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Cardinals rip up 'homework' clause in Kyler Murray's contract after QB says it's 'disrespectful' and 'a joke'

Murray called out the cardinals after the homework clause was revealed.

The Arizona Cardinals decided enough was enough with the controversial homework clause in Kyler Murray's contract, ripping up the clause this week. Per NFL Network , the clause was eliminated a day ago, hours before Murray's rant about the clause at his surprise press conference Thursday. 

Arizona released a statement following the decision. 

"After seeing the distraction it created, we removed the referendum from the contract. It was clearly perceived in ways that were never intended. Our confidence in Kyler Murray is as high as it's ever been and nothing demonstrates our belief in his ability to lead this team more than the commitment reflected in this contract." 

The Cardinals made a big commitment to Murray by signing the quarterback to a $230.5 million extension ahead of training camp. The franchise raised eyebrows when reports revealed the deal included an unprecedented addendum mandating Murray complete four hours of independent game study per week, implying the Pro Bowler would've failed to do so otherwise. 

Murray sounded off in the aftermath, calling an impromptu press conference Thursday to criticize subsequent discussion of his work ethic.

"I feel it's necessary (to talk), with what's going on regarding me, and the things that have been said about me," Murray told reporters. "To think that I can accomplish everything that I've accomplished in my career and not be a student of the game, and not have passion and not take this serious, is almost disrespectful, and it's almost a joke."

"I'm flattered, I'm honestly flattered that, at my size, (you believe) I can go out there and not prepare for the game and not take it serious," he continued. "It's disrespectful to my peers, to all the great athletes and great players that are in this league. This game's too hard, to play the position that I play in this league, it's too hard (not to study). ... It's funny, but to those of you out there that believe I'd be standing here today, in front of ya'll, without having a work ethic and without preparing, I'm honored that you'd think that, but it doesn't exist. It's not possible."

Murray added that he's "put in an incomprehensible amount of time, and blood, sweat and tears" into being the Cardinals' QB. He declined, however, to say whether he's upset that Arizona would include the studying clause in his contract, which he signed.

He also did not reference a previous New York Times report that quoted him downplaying the necessity of film study in the NFL: "I'm not one of those guys that's going to sit there and kill myself watching film," Murray said last December. "I don't sit there for 24 hours and break down this team and that team and watch every game because, in my head, I see so much."

This is just the latest in a long line of drama related to Murray's standing with the Cardinals this offseason. The QB's new contract ties him to Arizona through 2028 and makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL. But it wasn't finalized until after public and private tension between the two sides. ESPN reported after the 2021 season that Cardinals management was concerned about Murray's leadership, and the QB subsequently deleted all Cardinals references from his social media, before his agent, Erik Burkhardt, essentially demanded a new contract for his client.

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What Is the ‘Homework Clause’ in Kyler Murray’s Brand New Mammoth Extension?

Kyler Murray finally got his wish fulfilled. The Arizona Cardinals offered him a massive contract, as they saw him as their franchise quarterback. The deal is worth $230.5 million over five years, including $160 million guaranteed. It will keep Murray with the Cardinals for at least six more seasons.

However, there is a small twist in the new contract for Murray. Apparently, there is a homework clause included in the deal offered by the Cardinals. According to the textbook, Murray has to do an independent study for hours in the weeks leading up to the games.

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According to a report, the contract has these stipulations:

Player shall not receive any credit for Independent Study with respect to any time periods during which any material is displayed or played on an iPad or electronic device if:

• The player is not personally studying or watching the material while it is being displayed or played.
• The player is engaged in any other activity that may distract his attention (for example, watching television, playing video games, or browsing the internet) while such material is being displayed or played.

Read More : Fans in Disbelief After Kyler Murray Revealed to Get ‘Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson Money’ Despite Not Winning Single Playoff Game

Murray often isolates himself from his teammates. If he studies the film before the games consistently, he’ll be well prepared for the games. Due to that, he’ll be able to lead his teammates just like other quarterbacks in the league do.

Kyler Murray needs to stay consistent through the entire season

The biggest argument that is put up against Kyler Murray every season is his consistency. He starts off every year in good form, but by the end of the season, he fades away. Kliff Kingsbury’s teams are known for fading a bit in the latter stages of the season.

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – OCTOBER 28: Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals leaves the field following a game against the Green Bay Packers at State Farm Stadium on October 28, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. The Packers defeated the Cardinals 24-21. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Hopefully, Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals will be able to fix that issue. They have a pretty good team, but the road ahead is tough. Their schedule is quite tough, and making the playoffs will be a challenge for the Cardinals.

Watch This Story : Aaron Rodgers Height: How Tall Is The NFL Superstar As Compared To Stephen Curry, Michael Jordan and Tom Brady?

Murray will be required to show his worth to the franchise. There was a long drama around his future, but since it’s resolved now, the former No. 1 overall pick will be expected to lead this team from the front.

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Abhimanyu Chaudhary

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Schools out for Kyler Murray.

The Cardinals have removed the controversial “independent study” clause from his contract.

After signing a massive five-year, $230.5 million contract last week, news broke of a strange clause in the details that required Murray to do at least four hours of film study on his own outside of team studies each week. This clause even extended into playoff weeks.

Murray called an impromptu press conference on Thursday to address the clause in his contract and defend himself , saying that “It’s almost a joke,” and that people were “disrespecting” him for thinking that he would be as successful as he is without putting in work away from the team.

“To those of you out there that believe that I’d be standing here today, in front of y’all without having a work ethic and without preparing, I’m honored that you think that. But it doesn’t exist. It’s not possible. It’s not possible.”

Well, it seems that the Cardinals have had enough of the attention from the public and folded under the pressure. Ian Rappaport reported on Thursday night that the Cardinals had actually removed the clause on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old is now safe from being fined for not doing enough study time away from the team. Hopefully he doesn’t forget the plays.

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Who leaked the homework clause included in Kyler Murray’s $230M extension? | You Pod to Win the Game

Yahoo Sports’ Senior NFL Writer Charles Robinson and The Athletic’s Tashan Reed discuss the “Independent Study” clause that was included in Kyler Murray’s massive contract extension. Why would the Cardinals leak this? Charles has his conspiracy theory, and it starts at the top. Hear the full conversation on the You Pod to Win the Game podcast. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you listen.

Video Transcript

CHARLES ROBINSON: We've got to dive into Kyler Murray just for a second. I know-- look, I know it's not your beat. I know it's not your beat. But I've covered the league now for more than 20 years. And I don't think I've ever seen a study hall clause.

We've heard the stories before-- the JaMarcus Russell, hey, we sent tapes home with you. What'd you think of 'em? And there's nothing on the tapes. The Bo Callahan jokes from "Draft Day"-- taped the $100 bill at the back of the playbook.

The Cardinals, in a way, kind of aired out Kyler Murray, not just saying, hey, we expect you to prove in some fashion that you're studying game tape when you go home during the regular season for the upcoming opponent, but you can't be watching this while you're playing video games. You can't be watching this while you're watching TV. I'm like, there's a lot of specificity in this clause.

I mean, when you first heard this, I was shocked. At first, I kind of thought, like, is this real? Like, is this a fake account? Like, did somebody just tweet something out that's not legitimate? No, it's completely legitimate.

TASHAN REED: Yeah, I thought it was a joke initially. But once they said it was real, it was just wild to see. I mean, we've kind of heard the murmurs about Kyler Murray and maybe them being not all the way pleased with his preparation and how seriously he takes the game. I always thought that was kind of more so noise.

I think we've heard that on both sides throughout-- since his college days. You know, since he is playing baseball, maybe he's not all the way into football. Or since he's playing football, maybe he's not into baseball. And they're all just sort of questioning how committed he is to the sport that he plays and risks his life and limb for on the field.

But I mean, I would have to think there's something to it, right? I mean, they're not putting this much specific wording into his contract, the NFL contract just because, right? Like, he must have been slacking off. But it just seems like something is amiss there.

I mean, for him, I mean, I don't really know how they're going to-- like, who's tracking these hours? Like, is he--

CHARLES ROBINSON: Right. [LAUGHS]

TASHAN REED: Like, who-- is he self-reporting this? Are they going to have, like, a team employee watching him to make sure he gets his four hours in every week? I would hope that he was doing that anyway, right? Like, I mean, for him to be playing pretty well when he's on the field and healthy, if he's doing that without spending four hours on preparation and--

CHARLES ROBINSON: Four. Four hours.

TASHAN REED: So I guess he's just the most talented quarterback in the league then, I guess. But it was interesting for sure, especially your starting quarterback. You know, this is-- every team, they looked at [AUDIO OUT] to be their unquestioned leader. And to have those kind of concerns, I guess, about their work ethic while you're also handing them an over $200 million contract is kind of a weird dynamic to have playing out at the same time.

CHARLES ROBINSON: Well, not only that, I mean, Steve Keim, he's been around the block. He's a general manager that-- he's seasoned. He knows what's going on. He knew what deal they were about to sign.

He knew it would be scrutinized, right? So that's going to be a line for line thing. Everybody's going to look through it. They know every clause is going to come through.

So they knew when they put this in here, they knew it was going to be seen, OK? And I don't know any general manager who lasts as long as Steve Keim has-- I don't know any general manager who goes, this is a good idea. Like, this is something that will be missed, or this is something that will be overlooked. No, general managers know that. I don't think-- Kliff Kingsbury doesn't strike me as the kind of head coach that's like, yeah, let's go ahead and let's put him on blast as far as what we feel about how he's preparing, or what might be getting in the way or whatever.

My conspiracy is, this is Bidwill. This is ownership sitting there going, we're not psyched to sign a $230.5 million contract here. We're not psyched to hand out $160 million in guarantees, depending on how you feel about those guarantees, which are basically guarantees for injury. We're not psyched to have to write this paycheck up front. Few owners are.

So I have to believe that prior to that taking place-- and I can tell you I know when they entered into negotiations, and early in the offseason, when Erik Burkhardt, the agent for Kyler Murray, made some strong moves, put a statement out, kind of put the Cardinals on Front Street, essentially pushing the deal as hard as he could as the offseason began, to the point that behind the scenes, Steve Keim's saying to everybody, like, this is going to get done. Like, why are we doing it like this? This is-- like, he didn't understand what the stance was.

I think it was because-- and I feel like I know this-- it was because Erik Burkhardt was a little worried about ownership. Like, is ownership going to actually do this? Is Bidwill really going to sign this check and dole the money out, cash over cap, to get this guy signed? And do I have to apply some pressure here?

I think on the other end of it, when I saw that clause, I thought, nope, that's ownership. I am sure Bidwill at some point-- and he's very involved in that franchise, he is not a hands-off guy-- whatever he may have heard, whatever questions he might have had in his mind, I think his thought process was-- and this is speculating, me here, but I think this is pretty informed speculation-- was him saying, yeah, OK, I'll sign that. But we're putting every single thing in there. Like, I want every ounce of-- you know, whatever he's got, I want him all the way in.

I don't want to hear about baseball anymore. I don't want to read about somebody saying he's still thinking about baseball or any of this other nonsense. We are paying him more money than he might have made in baseball. So I want everything in there.

And if you're Steve Keim, you're sitting there going, probably not a great idea. [LAUGHS] But I'm going to go ahead and go through with this. And I'm going to let Erik Burkhardt try to do damage control on the other end because a day like today happens, where we're all on Twitter going, what the [BLEEP] does this mean? This is crazy.

Kyler Murray's embarrassing homework clause has been removed from his $230 million contract with the Cardinals

• The Arizona Cardinals have removed the "independent study" clause from Kyler Murray's new $230 million deal.
• The clause required that Murray spend four hours a week studying film without distraction of television or video games.
• It was an embarrassing move for all parties involved, and the damage is already done.

The Arizona Cardinals have removed the "independent study" clause from Kyler Murray's new $230 million deal, which caused a minor uproar across the NFL world .

The clause, as it was originally written, required that Murray spend at least four hours a week watching film, specifying that the Cardinals quarterback could not be watching television or playing video games during his study time.

—Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 25, 2022

On Thursday, the Cardinals announced that the clause had been removed.

Related stories

"After seeing the distraction it created, we removed the addendum from the contract," the Cardinals said in a statement . "It was clearly perceived in ways that were never intended. Our confidence in Kyler Murray is as high as it's ever been and nothing demonstrates our belief in his ability to lead this team more than the commitment reflected in this contract."

Murray was similarly miffed at the way the story had captured the attention of the larger NFL world.

"To think that I can accomplish everything I've accomplished and not be a student of the game and not have that passion and not take it serious, it's disrespectful and almost a joke," Murray said after practice on Thursday .

"I'm honestly flattered that you all think I can go out there and not prepare for the game and not take it seriously. It's disrespectful to my peers, to all the great athletes in this league. This game is too hard. To play the position I play in this league, it's too hard."

The removal of the clause is likely a smart move in the short term — it was an embarrassing admission of a lack of trust in Murray, and the Cardinals had no real way of enforcing it anyways — but it feels like the damage has already been done. The Cardinals are closing the barn doors long after the horse has left.

ESPN's NFL insider Adam Schefter lambasted the deal on "NFL Live" after the clause was made public earlier this week.

"It's unprecedented language," Schefter said. "I think when you talk to people around the league, they believe that this is an indictment of both sides."

It remains baffling to imagine how this clause got included in the first place. From Murray's side of things, it's surprising that his agents would let such a clear questioning of his work ethic to be included in something the player was set to sign. From the Cardinals perspective, it's shocking that a team would want to commit to a $230 million extension while making it known to the rest of the league that they're still not really sure Murray is putting in enough work.

Murray is one of the most electric players in the league, with a shocking arm for his small stature and an ability to make plays out of nothing that is second-to-none in the NFL. But despite being a great improviser, like Murray himself said, playing quarterback in the league is too tough a job to skip your homework.

Watch: What it takes to be an NFL referee

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Kyler Murray's 'study clause' represents double standard Black athletes face | Opinion

What do Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Matt Stafford have in common?

If you guessed, “they don’t play for a team president or general manager who saddled them with a ridiculous contract clause that became a national embarrassment,” you would be right.

Also, if you guessed, “they play for franchises that have been to and won multiple Super Bowls in their history,” you would be right.

Also, also, if you guessed, “they’ve never had to stand in front of the world and defend their work ethic like Kyler Murray did,” you’d be right again.

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KYLER MURRAY:: Cardinals remove language from contract

Murray found himself as the main character on social media and across the traditional sports media landscape when it came out that he had a clause in his contract that required him to spend four hours a week on “independent study” for upcoming games. That clause has since been removed , according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

“After seeing the distraction it created, we removed the addendum from the contract,” the Cardinals said in a statement late Thursday, according to Rapoport (and ESPN’s Adam Schefter) on Twitter. “It was clearly perceived in ways that were never intended.”

The Cardinals did not immediately respond to an after-hours request seeking comment from team president Michael Bidwill.

It’s a good thing the language has been removed from the deal, but the ink stain remains.

'It's almost a joke'

Kyler Murray was insulted , and rightfully so.

“To think that I could accomplish everything that I’ve accomplished in my career and not be a student of the game … it’s disrespectful and it’s almost a joke,” Murray said in an unscheduled news conference Thursday morning.

Questions about work ethic are the sorts of things that Black athletes have had to face for generations. So Murray’s sensitivity is understandable. When you’re a minority doing something minorities don’t typically get to do, it’s hard to distinguish reasonable criticism from bias. 

In this case, the clause raised questions that were patently unfair. 

As if there’s nothing cerebral about what Murray does … as if he’s simply a naturally gifted athlete … as if he didn’t train constantly to create the speed and quick-twitch abilities that leave defenders looking like clowns … as if he was just born with the kind of laser-point accuracy that would allow him to pop fleas off a dog’s back from 30 yards … as if none of that requires countless hours of work, preparation and strategy.

Think about it, maybe some quarterbacks need to spend less time sitting on their butts watching TV and more time training with battle ropes, doing plyometrics or working on functional mobility? Do they have “independent workout” clauses in their contracts?

Anyway, why would Kyler Murray need to watch endless hours of film when he can turn most every snap can into a run-pass option?

How many times have we seen Murray drop back, break away from an edge rusher, press the line of scrimmage, wait for a safety to commit, and zing a pass right by the poor, hapless defender’s ear if he bites up, or sprint for a first down if he stays back? Doesn’t that count as “reading a defense”?

'They ain't winning the game'

News of Kyler’s clause comes at the same time Lamar Jackson is facing familiar criticism from an anonymous defensive coordinator.

“If he has to pass to win the game, they ain’t winning the game,” the coward … errr, anonymous coordinator, said according to Mike Sando of The Athletic . “He’s so unique as an athlete, and he’s a really good football player, but I don’t give a (expletive) if he wins the league MVP 12 times, I don’t think he’ll ever be one as a quarterback. He’ll be one as a football player, but not as a quarterback.”  

It just goes to show how far we have to go before we can be sure that players are all being treated the same.

If I’ve learned anything from speaking to dozens of coaches, coordinators and quarterbacks over my career it’s this: Coaches have to tailor their system to their players, not the other way around.

John Elway, Ben Roethlisberger and Steve Young all were mobile quarterbacks. All three won Super Bowls. So don’t try to tell me that dual-threat guys can’t win.

Ultimately, I’m grateful that the clause was removed from Murray’s deal, but the ink stain will take a while to wash out.

Murray shouldn’t have had to defend himself like that.

By the way, what do Murray and Jackson have in common?

If you guessed that “they deal with distractions that other quarterbacks don’t have to,” you’d be right.

Reach Moore at [email protected] or 602-444-2236. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter  @SayingMoore .

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SI:AM | Kyler Murray Has Homework

• Author: Dan Gartland

In this story:

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I promise I’m doing my job to the best of my abilities, even without a homework contract.

In today’s SI:AM:

📝 Kyler Murray’s unique contract clause

⚾ Why the Nats have to trade Soto ASAP

🐻 A dome on Soldier Field?

If you're reading this on SI.com, you can sign up to get this free newsletter in your inbox each weekday at SI.com/newsletters .

Who wanted this information out there?

Kyler Murray’s new contract with the Cardinals came with some notable strings attached.

Arizona signed its franchise quarterback to a five-year deal last week that is worth $160 million guaranteed and up to $230.5 million. The deal marks the resolution of some mild drama between the team and Murray , who skipped most offseason workouts and removed all references to the Cardinals from his social media accounts as he angled for a new deal.

But it would appear that the two sides haven’t completely buried the hatchet, given what leaked about Murray’s contract yesterday. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the deal includes an “independent study” addendum , under which Murray is required to spend four hours per week during the season reviewing “material provided to him by the Club” outside of his mandatory meetings . If Murray doesn’t do his homework, he would be deemed “in default” of his contract and could lose out on guaranteed money.

Rapoport tweeted an image of the addendum , which includes this clarification about what qualifies as independent study:

Player shall not receive any credit for Independent Study with respect to any time periods during which any material is displayed or played on an iPad or electronic device if (a) Player is not personally studying or watching the material while it is being displayed or played or (b) Player is engaged in any other activity that may distract his attention (for example, watching television, playing video games or browsing the internet) while such material is being displayed or played.

Sports Illustrated contributor Andrew Brandt, the former vice president of the Packers, tweeted that he had never seen a clause like Murray’s in 30 years reviewing NFL contracts.

While it may be unusual, the Cardinals’ reasons for including the addendum are clear, Albert Breer writes :

The last two offseasons, Murray’s been only a partial participant in the team’s offseason program. And because 2020’s offseason program was wiped out thanks to the pandemic, that means, through four years, Murray still hasn’t had a full offseason program. Add to that there have been questions about leadership and even punctuality at points in his career, and it’s fair to connect these clauses to the team wanting more of Murray off the field. (To be fair, Murray has been an excellent pro in how he takes care of his body.)

The Cardinals “wanted assurances that Murray was committed to becoming [a team leader] before paying him,” Breer adds.

To me, the strangest thing about the clause isn’t that it was included in the contract but rather that it became public. Neither side benefits from this information being released. It makes the Cardinals look like overbearing micromanagers who at the same time are so careless with their money that they’ll give $160 million to a guy who they don’t trust to do his job. And it makes Murray look like he's been neglecting his responsibilities during his first three pro seasons.

It’s natural for the Cardinals to attempt to cover their backs when making such a significant investment, but at what cost ? Maybe the addendum is just a formality to protect the team in the event that Murray’s work ethic begins to lag. Or maybe it’s indicative of a striking level of distrust that one of the league’s premier quarterbacks will work to take his game to the next level. If the latter is true, how successful can the partnership between Murray and the Cardinals be?

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T​​his could be the most important year for the QB position since 2017, when Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson were drafted, and '18, when Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson entered the NFL. Three tenured Pro Bowl players on at least their second NFL contract—Matt Ryan, Watson and Russell Wilson—will be starting the year in different uniforms. Two stalwarts long believed to have eyes for the open market—Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers—will be returning to their former clubs.

Tom Verducci lays out five reasons why the Nationals have to trade Juan Soto before the deadline . … In his final story from the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Greg Bishop wonders where the United States’ strong showing will be enough to vault track into the mainstream by the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles . … Our NBA experts predicted where the league’s biggest trade targets could end up before the season starts .

Around the sports world

The city of Chicago has released the first renderings of the proposed dome over Soldier Field . … LIV Golf’s future plans include relegation and a qualifying tournament . … Paul “Triple H” Levesque will oversee WWE’s creative department following Vince McMahon’s departure . … The Bucks’ G-League affiliate has signed the youngest Antetokounmpo brother, Alex . … Shareef O’Neal, Shaq’s son, has also signed with the G-League . … The Pistons are bringing back their early-2000s teal uniforms as an alternate next season .

The top five...

… things I saw yesterday:

5. Josh Allen ’s reaction to being left hanging by Peter King .

4. Adam Schefter’s quickly deleted tweet apparently workshopping the wording of his tweet about Danny Amendola’s retirement (presumably with his source).

3. Zack Grienke’s 67-mph curveball .

2. This utterly chaotic play during the A’s-Astros game.

1. Neymar’s egregious dive during a friendly in Japan.

Joe DiMaggio, owner of the longest hitting streak in MLB history, had an even longer streak as a minor leaguer, which was snapped 89 years ago this week. How many games did that streak reach?

Yesterday’s SIQ: Well, I messed up on this one. Here’s the question I asked: Who is the only person to play Division III college baseball and later be inducted into the Hall of Fame?

The answer I was going for was Billy Wagner, but I got a little ahead of myself. He hasn’t been inducted into the Hall of Fame. He has seen growing support among Hall voters, though, earning 51% of the vote this year after only appearing on 31.7% of ballots in 2020. He has three more years of eligibility.

Anyway, I already wrote a whole thing about Wagner’s career that I’ll still include here because he was awesome.

While there have been a few Hall of Famers who played at small colleges that are now Division III—such Don Sutton (Whittier College)—Wagner would be the only one to play college ball at that level after the NCAA instituted the three-division system in 1973.

Wagner, who grew up in a small town in southwestern Virginia, received little attention from colleges and decided ultimately to attend Ferrum College, a school that today has less than 1,000 undergraduates. At Ferrum, Wagner played football in addition to baseball, but after his freshman year, his football coach convinced him to focus on baseball.

As a high school senior, the undersized Wagner’s fastball was only topping out at about 84 mph. Two years later, he was practically unhittable, as Michael Bamberger wrote in a 1999 SI profile :

During his sophomore year, in the spring of 1992, Billy set an NCAA record by striking out an average of 19.1 batters per nine innings. He was throwing in the mid-90s. By his junior year baseball insiders knew all about him. Agents poured into Ferrum and took Billy out for dinner. That was against NCAA rules, but Billy knew he wasn't coming back to school for his senior year, and a free meal was a free meal. In June the Astros drafted him in the first round.

Even though he was picked 12th in the 1993 draft, Wagner still defied the odds in becoming one of his generation’s most feared relievers. He was an undersized power pitcher (listed at 5' 10", 180 pounds) who learned to throw with his non-dominant arm after breaking his shoulder as a kid and went from rural Virginia to a 16-year career in the majors. I think that’s more than worthy of a spot in the Hall of Fame.

From the Vault: July 26, 1976

Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated

The IOC likes to present the Olympics as a festival of international goodwill—countries from around the world putting aside their differences for a few weeks to engage in spirited but friendly competition. It’s a myth that was laid bare in 1976.

The 1976 Olympics in Montreal were plagued by a variety of issues long before the opening ceremony. Construction delays on the main stadium and a massive budget overrun (the final cost was more than double the expected cost) cast a pall over the Games in the months leading up to them.

Then, more than 20 African nations also bowed out at the last minute. When Pat Putnam’s cover story went to press, 24 nations had decided to boycott the Games.

Many of the countries had demanded that New Zealand be excluded from the Olympics after the nation’s men’s rugby team, the All Blacks, toured apartheid-era South Africa earlier that year. When the IOC refused to boot New Zealand, African countries boycotted, along with a few others.

Taiwan, which had competed at the 1976 Winter Olympics as the Republic of China, also boycotted. The government of mainland China (the “People’s Republic of China”) objected to Taiwan’s use of the name “Republic of China” and urged Canada not to allow the country to use it in Montreal. Unable to use its preferred name, the Taiwanese delegation pulled out of the Olympics.

It was a sign of things to come. Putnam wrote that the boycotts had “created speculation over host Russia’s intentions for the 1980 Olympics,” which the United States chose to boycott.

Check out more of SI’ s archives and historic images at vault.si.com .

Sports Illustrated may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website.

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Arizona Cardinals' homework clause for Kyler Murray creates unnecessary story of NFL summer

By Michael Hurley

July 29, 2022 / 12:06 PM EDT / CBS Boston

BOSTON -- Think about this one: In all of your life, from birth until this exact moment, how many times have the Arizona Cardinals really grasped your consciousness? 

How often have the goings-on of the American football team in the desert captured your attention? Put a little more bluntly: Have you ever given a single speckle of dog dung about the Arizona Cardinals?

Sure, there was that Super Bowl run in 2008, a brief foray into our collective consciousness. That was a fun night.

Over the years, you might have had Larry Fitzgerald, Carson Palmer, Kurt Warner or David Johnson on your fantasy team.

Rod Tidwell had a good run, though that was technically fictional.

Fans of a certain age might have a memory or two of the St. Louis Cardinals. Fans of an even more certain age may have a foggy memory of the 1947 Chicago Cardinals winning an NFL championship. But that's hardly relevant.

The point is, in America's most relevant sports league, the Cardinals have a case as being its most irrelevant franchise. (The Jaguars, Texans and Falcons may have something to say about that, though.) The reasons for that are plentiful, but we all caught a glimpse behind the curtain this week with the embarrassment that was the Kyler Murray homework clause.

The team tried to put an end to the bad week by removing the clause -- which required four hours of "independent study" from their franchise quarterback every week -- from Murray's contract on Thursday. By then, though, the damage of such an inclusion was done.

The issues arose on Monday, when reporters caught wind of the clause in Murray's new five-year, $230.5 million contract extension. It stated that Murray must "complete at least four (4) hours of independent study (as defined below) each week (excluding any bye week) during each playing season (as defined below) during the term of the contract." 

It stood out for two reasons.

For one, an NFL quarterback spending four (4) hours watching film of the opponent feels like a bare minimum requirement of the job. 

For two, putting a bare minimum requirement in writing like that ... would seem to indicate that it wasn't getting done.

Murray's own comments from last season  would seemingly confirm those suspicions.

"I think I was blessed with the cognitive skills to just go out there and just see it before it happens. I'm not one of those guys that's going to sit there and kill myself watching film," Murray said in a New York Times feature story . "I don't sit there for 24 hours and break down this team and that team and watch every game because, in my head, I see so much."

Murray started last season with a 73.5 percent completion rate, a 9.0 average yards per attempt, 17 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a 116.8 rating as the Cardinals opened the year going 7-0. Surely, he felt as though he was seeing plenty before it happened.

Then, he threw no touchdowns and two picks in a nationally televised loss to the Packers. Then he missed three games with an ankle injury. His passer rating dropped to 86.5 over his final seven games of the year. The Cardinals went 2-5 in those games.

Then came the playoff disaster. Murray was 19-for-34 (55.9 percent) for 137 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in a blowout loss in L.A. against the Rams. Even those numbers were a bit inflated, with seven completions and 64 passing yards coming in the fourth quarter, after the Cardinals trailed by 23 points. That deficit was in large part due to ... this:

The Cardinals fell behind 28-0 early in the third quarter. Their offense had gained 30 yards in the entire first half. It was ... an unprofessional showing.

What happened after that was likewise a bit unprofessional, with Murray unfollowing the Cardinals on Twitter (eye roll) and scrubbing any and all images involving the Cardinals from his Instagram page (supreme eye roll). But the team and the player figured their stuff out, and they agreed to the mega contract. All was well.

The clause itself didn't seem to rankle Murray all that much, as evidenced by the fact that he signed it. The hubbub -- or hullabaloo, if you will -- that ensued once that clause became public certainly bothered him, though, as he stepped to the podium Thursday to try to dispel some of the assumptions that had been made about his study habits behind the scenes.

"I'm talking today because I feel it's necessary with what's going on as far as regarding me and the things that are being said about me. It's almost, you know, to think that I can accomplish everything that I've accomplished in my career and not be a student of the game and not have that passion and not take this serious, is almost ... it's disrespectful. And it's almost a joke," Murray said Thursday. "To me, I'm flattered, I'm honestly flattered that y'all think at my size I can go out there and not prepare for the game and not take it serious. It's disrespectful I feel like to my peers, to all the great athletes and great players that are in this league. This game's too hard. To play the position that I play, in this league, it's too hard. And I don't do this often, I don't talk about myself, but today I felt like I have to."

Murray then announced that he would be listing his own accolades, which included his record as a starting quarterback in high school, his Heisman Trophy, his draft status in both the NFL (No. 1 overall) and MLB (No. 9), his Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, and his two Pro Bowls.

"I refuse to let my work ethic, my preparation be in question," he said. "I've put in an incomprehensible amount of time and blood, sweat and tears, and work into what I do, whether it's football or baseball. People can't even comprehend the amount of time that it takes to do two sports at a high level in college, let alone be the first person to do it ever at my size. Like I said, this is funny. But to those of you out there that believe that I'd be standing here today in front of y'all without having a work ethic and without preparing, I'm honored that you think that. But it doesn't exist. It's not possible. So that's all I have on that."

Murray also stated: "Of course I watch film by myself. That's a given. That doesn't even need to be said."

Clearly, the team felt it did. That was, of course, until the world found out about it. Then the requirement was removed. All good.

The protest from Murray was a bit much. But what else could he have really done? The team put him in a tough spot this week, and thankfully he opted to speak on the matter instead of playing passive-aggressive social media games this time.

Ultimately, the amount of independent film study Murray has or has not done in his career can't be quantified. How much he does going forward won't be tabulated, either. Not anymore, anyway. He'll be judged going forward on how well or how poorly he performs on Sundays. The heft of that $230 million contract will create a demand where excellence will be demanded. His MLB draft spot and his Heisman Trophy will have no bearing on his future performance.

Yet now, even if one may believe that the clause story line has been blown out of proportion, the situation will not be forgotten. Fairly or unfairly, the Great Film Study Narrative of Summer 2022 will be at the front of viewers' minds whenever Murray makes a mistake or a bad play on the field -- and the nature of the position is such that many mistakes will surely be made.

That's in part because of Murray's own public comments last year and, presumably, a spotty record in the team facility.

It's in part due to the team placing that clause in Murray's contract, in writing, instead of fully trusting their franchise quarterback. And it's in part due to that clause becoming public knowledge.

Ultimately, Murray has a chance to make the whole matter a non-story with his play. The team, however, can't ever put that genie back in the bottle.

On the plus side, it got us all thinking and temporarily caring about the Arizona Cardinals ... albeit not in the way the franchise might have wanted.  

You can  email Michael Hurley  or find him on Twitter  @michaelFhurley .

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Kliff Kingsbury says Kyler Murray’s homework clause is no big deal

The Arizona Cardinals seemingly cut short any contract drama they might have had with quarterback Kyler Murray last week by signing the two-time Pro Bowl selection to a new deal , one in which he will become one of the NFL’s highest-paid players. Rumors about discontent between quarterback and front office had been bubbling throughout the offseason, particularly after Murray’s agent released a statement to reporters in February that said “actions speak much louder than words in this volatile business” and that it was “simply up to the Cardinals to decide if they prioritize” Murray as their franchise quarterback.

But a clause in Murray’s new contract is causing a stir because it mandates that the quarterback complete at least four hours of “independent study” each week during the season, preparation that goes beyond film sessions with his teammates at the team facility.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport got his hands on Murray’s contract and posted the clause on Twitter.

Contracts are about give-and-take. One example from #AZCardinals QB Kyler Murray’s $230.5M contract: There is an addendum that requires 4 hours of “independent study” per game week. It was important to the team making a commitment at that level, thus it was important to Murray. pic.twitter.com/VqrkvoBQLJ — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 25, 2022

“ ‘Independent Study’ means Player studies the material provided to him by the Club in order to prepare for the Club’s next upcoming game, including without limitations any such material provided via an iPad or other electronic device,” the clause reads. “Time spent in mandatory meetings shall not constitute Independent Study.”

The clause goes on to say that Murray will not receive any credit if he “is not personally studying or watching the material while it is being displayed or played” or if he “is engaged in any other activity that may distract his attention (for example, watching television, playing video games or browsing the internet) while such material is being displayed or played.”

How the team will track Murray’s weekly homework is not detailed, but it does say that if Murray falls short of his weekly goals, he will be considered to be in default and the $230.5 million deal will be void.

While contract clauses that prohibit players from engaging in risky behavior — playing other contact sports, riding dangerous vehicles, etc. — are common, former Green Bay Packers front-office executive Andrew Brandt said he has never seen a homework stipulation in an NFL contract before.

Never seen this in 30 years of looking at NFL contracts. Strange they’ll give him $46 million a year (on extension years) yet worry about 4 hours a week of studying. https://t.co/Crxc3jaJrM — Andrew Brandt (@AndrewBrandt) July 25, 2022

The Cardinals may have been spurred to include the clause in Murray’s contract after he downplayed the importance of watching film in comments he made to the New York Times in December.

“I think I was blessed with the cognitive skills to just go out there and just see it before it happens,” Murray said . “I’m not one of those guys that’s going to sit there and kill myself watching film. I don’t sit there for 24 hours and break down this team and that team and watch every game because, in my head, I see so much.”

On Tuesday, Cardinals Coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters he didn’t think the clause was a big deal and said he’s never worried about Murray’s study habits.

“I have not,” Kingsbury said . “When I watched what he’s done since he got here, the first year and his development in all areas, all he’s done is gotten dramatically better each and every year. That’s what I judge it by.

“There’s a handful of quarterbacks you can with the Super Bowl with in this league and we feel like he’s one of them, and I wouldn’t want to work with anybody else.”

Kingsbury added that he wasn’t uncomfortable after the homework clause became public knowledge.

“No, because my man’s got a quarter of a billion dollars so you can only be upset for so long, I guess,” he said. “Negotiations are negotiations, everybody has their things and wants different stuff. I’m just thrilled that this young man got what I felt he deserves.”

No matter how much game film he’s watched, Murray-quarterbacked teams have tended to falter as the season wears on. The Cardinals have gone 15-8-1 in their first eight games of the season over Murray’s three years as their starting quarterback but have gone 7-15 in the second half of those seasons in games Murray started. (He missed three second-half games last season with an ankle injury.)

The New York Times story also relayed an anecdote about how Murray went home to play a Call of Duty video game after his signature moment as an NFL quarterback, his 43-yard “Hail Murray” touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins in November 2020 that gave Arizona a 32-30 win over the Buffalo Bills. New entries in the Call of Duty series are released in late October or early November, and Murray’s NFL numbers have followed a similar pattern after each new version has been released.

Here is Kyler Murray’s fantasy points for each game of his career. The line in orange is when the annual Call of Duty game released. Coincidence? @Danny_Heifetz @DannyBKelly @noahmoreparties @pahowdy pic.twitter.com/kGhxe0CEje — rosecitypeach - Dan Campbell Fan (@rosecitypeach) July 25, 2022

In games played before the annual Call of Duty release date over his career, Murray has averaged 22.5 fantasy points. In games played after the annual Call of Duty release date, Murray has averaged 17.4 fantasy points — a decline of 22.7 percent.

Private equity in the NFL? How team ownership might shift

A special committee of NFL owners has spent the past nine months investigating potential changes to league rules for team ownership, an attempt to grapple with a shrinking pool of potential team buyers amid soaring team valuations.

One of the possibilities on the table: allowing institutional wealth, including private equity, to invest in NFL franchises, which the league has never permitted.

Owners will likely discuss -- and potentially vote on -- the committee's research and findings at league meetings in Nashville this week.

"They've been very deliberate in the way they've evaluated different alternatives," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in March. "We're making progress. I think there'll be some changes, maybe as early as May, probably closer to October."

A move to allow private equity firms or institutional wealth to invest as limited partners could free up cash for owners to pursue projects such as stadium renovations and would represent a large shift in how the league has historically operated, with the majority of franchises traditionally run as family businesses with single-family ownership.

As the league continues to explore changes, what could this mean for teams? For private equity funds? If this happens, how could this all work?

What is private equity?

Private equity firms pool money from investors into a fund that then acquires stakes, or outright purchases, of public or private companies, real estate and other assets, with the goal of eventually selling the investment at a later date for profit.

These types of firms back or own companies worldwide. In recent years, sports-specific groups such as Arctos Partners, RedBird Capital and Blue Owl's Dyal HomeCourt Partners have emerged to invest in teams and leagues.

In 2010, private equity companies struck 23 deals worldwide worth close to $1.9 billion in the sports franchise, esports and sports gambling industry, according to Preqin, which tracks private equity data.

Since 2015, there have been at least 150 such deals per year with at least $1 billion spent annually, including a peak of 226 deals in 2021, according to Preqin. In 2022, private equity firms spent close to $86 billion in the sports industry, including RedBird's $1.3 billion purchase of Serie A soccer team AC Milan from Elliott Management. As of April 23, there have been 31 deals worth $20.1 billion this year, according to Preqin.

Why would the NFL want private equity investments?

Private equity firms could inject millions of dollars into teams to create liquidity for majority owners while also offering the league a bigger pool of potential minority owners.

Currently, NFL rules prohibit institutional ownership -- including sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and private equity firms -- in teams and stipulate a team's primary owner must have at least a 30% stake in the franchise unless granted an exemption. A franchise can take on limited partners, but no more than 25, including the majority owner, are allowed to buy in. A new buyer can take on up to $1.2 billion in debt to acquire a team (existing owners have a $700 million debt limit). The Green Bay Packers are an exception as they are publicly owned by shareholders in the franchise.

Meanwhile, team valuations are escalating. The Denver Broncos , for example, sold for $4.65 billion in 2022, and the Washington Commanders were purchased for $6.05 billion a year later.

Both of those clubs were purchased by a majority owner with limited partners -- the Walton-Penner family and an investor group, including former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and F1 star Lewis Hamilton in Denver, and Apollo Global Management co-founder Josh Harris alongside limited partners, including Magic Johnson and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt in Washington.

While there are 813 billionaires in the United States and 2,781 worldwide, according to Forbes, there's no guarantee they're interested in investing in sports or the NFL. So with valuations rising, the pool of individuals or families able to buy an entire team is shrinking, increasing the need for limited partners to help pay for a franchise.

However, limited partners typically have little to no decision-making power in NFL teams, which might not be appetizing to some of those wealthy enough to invest in a franchise, said Ted Leonsis, the owner of the Washington Capitals , Wizards and Mystics .

"These people are really rich and successful. They're used to being the center of the universe. And now you go, I need a quarter of a billion dollars. Fantastic, what do I get? Nothing," Leonsis told ESPN. "Do you have any control? Any role? No, you're passive investors. You'll get your name on a website somewhere or something and you get to tell people I own a piece of an NFL team."

Currently, the NFL only allows individual or family limited partners. While being a minority owner could offer a path toward future majority ownership -- Harris, Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper were all minority stakeholders in the Pittsburgh Steelers at one point -- there is no guarantee an individual will be willing to write a $200 million or $300 million check with little say over the investment.

Enter institutional wealth, which could be more amenable to passive investment. Arctos, for example, advertises on the company's website they are "long-horizon investors with no aspirations for control ownership."

There are other reasons for the NFL to consider private equity. For example, there is variance of wealth among NFL owners. Some owners have a vast amount of their fortune tied up in their teams and therefore less access to nonteam-related cash, so private equity firms could provide those owners with liquidity.

For other majority owners, who have multiple sports franchises or businesses and whose wealth comes from sources outside of the team, allowing private equity to purchase minority shares in a team can free up cash for stadium or real estate deals, or other personal, business or philanthropic purposes.

"These people are not just the owners of sports teams," said Brad Humphreys, a sports economist and professor of economics at West Virginia University. "Look at where most of these guys made their money. It's not in sports. It's somewhere else.

"You'd probably love to have $100 [million], $200 [million], $300 million cash infusion so you can go and invest that in some other of your very profitable business ventures where you made your money before you bought a team."

Taking on a limited partner isn't free cash for owners, however.

"The pitfall is you are giving up some of your future profits in order to get a big infusion of cash right now," Humphreys said. "That's a trade-off that these teams have to make."

Why would private equity want to invest in the NFL?

Money. The goal of a private equity firm is to generate returns for its investors. And the league, which has existed for over a century, has shown no signs of financially slowing down.

"They're immensely profitable," Humphreys said. "The profitable companies, the stock price goes up, right? And everybody makes capital gain. You think of that analogy for minority ownership in a pro sports team.

"NFL teams are profit-making machines, and private equity would want to both share in the short-term year-to-year profits and also the long-term capital gain."

NFL valuations -- as well as those in other leagues -- are augmented by media rights deals. Unlike most other leagues, where teams have contracts with local and regional networks, the media rights for all NFL regular and postseason games are national and have grown each time a deal takes place. For example, in 2021, the NFL signed 11-year deals with ESPN, Fox, CBS, Amazon and NBC worth at least a reported $110 billion, according to The New York Times. The previous deals the NFL signed in 2011 with ESPN, NBC, Fox and CBS, were nine-year deals for a combined $42.2 billion, according to Forbes and the Times.

While other American sports have popularity and interest, none are as big in the U.S. as the NFL. Of the top 100 telecasts tracked by Nielsen in the U.S. last year, the top 42 were NFL games or NFL-related programming. College football had three programs in the top 100 (Ohio State-Michigan, the SEC championship game and the Georgia-TCU national title game), and men's college basketball had one, its national championship game. The highest-rated non-NFL broadcasts were the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Oscars and Ohio State-Michigan.

Plus, there's the prestige factor. Bill Yates, a senior associate at the Sports Advisory Group, which advises investors and teams during the purchase and sale of sports teams, said a stake in an NFL team would be "a jewel in the crown" for some investors.

What are the possible structures of institutional wealth investments with the NFL?

This is the main unanswered question, as the special committee has yet to publicly propose concrete parameters of what an NFL private equity plan might look like. At the league meetings in March, Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, one of the committee members, said the group shared its research with other league owners and highlighted possibilities of what could come next, but he declined to share specifics with ESPN at the time.

Guidelines from other leagues could inform the NFL's private equity structure. For example, the NBA and NHL only allow private equity and sovereign wealth funds to buy passively into organizations -- meaning the funds don't have any real decision-making power. It remains unclear whether the NFL would allow investments from pensions or sovereign wealth funds.

According to an NFL source with understanding of the operations of the league and how team finances work, the committee is addressing other potential concerns, including whether cross-ownership -- meaning when a firm takes limited partnership stakes in multiple teams -- would be allowed, whether a fund investing in a team also has stakes in gambling entities, and which investors back the private equity funds. The league could remedy some of those concerns with a vetting process. The league might also seek to determine whether current players are investors in a private equity fund seeking ownership, because current NFL rules stipulate that players cannot own equity stakes in franchises.

The league will also need to decide whether private equity investors would be passive partners.

Exit strategies are another question. Opportunities to purchase an NFL team or a stake in a team don't arise very often. But private equity companies need to realize returns for their investors and might look to sell their stake faster than the league is accustomed to. Owners would have to decide whether they're comfortable with that pace.

One of the major cashouts by a private equity firm in American sports occurred in the NBA. Dyal HomeCourt Partners bought a minority stake in the Phoenix Suns in 2021 for a reported $1.5 billion. When Mat Ishbia bought a controlling stake in the Suns in 2023 for $4 billion, Sportico reported Dyal HomeCourt sold some of its stake for a reported 158% markup from its initial investment.

"If you are managing one of these funds, sports has traditionally been an asset play," Yates said. "More like a buy-and-hold stock, in that you are typically not getting huge dividends, but you are increasing the asset value so that if and when the time comes that you are prepared to sell your asset, you are obviously making a lot of money."

Figuring out the parameters of private equity investment -- if owners even approve it -- will take time.

How do private equity investments operate in other leagues?

The NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, WNBA and NWSL, as well as international soccer clubs, allow some form of private equity investment in teams.

The NBA, MLS, NWSL, NHL and MLB all allow for up to 30% of their franchises to be owned by private equity firms or, in some cases, sovereign wealth funds. This doesn't mean one fund can purchase 30% of a team. Some leagues cap how much a single fund can invest. MLS and the NBA, NHL and NWSL allow for up to 20% ownership by one fund. MLB has a 15% cap.

In the NWSL, subject to board approval, an institutional investor can hold a majority stake in a franchise provided the firm isn't investing in other clubs. Sixth Street Partners is the majority owner of Bay FC, for example, with Sixth Street CEO Alan Waxman as a co-chair of the franchise along with former U.S. women's national team player Aly Wagner.

Other leagues allow cross-ownership. MLB, for example, has no cap on how many teams a private equity fund can invest in. The NBA and NHL have a five-team cap, MLS caps at four and the NWSL at three.

The NBA's five-team limit applies to most funds, but Dyal HomeCourt Partners has a partnership with the league allowing the firm to invest in an unlimited number of teams. Dyal bought into the Suns, Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings . Arctos has shares in franchises across sports, including the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors , San Francisco Giants and Real Salt Lake.

In the NWSL, investing funds must have raised at least $100 million overall and must hold their NWSL investment for a minimum of five years with a minimum buy-in of 5% of the franchise. If a fund wants to divest from a NWSL team, the transaction must be approved by the majority owner and the league, and the majority owner receives the first right of purchase. The NWSL can also force a fund to divest if the fund or any of the investors in the fund violate NWSL rules.

In MLB, which was one of the first major American sports to allow private equity investments, a firm must hold onto its stake in a team for at least five years if it owns pieces of multiple teams. There is no minimum hold in MLB if a firm only has a stake in one team, which was a parameter established over a lengthy process to create and implement MLB's private wealth investment rules.

The NHL requires private equity and institutional wealth investments to be passive. There is a $20 million minimum buy-in for minority stakes, and there is a minimum five-year hold period after an investment in a club. The NHL does allow pension and sovereign wealth funds to invest in their teams, but potential deals are evaluated case-by-case. Active players are not permitted to invest in franchises, which means they could not be part of any funds buying in.

Leonsis said it took a year for the NBA to write its rules about sovereign wealth and pension fund investment, which he helped devise. He then used the rules and created an example with his own franchises. The Qatar Investment Authority holds 5% in equity of Leonsis' Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Wizards, Capitals and Mystics. Per league rules, the QIA must be a passive investor.

"What is it that we want to achieve by bringing in these next-generation new long-term partners?" Leonsis said. "And the first thing was, we don't want them to think that they're partners and owners. We want them to be silent partner investors.

"I think that's very consistent with their thinking, too."

What's next?

NFL owners congregate in Nashville, Tennessee, for another round of league meetings starting Monday.

The five-member committee of the Atlanta Falcons' Arthur Blank, the New England Patriots ' Robert Kraft, Denver Broncos CEO Greg Penner, Haslam and Hunt led a presentation to other NFL owners at the league's annual meeting in March. Cowboys COO Stephen Jones told ESPN at the March league meetings his team had done its own private equity research and "want to hear it all out."

At the March league meetings, the committee presented ideas to the full ownership, and there was what Goodell described as a "lengthy discussion," but nothing was decided or voted upon.

"I don't want to put a timeline on it," Hunt told ESPN in March. "But I would expect in the near future we would make a recommendation that could possibly be voted on."

Hunt said some owners have "changed their thinking on it and are more open-minded" to private equity, amid the committee's individual and group discussions with owners.

At the conclusion of the March meetings, Goodell said the committee "came very close to sort of outlining the approach" the NFL might implement. Even if a vote happens this month and is approved by at least 24 owners, it doesn't necessarily mean firms would immediately be able to invest in teams. Details would still need to be finalized, which would take time -- as would vetting processes of firms or funds looking to invest.

If the NFL allows institutional investing, for some clubs it might mean nothing at all. Whether to take money will be at the discretion of each owner.

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Brian Burns gone, Diontae Johnson in. How Panthers GM feels about team after free agency

T he Panthers made more than a dozen roster moves during the first two weeks of free agency, but none will reshape their team quite like the departure of one of their longtime standouts .

Earlier this month, Carolina GM Dan Morgan traded pass rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants for a package that including the 39th overall pick in this year’s draft and a 2025 fifth-round pick. The heavily scrutinized deal ended roughly two years of speculation about Burns’ future in Charlotte as he ascended into the upper echelon of NFL pass rushers.

Monday, during the NFL Annual Meeting at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes in Orlando, Fla., Morgan held a virtual press conference and addressed the trade for the first time.

“Those are always difficult conversations and decisions that you have to make from the seat that I’m in,” Morgan said. “We love Brian — the player that he is, the person he is — but you know, sometimes you have to make tough decisions. And salary cap, along with the draft capital that we got, we felt like it was time to pull the trigger and make a move.

“We felt like the timing was right. And those are always tough decision, but you know, we had to make it and we feel OK about it.”

Panthers GM Dan Morgan dishes on replacing Brian Burns

With Burns gone, the Panthers (who went 2-15 in 2023) have limited pass rushing depth. The team signed veterans D.J. Wonnum and K’Lavon Chaisson in free agency, but there is still work to be done to replace Burns and his production.

It isn’t easy replacing a 25-year-old, two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher, but the Panthers are on the hunt for upgrades at all positions, although they still don’t have a first-round pick due to the trade for Bryce Young in 2023.

“Not just edge rush, but every position, we’re going to try to build depth, try to build a lot of competition at each of those (positions),” Morgan said. “We want to build this roster to where we have a lot of depth and a lot of competition. And that’s going to be the premise of our program.”

Panthers did their homework on Diontae Johnson

The Burns trade wasn’t Morgan’s only swap of free agency.

The new GM traded cornerback Donte Jackson and a sixth-round pick (178th overall) to the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver Diontae Johnson and a seventh-round pick (240th overall). The deal landed a major upgrade at wide receiver for the equivalent of a late-round pick swap, as the Panthers had planned to move on from Jackson a few days after the deal took place anyway.

Johnson had gained a reputation in Pittsburgh as being a difficult locker room presence, but its hard to deny his talent as a former Pro Bowl pass-catcher. Morgan said the Panthers did their homework on Johnson before making the swap.

“We talked to people — it’s a small league — we know people in the league, and we did our research,” Morgan said. “We’re thorough in everything that we do. We felt really good about Diontae and what he was would bring to our team — not just from a playing standpoint, but as a person as well. We’re really excited about him.”

While his production dipped over the past two seasons — likely due to the turnstile of Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph at quarterback — Johnson’s ability as a route runner and his above-average speed showed up on tape.

“He’s a competitor,” Morgan said. “He’s a receiver that wants the ball. He can play inside, he play outside. I think he’s one of the better route runners in the NFL as well.”

Last season, the Panthers relied heavily on slot receiver Adam Thielen, who surpassed 100 catches and 1,000 receiving yards for the second time his career. With Johnson on the outside, Young will have two trusty targets that new head coach Dave Canales can scheme around.

“His ability to get in and out of his breaks, create separation underneath or vertically — I just think he brings a different element than what we had on our roster,” Morgan said about Johnson. “So, again, I think he’s going to upgrade us, and we’re really excited about him.”

Big money for bigger protection

The Panthers paid a fortune to shore up protection around Young this season.

After Carolina allowed 65 sacks last season (tied for second most in 2024), Morgan decided to rework the guard spots with young veterans coming off rookie contracts. The Panthers added former Miami Dolphins guard Robert Hunt on a five-year, $100 million deal and former Seattle Seahawks guard Damien Lewis on a four-year, $53 million contract.

And along with adding the two guards, Morgan upgraded the swing tackle position by signing former Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Yosh Nijman last week. Nijman will serve as experienced insurance behind starters Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton.

“The offensive line — we’re really excited about our additions in free agency,” Morgan said. “Adding a guy like Robert Hunt, and Damien Lewis, and then getting Yosh Nijman, we’re really excited about that, along with the guys that had been in our program. We’re looking forward to seeing them develop under new coaches, new staff. So, we feel really good about it, and again, just like every other position, we’re going to be look to build and try to make this the strongest roster it can be.”

Along with sharing his excitement about the new pieces on the line, Morgan also confirmed that former starting right guard Austin Corbett will move to center this offseason. Internally, there has been a lot of support for Corbett’s move inside, as he is considered one of the smarter linemen on the squad. He’s also an athletic upgrade from former starting center Bradley Bozeman.

Defensive reinforcements come to town

The Panthers had a clear plan for retooling their defense in the wake of losing Burns, Frankie Luvu and Yetur Gross-Matos during the first week of free agency.

The team added a handful of veterans who have experience with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. Morgan brought in a trio of former Los Angeles Rams, who won a Super Bowl title with Evero as a key figure on the defensive staff.

Defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson and safeties Jordan Fuller and Nick Scott are expected to play big roles in Evero’s defense. The Panthers also added linebacker Josey Jewell, who played under Evero and linebackers coach Peter Hansen in Denver in 2022. Jewell will work opposite longtime leader Shaq Thompson, who is recovering from a major leg injury.

Given their familiarity with Evero, all of those players, in theory, should be able to hit the ground running for training camp this summer.

“It wasn’t like a necessity that we had to have somebody who (Evero) has been with before or somebody on the staff has been with before, it just kind of worked out that way,” Morgan said. “These are really good football players that our staff is familiar with, they can come in, they know the system already, there’s not going to be a steep learning curve. So, we felt really good about those guys and that’s why we signed them.”

Latest on Jadeveon Clowney

The Panthers hosted a handful of veterans for visits during the first two weeks of free agency. While the Panthers were able to sign Wonnum and Fuller, some of their past guests remain unsigned.

Former Baltimore Ravens pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney and former Dallas Cowboys wideout Michael Gallup have reportedly taken multiple visits — including separate trips to Bank of America Stadium — this month. According to Morgan, Clowney is still in play.

“We’re still talking, still trying to build our roster out — to make our roster the best that it can be,” Morgan said about Clowney. “So all players — we’re talking not only to some of Clowney’s people, but we’re talking to some other people, too. We’re trying to make this roster the most competitive roster in the NFL.”

Clowney, in particular, would be a massive boost to the Panthers’ depth chart.

Coming off a superb season in Baltimore, Clowney, a former South Carolina Gamecock and Rock Hill native, would be the squad’s projected top pass rusher if he were to join his hometown team.

“I think it’s one of those things where we’re keeping in touch,” Morgan said. “Nothing is coming down the pipeline as of yet. We’re still talking, again, not just Clowney’s people but other people as well, just trying to build this roster out and make it the best that it can be.”

▪ Morgan said the long-term plan for roster is to build primarily through the draft and then supplement with free agency. The front office wants to build the team “the right way,” according to Morgan.

▪ Morgan declined to give a timeline or a deadline for a proposed contract extension for Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown. Morgan said he has had good conversations with Brown’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who represented Morgan when he was a player.

▪ Morgan also declined to give a definitive answer on cornerback Jaycee Horn’s fifth-year option status. The team needs to make a decision on that option by May 2. If the Panthers were to pick up the option, Horn’s fourth and fifth seasons would be guaranteed on his rookie contract. Horn would make a projected $12.47 million in 2025 if the option was executed.

▪ Morgan was quick to praise fourth-year tight end Tommy Tremble when asked about the position in the wake of the release of Hayden Hurst. He also threw support behind holdovers Ian Thomas and Stephen Sullivan.

©2024 The Charlotte Observer. Visit charlotteobserver.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Detroit Lions' Jared Goff: No-trade clause important in finalizing new megadeal

Jared Goff thought he'd be a Los Angeles Ram for life the last time he signed a contract extension, and 17 months months later — before he played the first year of his new deal — he was ushered out of town and scapegoated for all of that organization's fails.

When it came time to negotiate his latest mega extension this offseason, one he officially signed Thursday that made him the highest-paid player in Detroit Lions history, Goff made sure that wouldn't happen again.

Goff said the security of having a full no-trade clause was the most important factor in finalizing his four-year, $212 million contract with the Lions this week.

The deal includes a $73 million signing bonus, the largest in NFL history, and makes Goff the league's second-highest paid player behind Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

MORE FROM BIRKETT: Schedule makers treating Lions like one of NFL's elite teams, and other thoughts

"You can go back and forth on the numbers and what not and that wasn’t really the thing that was ever something I was extremely concerned with," Goff said. "It was the security and the no-trade clause and all that stuff, making sure that all that was in there. Feeling secure and knowing that I can now put that behind me and be excited about what’s to come."

The No. 1 pick of the 2016 draft, Goff led the Rams to the Super Bowl in his third NFL season, signed a four-year, $134 million extension months later, then was broomed out the back door after two straight years of disappointment.

The Lions traded Matthew Stafford to the Rams for Goff and three draft picks in January of 2021, and have built a Super Bowl contender around Goff at quarterback.

Last year, the Lions went 12-5 and reached the NFC championship game for the second time in franchise history, and Goff finished second in the league in passing and had one of the best seasons of his career.

On Thursday, Goff expressed deep gratitude to the Lions organization for believing in him "when they necessarily didn’t have to." He said Lions coach Dan Campbell "has been as instrumental to my career as anybody," and thanked general manager Brad Holmes — the Rams' director of college scouting in 2016 — "for believing in me from the beginning."

"It’s been tremendous," Goff said. "I said this a minute ago upstairs, but the reward of the contract and the success we’ve been able to have is awesome, but the journey itself the past three years has been the true success and the true meaning of success, I guess.

"Obviously, the wins and what not and getting the contract are amazing, but being able to go through that together with my teammates and with my family, go through the dark times and grow through those times and learn more about yourself and work on yourself, that’s the win in all this. I’m happy to be able to stand in front of you and be your quarterback for a lot longer, but this city’s meant a lot to me."

After a rocky start — the Lions went 3-13-1 in his first season in Detroit, when many believed he was a bridge quarterback until the team drafted someone better — Goff has been instrumental in the Lions' recent success.

SHAWN WINDSOR: Lions had to pay Jared Goff. Can big-money QB help realize Super Bowl dreams?

He led the team to a 9-8 record and near-playoff appearance in 2022, then helped them win their first division title in 30 years and come within a whisker of making the Super Bowl last year.

The Lions beat Goff's old team, the Rams, in the first round of the playoffs, when fans turned his name — " Jar-ed Goff" — into a rallying cry they've since chanted at everything from sports venues to supermarkets across the state.

"It’s been wild," Goff said. "I get those clips sent to me quite a bit. It’s very cool. It is, and it’s something that I won’t experience ever again in the fashion that I did last year in the playoffs. So yeah, it’s very cool and something that I’ll cherish forever, but it has been crazy and cool to see."

Before finalizing Goff's extension, the Lions re-signed Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell to extensions that totaled $232 million and made them the highest-paid receiver (temporarily) and offensive linemen in the game.

Goff said he's excited to know that the Lions' nucleus will be in place for years to come — St. Brown's deal, like Goff's extension, runs through 2028, while Sewell's deal ties him to the Lions through 2029 — and they're all of the same mind in trying to win a championship.

"This is, it’s a good, I guess, chapter closing of the last three years, if you want to say," Goff said. "But now I’m more driven and I’m more fired up than ever to go even harder and put the pedal to the metal even more and bring a Super Bowl to the city and that’s what’s most important. One day I won’t be the quarterback here and being able to look back on those days that I am that I was with no regrets and knowing I did everything I could to try to make that happen, and obviously that’s a lot of work to do but if we’re able to do that, that would be the ultimate goal."

Contact Dave Birkett at  [email protected] . Follow him on X and Instagram at  @davebirkett.