Minnesota Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards is one of the 200-plus players who won’t be unrestricted free agents as the NFL heads into an uncapped year in 2010, and he’s not happy that restricted free agency will severely limit how much money he can make this year.
And he’s especially unhappy that he’s going to make a whole lot less than NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
“I don’t see him out there getting hit or nothing like that,” Edwards told Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune. “The commissioner makes $9 million, so you tell me where the balance is? He doesn’t put his life on the line, he pushes a pen.”
As Matt Snyder of FanHouse pointed out, Goodell is the NFL’s top management employee, while Edwards is nowhere near the NFL’s top labor employee, so if Edwards is comparing himself with Goodell, he’s a bit off base. Also, we hate to break it to Edwards, but Goodell actually made closer to $10 million in the last fiscal year.
But Edwards’ frustration is hardly surprising. As the NFL heads into the uncapped year, he’s one of 200-plus players who is sure to be frustrated.