Three weeks into the 2024 National Football League season, a disturbing pattern is showing: players who held out of offseason practice over contract disputes are doing horribly. It is clear that players need to stop defaulting to holding out if they want to prioritize their teams and careers.
One argument for holding out is that it helps players stay with the teams they love. While many fans and players may hold this notion, it is false. In 2022, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill wanted a record-setting contract extension. When contract negotiations stalled, he started holding out – not attending any practices during the offseason. He later requested a trade. The Chiefs could not afford to pay the star wideout and traded him to Miami. Hill later admitted that he did not think Kansas City would trade him and regretted his holdout.
A similar story happened last offseason with San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk, who used a similar strategy in requesting a trade. Head Coach Kyle Shannahan sat Aiyuk down in late August and informed him he would be traded by the end of the day if he did not come to a contract agreement. Aiyuk was offered more money to play in other cities but resigned with the 49ers, citing that he wanted to stay in the Bay and keep his family there. Despite getting the money he wanted and staying with the 49ers, the scenario is less than ideal.
San Francisco started the season 1-2, held back by Aiyuk’s lack of chemistry with his quarterback, Brock Purdy. In the season opener against the New York Jets, Aiyuk dropped two perfect passes. These two drops tie his number of drops from the entire previous season. Aiyuk had another pair of ugly drops in the Week 3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Brock Purdy is second in the NFL currently for passing yards with 842 and a QBR of 74.4, putting him 4th in the league. Despite Aiyuk’s holdout ending in August, it is still holding him back. It could lead to the 49ers trading him if his play does not improve. If players like Aiyuk loved their cities more than their money, they would show up to offseason practice and not be a detriment to their team.
Another argument in favor of holdouts is that it helps players ensure they earn what they are worth. Consider the Bengals’ wideout Ja’marr Chase. Chase was the most touted wide receiver prospect of the 2021 NFL draft, coming from an incredible Louisiana State University team led by fellow Bengal QB Joe Burrow. Despite not being in a contract year, Chase decided to hold out and skip practices this offseason. It was a move that baffled experts and fans alike. His season is similarly off to a poor start; the Bengals are 0-3 to start the season.
Chase only put up 215 yards and 16 receptions in the three-week stretch. He is tied-17th for receptions, 12th for yards, tied-10th for touchdowns and 66th for average yards per catch. Meanwhile, Burrow is tied for fifth most touchdowns thrown and is eighth in quarterback rating. Chase had the opportunity to have a record-breaking start to the season with his backup, Tee Higgins, sitting with a hamstring injury. Instead, he has played subpar due to missing time practicing with his team. The numbers do not lie: by selfishly holding out early, Chase doomed the start of the season for him and his teammates. His future contracts–which he so desperately sought to secure–may suffer because of his holdout.
Many players hold out every offseason and are actively keeping their teams back. Despite being a last resort in contract negotiations, it has become the default for many players. Some players can bounce right back with no production issues, but for most, it is not a risk worth taking in this era of the NFL, where defenses are getting better and offenses are throwing the ball less. Teams must start hot to compete for their divisions or a Super Bowl. If players actually care about the sport and their teams, they will stop defaulting to holding out and start getting back to what they are paid to do: play football.