Cam Heyward Calls the Franchise Tag 'Stupid' as Steelers Near a Joey Porter Jr. Deadline
Heyward called the tag backward and said it can hold players to one-year deals worth $21.16 million for cornerbacks.
- Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward criticized the franchise tag on Wednesday, calling the mechanism "stupid" as the team negotiates a contract extension with cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
- The franchise tag allows NFL teams to retain players for one year at a salary based on top positional averages, a policy Heyward, an NFLPA executive committee member, argues unfairly limits player autonomy.
- Heyward emphasized Porter's value to the defense, noting the 26-year-old cornerback hasn't allowed a touchdown in primary coverage since his 2023 rookie season. Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez recently signed for $33.75 million annually, illustrating the pay gap.
- Contract discussions remain unresolved, with NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reporting Tuesday that Pittsburgh's offer was "not good enough for this one to be deemed close." The Steelers' policy prohibits negotiations once the regular season begins.
- If no deal is reached, the Steelers could place the franchise tag on Porter in 2027 to prevent free agency, with players having until July 15 to negotiate long-term deals or face playing on the one-year tender.
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12 Articles
Steelers star Cam Heyward calls out NFL for 'stupid' policy
Under the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFL Players Association, teams have the opportunity to use a “franchise tag” on a player to keep them under team control. However, one current Pittsburgh Steelers star is clearly not a fan of the policy. In a recent interview, veteran Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cameron…
St Catharines Standard
The Hamilton SpectatorCam Heyward calls the franchise tag ‘stupid’ as Steelers near a Joey Porter Jr. deadline
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Cam Heyward is over the franchise tag.
Winnipeg Free Press
Cam Heyward calls the franchise tag 'stupid' as Steelers near a Joey Porter Jr. deadline
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Cam Heyward is over the franchise tag.
Cam Heyward Rips 'Stupid' Franchise Tag on Video After Amid Joey Porter Jr., Steelers Contract Talks
Pittsburgh Steelers veteran defensive tackle Cameron Heyward expressed his displeasure with the franchise tag as the team continues to negotiate with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. regarding a new contract.
Cam Heyward blasts "stupid" franchise tag
When the NFL and NFL Players Association finalized a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement in 1993, which resolved the antitrust lawsuit that followed the 1987 strike, the term "franchise tag" entered the pro football lexicon.
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