduce his total payout from $ 19 million to $ 14 million. The $ 5 million haircut is unconditional. Even if the Steelers win the Super Bowl, Roethlisberger does not recover anything.
It is not known whether Roethlisberger sought an incentive package based on the team’s achievements or whether (if he did) the Steelers said no. (The incentive would have counted against the 2022 ceiling, if won.) Whatever the negotiations, he willingly accepted $ 5 million less than was due to win another trip with the Steelers, creating $ 15 million in 2021 space limit. (He will still have $ 26.25 million against the limit.)
Roethlisberger cornered when he said he didn’t care what he won this year. (Pro tip: if you say you don’t care about your payment, the person who pays will charge you.) As soon as he said that, it was clear that the Steelers would eventually try to get him to receive less than $ 19 million.
He made a lot of money, but $ 5 million is still (wait) $ 5 million. Regardless, Ben is back for another season – and probably for just one more season. There is a chance that he and / or the team will regret it, that he and / or the team wish they had removed Big Ben’s Band-Aid now instead of later.