When a multimillion-dollar athlete wants more money, he’s often viewed as selfish.
New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora resents that perception.
“What really annoys me is the hypocrisy of people clamoring for my head for asking for a new deal or to be traded,” he told the Associated Press in an email.
Umenyiora goes on to point out how veteran teammates Shaun O’Hara and Rich Seubert were recently released despite still being under contract.
Owners can cut a player without harsh criticism, but players are held to a different standard when searching for more money.
Jealousy undoubtedly plays a part.
Defensive end Charles Johnson has topped six sacks just once in four seasons in the league, but the Carolina Panthers rewarded him for his breakout 2010 season with a six-year, $72 million contract. Umenyiora, who has had five seasons with more than six sacks, has two years left on his contract worth a total of $8 million.
“How does a guy who had one good year (no disrespect to Charles Johnson) sign a deal and make more than both me and (Justin) Tuck combined? It’s not right,” Umenyiora wrote in the email.
Umenyiora is frustrated with the business side of football.
The NFL and players just spent more than four months in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, but it’s evident that not every player is making the kind of money they feel they deserve.
But doesn’t everyone feel they deserve more money for what they do?
Can’t you find an incompetent coworker whom you feel is getting paid too much?
Umenyiora shares the same views as many in the working world, he simply has a few more zeros on his paychecks and a forum to sound off about his situation.
