Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, August 14, 1993 TAG: 9308140031
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Medium
In an uncharacteristically strong statement, Tagliabue said the contract between the Seahawks and the Notre Dame quarterback, who was the second pick in April's draft, was designed to circumvent the salary cap for rookies with incentives it was impossible not to reach.
The contract was designed to pay Mirer $7.7 million over three years or $15.7 million over five, depending on whether Mirer exercised an option to terminate it.
In addition, Mirer need only achieve one of more than two-dozen performance benchmarks to earn a $3 million incentive payment this season. Those include the Seahawks winning more than three games - they went 2-14 in 1992 - and ranking higher than 28th on offense in the 28-team league.
It also has a survival clause guaranteeing it against virtually any occurrences, "up to and including the end of the world."
Tagliabue came down heavily on that clause. The commissioner noted the contract includes no signing bonus although it commits Mirer to five seasons.
Under the new collective bargaining agreement, signing bonuses are pro-rated by year and count against the team's salary cap.
"The Mirer contract is plainly designed to circumvent the . . . provisions of the CBA [collective bargaining agreement] in two separate and independent respects," Tagliabue ruled. "It is evident that the terms of Mirer's contract are a sham and designed to serve as a pretext for the Seahawks' claim that they fit within the rookie pool."
Tagliabue was particularly harsh on the provisions that could get Mirer the performance bonus even if he never plays. The $3 million is more than the total allotted for all the Seahawks' rookies.
"The contract includes a series of `incentives' that are certain to be reached," the commissioner said, "including 59 contingencies that do not require Mirer to play one down. These `incentives' are the functional equivalent of a signing bonus that put the Seahawks over their rookie-pool allocation."
Mirer is scheduled to see his first action today against the Vikings at Minnesota.
Tagliabue urged the Management Council; the NFL Players Association; Mirer's agent, Marvin Demoff; and the Seahawks to resolve the situation quickly.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB