The controversy around how star running backs are paid in the NFL has been one of the defining narratives of the offseason, and a major voice in the league has now weighed in on the situation.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has used the last NFL collective bargaining agreement agreement the players agreed to as a reason for the pay rate being what it is.
With that, it doesn’t sound like he’ll be supportive of running backs being compensated more than what they have been right now.
As you could imagine, this did not go over well with those in the NFL community who feel that running backs (rightly) should be paid what they’re worth in comparison to other skill positions in the league, CBA or not.
With Colts running back Jonathan Taylor heading into a contract year, it doesn’t sound like Indianapolis is going to be the organization to buck recent trend and pay star running backs like the elite talents they are.
NFL Running Back situation- We have negotiated a CBA,that took years of effort and hard work and compromise in good faith by both sides..to say now that a specific Player category wants another negotiation after the fact,is inappropriate. Some Agents are selling ‘bad faith’..
— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) July 26, 2023
It never particularly goes well when someone like Irsay weighs in on a controversial topic like this from a position of power and takes the unpopular opinion.
He caught plenty of flak on social media for firing off this hot take, and some folks wondered if this might make Taylor hold out until he gets a new deal.
Nordstrom Anniversary sale
This….is not going to go over very well https://t.co/sp9VBLPCME
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) July 27, 2023
Uh, wow. This is really something for the owner of a team to tweet. Can't imagine it's going to help negotiations with Jonathan Taylor, who was not a member of the union that negotiated and ratified the CBA that would govern his first decade in the NFL. https://t.co/yDm8rGubff
— Nikhil Mehta (@nmehtaUR2022) July 26, 2023
a “what can go wrong” tweet https://t.co/h6V6ZPZIxx
— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) July 26, 2023
Please stop tweeting https://t.co/eDqHnusKLJ
— JP Acosta (Pug Dederson Stan Acct) (@acosta32_jp) July 26, 2023
Some things are better left not Tweeted. https://t.co/Q3U5H3tFIb
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) July 26, 2023
Bad faith is not paying your top offensive player https://t.co/ZYvrLhxygG
— malki kawa (@malkikawa) July 27, 2023
Absolutely genius way to want and get players, particularly running backs, to come play for your organization https://t.co/fntL8G0BoO
— JaguarGator9 (@JaguarGator9NFL) July 26, 2023
Can’t wait for the Colts to be forced to trade Jonathan Taylor out of the division https://t.co/kY4qp5gEH4
— John Crumpler (@JohnHCrumpler) July 26, 2023
Jonathan Taylor looking at this tweet https://t.co/ZmbnYN9CWh pic.twitter.com/iFe7aZxlIf
— Robert Littal BSO (@BSO) July 27, 2023
seems like a healthy way to get into the season up there… https://t.co/LiznbMEdW3
— Chris Harris (@ChrisHarrisWSMV) July 27, 2023
Ah yes what better way to help our rookie QB by pushing his superstar RB out of town. Should have left this one on the drafts https://t.co/NV2O3jUmrH
— Philip Nelson (@pjsaturday63) July 26, 2023
I can’t believe this is actually a real tweet from a real person https://t.co/q2CVhr6Ubq
— Cody Roark (@CodyRoarkNFL) July 26, 2023
Yikes https://t.co/w3D0fFpXxw
— Zach Hicks (@ZachHicks2) July 26, 2023
Best of luck getting Jonathan Taylor to training camp https://t.co/FLcWXRIZCi
— David Spiegel (@David_Spiegel) July 26, 2023
How to chase away your best player in one tweet https://t.co/4FglcpCJIL
— Ethan Talks Pacers, Etc. (@KriegerSports) July 26, 2023
and you wonder why the Colts have been in the gutter. https://t.co/CYqCbU4tP3
— Robert Alvarez (@ralvarez617) July 26, 2023
