[From a financial standpoint,] the time did benefit Mark, ... We had agreed on the gross package and years three or four days ago. What was holding up the deal was the structure -- the guaranteed money, the incentives and escalators -- and those did change. It was well worth the holdout. |
And it could have been to their advantage. |
Elvis had to take some risk in order to become a Raven. They needed his first-year cap number to be low, and the deal wasn't going to happen unless we agreed to that structure. That was not negotiable. He's certainly not worried about his playing ability and he's totally covered relative to injury. Baltimore is where he wanted to play. |
For the first time we as Americans were acutely aware of what you do, |
He has done everything he can possibly do to warrant a new contract with Seattle. But that's the business of the NFL. |
I guess that could occur. But that's not likely. |
I really don't know. It's just one of those strange occurrences. |
I think 30 to 50 percent of teams won't participate in free agency, because they won't be able to. It's going to be tougher for the teams, tougher for the players, tougher for the agents. |
I think it will happen at some point, ... We just don't know when. We haven't talked to the 49ers yet. |
I think it will happen at some point. We just don't know when. We haven't talked to the 49ers yet. |
I think there is some interest on both sides. I think Jerry would love to play for Mike again. |
I was there to make a deal and I wanted to make it on my own terms a little bit. But I couldn't make it on my own terms. They just weren't prepared to give me their best shot right now. |
If they were prepared to pay him $1 million to retire, you can't say it was a money thing, ... It was just a personnel decision to not bring him back. Case closed. |
It'll probably go down to the last hour Thursday night. |
It's a good move for him, ... He'll be surrounded by good players and good coaches on a good football team. No disrespect to the 49ers, but Tampa is 5-1 and the 49ers are 1-4. |