Chris Borland retires due to health concers (1 Viewer)

[domvin]

Keep in mind, this is Borlands decision. He is not very big, 5'9", and while he is listed at 248, he does not look 248 pounds. He loooks more in the 225-230 range.

His frame is limited to how much weight he can gain on a a short frame, and he is taking on 350 pound guys, that are 6'5". There are only so few battles you can win on that frame in the trenches.

He stated his bell was rung in training camp, and that is when he started thinking about his health.

Sure, future Concussions could be part of this, but I would not be surprised if the root cause is pure and simple: It's a violent game, and his body does not have the ability to withstand repeated collisions on that frame. That to me is most likely the root cause of his decision, and factoring in concussions helps take some of the heat off the decision(for appearing to be "cowardly."

And no, I don't think he's a coward. But some of his peers may....

 

[Pwingles]

With regard to sports, as fans, we are constantly chastising players for hanging around too long, chasing more money, holding out for a new deal etc.

From what ive been reading on twitter, a lot of people are now complaining about this guys early exit, the (small, comparitively to some) amount of money he makes, his priorities in life, his view of the legitimacy of the medical dangers of the game, his lack of passion and commitment etc.

It's ridiculous. Comparing his career and concerns to police, fire fighters and soldiers... Stop it. Insinuating that because their job is dangerous and they get paid less, makes his concerns invalid and him selfish, please.

So when one of them retires or finds a different way to make a living because of the dangers of their job, is it more valid because their salary is a fraction of his?

Nobody is questioning any of the other young(ish) guys retiring this year, i think thats odd.

The difference really is, most of them have already been injured, some multiple times, and they want to retire before its debilitating. Imo, hes just ahead of the curve.

 

[Soulfly3]

the people on twitter calling this guy a coward are also working minimum wage jobs or are chronic welfare cases.

no idea what hard work is or planning for the future

 

[massraider]

Butkus played in only 119 games, the fewest of any LB in the Hall of Fame. His career spanned only 9 seasons, and he retired at age 31. Upon retirement he promptly sued the Bears for improperly handling his injuries, including denying him the ability to seek second opinions when team doctors told him he could play and instead shooting him up with painkillers to get him on the field.

The fictional version of **** Butkus you have created in your mind might frown on Borland's decision, but I think the real **** Butkus would be just fine with it.

That's what I was thinking. Butkus probably is applauding Borland, if he can find someone to hold his cane.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

He certainly had made a decent amount of money that should help him through life. But, yeah, this is a shocking thing.

This conversation is going on in my league right now, from the Borland owner (not me). Did he make $1M+ last year (including his signing bonus)? Does he now owe any of that signing bonus back, or is that all his free and clear?

Also, it looks like he was scheduled to make just over 500k this year, 600k the following, and 700k the following - not sure how much if any is guaranteed. With the new CBA, can that contract not be extended or renegotiated until the final year (2017) at the earliest? Like why Russel Wilson has made less than $2m total the last 3 seasons, the Seahawks literally couldn't have paid him any more if they wanted to (till now, the last year of his deal). So if Borland did decide to continue playing (and stayed healthy) at best he'd made $1.1m total for the next two seasons before seeing "big money"?

Is all that correct so far?

he'll be giving the prorated portion of the signing bonus back, I believe, although that's kind of an interesting situation because he probably paid taxes on that already.

he's not collecting any money form future years, and they can't redo his rookie deal.

here's his deal

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/chris-borland/

so, they paid him 1m and he owes them 450k back, I believe.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

the people on twitter calling this guy a coward are also working minimum wage jobs or are chronic welfare cases.

no idea what hard work is or planning for the future

^^

or dynasty owners

 

[EBF]

Another sign that football is slowly going the way of boxing. Can't really blame the guy. Who wants to end up like Junior Seau?

As far as fan popularity, football does not seem to be going the way of boxing. The most recent Super Bowl had record ratings, the largest audience for a U.S. television program in history.

And I am not certain boxing is that great of an analogy in that its decline was not due to concussions or injuries to the boxers but rather the fact that other sports became more popular. Horse racing suffered a similar decline but not because of concern over the health of the horses/jockeys.

IMO this is probably the high water mark. It's not going to disappear overnight and there will still be a big audience for it, but I think the NBA and MLS will grow in the next few decades while the NFL and CFB shrink.

 

[massraider]

He only pays back the pro-rated portion if the 49ers go after it, not a lock that they do.

 

[Spike]

Schefter and Florio protecting the shield on twitter today is AMAZING

Cliffs Notes?

@AdamSchefter: Chris Borland was scheduled to make $530K this year, plus $10K workout bonus. Not many jobs pay 24-year-olds $540K for 6 months of work.

@drewmagary: Florio's reply here surely sets some kind of new milestone. https://t.co/YE6xArlVcG

I have a feeling Schefter will wish (if he doesn't already) that he hadn't posted that. It could follow him for a long, long time.

 

[belljr]

If these guys want to retire, that's fine I understand it and have no problems. My only "negative" is I just feel like their is too much "you play football, you'll get a concussion, you'll have problems in life" There are plenty of former players that seem to be doing just fine, some that are beat up and some that have issues.

I applaud all efforts to help with concussions and they do need to be addressed and handled properly, I just feel like it's slanted in one direction.

I'm sure most everyone has had some concussions at some point. With todays' studies I do sometimes wonder if it's just my age or prior injuries that are causing memory issues

Obviously I was never a pro athlete but I do have injuries that are getting worse over time.

I have no right or wrong answer just my internal ramblings

 

[matttyl]

He certainly had made a decent amount of money that should help him through life. But, yeah, this is a shocking thing.

This conversation is going on in my league right now, from the Borland owner (not me). Did he make $1M+ last year (including his signing bonus)? Does he now owe any of that signing bonus back, or is that all his free and clear?

Also, it looks like he was scheduled to make just over 500k this year, 600k the following, and 700k the following - not sure how much if any is guaranteed. With the new CBA, can that contract not be extended or renegotiated until the final year (2017) at the earliest? Like why Russel Wilson has made less than $2m total the last 3 seasons, the Seahawks literally couldn't have paid him any more if they wanted to (till now, the last year of his deal). So if Borland did decide to continue playing (and stayed healthy) at best he'd made $1.1m total for the next two seasons before seeing "big money"?

Is all that correct so far?

he'll be giving the prorated portion of the signing bonus back, I believe, although that's kind of an interesting situation because he probably paid taxes on that already.

he's not collecting any money form future years, and they can't redo his rookie deal.

here's his deal

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/chris-borland/

so, they paid him 1m and he owes them 450k back, I believe.

Thanks for the link!

So he was paid just over $1m last year, and he'll owe around $450 of that back? So if he played this year, he would have locked in another year of the prorated signing bonus - and $530 of salary. Also from your link, the guaranteed amount of the contract and the signing bonus are the same amount (are they the same actual dollars?). If so, then it's really not guaranteed due to him leaving, correct?

 

[Freelove]

There are plenty of former players that seem to be doing just fine...

This may seem to be the case, and indeed, it may even be the case that some are doing just fine...but the next one I hear say that his day-to-day life isn't filled with pain and frustration will be the first. And comments to that effect mostly come from the happy-go-lucky media guys who seem to be on the lucky end of the bell curve.

Possibly not the case with punters and such.

 

[Doug B]

I have a feeling Schefter will wish (if he doesn't already) that he hadn't posted that. It could follow him for a long, long time.

Florio or Schefter? ISTM all Schefter really said was "Borland's leaving a lot of money on the table".

Florio didn't come out and say "soldiers", but he doesn't seem to be getting granted plausible deniability on Twitter.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

He certainly had made a decent amount of money that should help him through life. But, yeah, this is a shocking thing.

This conversation is going on in my league right now, from the Borland owner (not me). Did he make $1M+ last year (including his signing bonus)? Does he now owe any of that signing bonus back, or is that all his free and clear?

Also, it looks like he was scheduled to make just over 500k this year, 600k the following, and 700k the following - not sure how much if any is guaranteed. With the new CBA, can that contract not be extended or renegotiated until the final year (2017) at the earliest? Like why Russel Wilson has made less than $2m total the last 3 seasons, the Seahawks literally couldn't have paid him any more if they wanted to (till now, the last year of his deal). So if Borland did decide to continue playing (and stayed healthy) at best he'd made $1.1m total for the next two seasons before seeing "big money"?

Is all that correct so far?

he'll be giving the prorated portion of the signing bonus back, I believe, although that's kind of an interesting situation because he probably paid taxes on that already.

he's not collecting any money form future years, and they can't redo his rookie deal.

here's his deal

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/chris-borland/

so, they paid him 1m and he owes them 450k back, I believe.

Thanks for the link!

So he was paid just over $1m last year, and he'll owe around $450 of that back? So if he played this year, he would have locked in another year of the prorated signing bonus - and $530 of salary. Also from your link, the guaranteed amount of the contract and the signing bonus are the same amount (are they the same actual dollars?). If so, then it's really not guaranteed due to him leaving, correct?

signing bonuses are guaranteed money simply by definition -- they get paid to the guy when he signs.

it's absolutely guaranteed money because it actually got paid to him whether or not he retires and they decide to collect some of it back, but as the above guy pointed out, the team would need to go after it.

the proration is simply listed that way for cap accounting --- he already got paid that money

 

[domvin]

Schefter and Florio protecting the shield on twitter today is AMAZING

Cliffs Notes?

@AdamSchefter: Chris Borland was scheduled to make $530K this year, plus $10K workout bonus. Not many jobs pay 24-year-olds $540K for 6 months of work.

@drewmagary: Florio's reply here surely sets some kind of new milestone. https://t.co/YE6xArlVcG

I have a feeling Schefter will wish (if he doesn't already) that he hadn't posted that. It could follow him for a long, long time.

Not many jobs pay 24-year-olds $540K for 6 months of work

Very clueless. It's a 11+ month a year job with the training, lifting, running, and then maintenance of your body with chiropractor visits, hyperbaric chambers, massages......dudes have to workout 5 days a week, even the genetic freaks do.

And you are burning 14 hour days with film, practice, training in season.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

If these guys want to retire, that's fine I understand it and have no problems. My only "negative" is I just feel like their is too much "you play football, you'll get a concussion, you'll have problems in life" There are plenty of former players that seem to be doing just fine, some that are beat up and some that have issues.

I applaud all efforts to help with concussions and they do need to be addressed and handled properly, I just feel like it's slanted in one direction.

I'm sure most everyone has had some concussions at some point. With todays' studies I do sometimes wonder if it's just my age or prior injuries that are causing memory issues

Obviously I was never a pro athlete but I do have injuries that are getting worse over time.

I have no right or wrong answer just my internal ramblings

yeah, my uncle smoked for 30 yrs and never got lung cancer, so don't worry about it

 

[roadkill1292]

Forbes' Dan Diamond had an interesting take on this story. While noting that this was fairly meaningless in the short haul because of the abundance of young men willing to risk themselves for money and fame in the NFL, he pointed out that times had already changed nevertheless:

But here’s what really should terrify the NFL: The shifting of norms.

I trawled the message boards on Monday night, from Niners Nation to ESPN, looking for fans who were bashing Borland’s decision. (After all, sports-focused websites are a reliable cesspool of hate and vitriol.)

But almost unanimously, I saw fans applauding Borland instead.

Things change.

 

[matttyl]

So at best, he could have set the defensive world on fire and win each of the next two defensive player of the year awards - and at most make just over $1m total for the next two years? The Borland owner in my league continues to say that "he's leaving millions of the table," but doesn't that assume he stays healthy for each of the next two years before he could get a bigger payday?

 

[Pipes]

Schefter and Florio protecting the shield on twitter today is AMAZING

Cliffs Notes?

@AdamSchefter: Chris Borland was scheduled to make $530K this year, plus $10K workout bonus. Not many jobs pay 24-year-olds $540K for 6 months of work.

@drewmagary: Florio's reply here surely sets some kind of new milestone. https://t.co/YE6xArlVcG

I have a feeling Schefter will wish (if he doesn't already) that he hadn't posted that. It could follow him for a long, long time.

Not many jobs pay 24-year-olds $540K for 6 months of work

Very clueless. It's a 11+ month a year job with the training, lifting, running, and then maintenance of your body with chiropractor visits, hyperbaric chambers, massages......dudes have to workout 5 days a week, even the genetic freaks do.

And you are burning 14 hour days with film, practice, training in season.

Lol at 6 months of work...missed that the 1st time I read that.

 

[Doug B]

Lol at 6 months of work...missed that the 1st time I read that.

Erp -- I missed that first time thfough, as well. Brings Schefter's tweet down a few rungs.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

So at best, he could have set the defensive world on fire and win each of the next two defensive player of the year awards - and at most make just over $1m total for the next two years? The Borland owner in my league continues to say that "he's leaving millions of the table," but doesn't that assume he stays healthy for each of the next two years before he could get a bigger payday?

yeah, millions would entail him staying healthy and playing well enough to command a big 2nd contract.

he was actually on my fantasy roster last year, so I understand he was a sensation as a rookie, but he wasn't guaranteed any millions as of right now, although his 2nd contract probably would've been pretty solid if he made it that far.

 

[shader]

Any chance Borland "unretires" if he gets a new deal? If he did it would set a HUGE precedent for young guys that have early rookie success.

There is little incentive for the 49ers to lock him up now as he's cheap. For him, there perhaps is little incentive to go through the grind for 250-300k after taxes.

I wonder if he would unretire if they offered him a one-year 5 million dollar contract.

I don't buy that it's a "smart decision" or a good decision. He's been playing football for years. I think the concussion thing is not going to be a big problem anymore. The old guys now that are having problems probably had 10-15 concussions when they were young, and practices used to be grueling. The average NFL player probably takes a fraction of the punishment now, that players took in the 70's and 80's.

Borland will be fine, and if he does retire, then good for him. But I don't see the story as being over yet. I think he's willing to walk away from the game rather than take his low salary. If he was a backup lb, I doubt he'd retire.

But the fact that he had great success last year, coupled with the fact that it comes right after Patrick Willis retires? I think he's playing the 49ers.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

they can't give him any new deal

 

[davearm]

So at best, he could have set the defensive world on fire and win each of the next two defensive player of the year awards - and at most make just over $1m total for the next two years? The Borland owner in my league continues to say that "he's leaving millions of the table," but doesn't that assume he stays healthy for each of the next two years before he could get a bigger payday?

Technically, more than one million is "millions".

 

[Cjw_55106]

Borland said there was no chance he would change his mind. Of course, if you think he's somehow "playing the 49ers", I guess you wouldnt believe him anyways.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

So at best, he could have set the defensive world on fire and win each of the next two defensive player of the year awards - and at most make just over $1m total for the next two years? The Borland owner in my league continues to say that "he's leaving millions of the table," but doesn't that assume he stays healthy for each of the next two years before he could get a bigger payday?

Technically, more than one million is "millions".

no -- 1.2m is not millions

 

[shader]

they can't give him any new deal

why not?

 

[davearm]

So at best, he could have set the defensive world on fire and win each of the next two defensive player of the year awards - and at most make just over $1m total for the next two years? The Borland owner in my league continues to say that "he's leaving millions of the table," but doesn't that assume he stays healthy for each of the next two years before he could get a bigger payday?

Technically, more than one million is "millions".

no -- 1.2m is not millions

It's more than one. More than one is plural.

 

[shader]

Borland said there was no chance he would change his mind. Of course, if you think he's somehow "playing the 49ers", I guess you wouldnt believe him anyways.

Well he already played the 49ers, by retiring after 1 year. They spent a 3rd round pick, and a new PFT article said his family knew all along he would possibly retire after one year.

I bet he didn't decide to let the 49ers know that.

Not saying he doesn't have the right to retire, because obviously he does, just like the 49ers could cut anyone they wanted.

But holding that info back let him get drafted much higher than where he would have had he let teams know he was only playing one year.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

the new cba prohibits new deals for rookies prior to the last year, I think it is.

and I agree -- he screwed the niners, although it's his decision to look out for his health.

 

[Shutout]

I have absolutely no problem with this. I remember saying eons ago that a smart player would play just long enough to cash in on FA, get their guaranteed $ and bonuses and retire at around 27 or 28. That's not sneaky. That's not cowardly. That's just smart and taking care of number 1. Back before the current CBA, teams would put up ridiculous money to lure a guy in. If they are willing to pay it, the player should take it and go from there.

We just know too much in this day and age to ignore what your life could be like for the next 40-60 years if you subject yourself to the risks. Some positions have larger risks than others and LBers, always sticking their helmet and nose into the thick of things have to be high on that list.

I AM, however, a bit surprised that a young player does this because literally, this is what they have been trying to get to their whole life and they are still young enough where they feel a bit immortal. Probably shows more common sense than the average bear on Borland's part.

 

[Shutout]

the new cba prohibits new deals for rookies prior to the last year, I think it is.

and I agree -- he screwed the niners, although it's his decision to look out for his health.

Screwed the NIners, how? They can, if they choose, recoup money back on the incomplete portion of the contract. Other than that, I think every NFL team goes into these things "signing optimistically" and thinking players will work out their contracts but they know that injuries, the team's decisions, or the players may prohibit that.

If anything, I think doing it now versus waiting until after the draft, when he's a couple weeks into training camp, HELPS the Niners. They can react now.

 

[davearm]

The Niners can't recoup the pick they used to get him.

It's easier to overlook that since Borland was a 3rd rounder. Imagine if Clowney decided the NFL isn't for him.

 

[shader]

the new cba prohibits new deals for rookies prior to the last year, I think it is.

and I agree -- he screwed the niners, although it's his decision to look out for his health.

Screwed the NIners, how? They can, if they choose, recoup money back on the incomplete portion of the contract. Other than that, I think every NFL team goes into these things "signing optimistically" and thinking players will work out their contracts but they know that injuries, the team's decisions, or the players may prohibit that.

If anything, I think doing it now versus waiting until after the draft, when he's a couple weeks into training camp, HELPS the Niners. They can react now.

??? they lost a 3rd round pick. How could anyone argue it helps them?

 

[shader]

the new cba prohibits new deals for rookies prior to the last year, I think it is.

and I agree -- he screwed the niners, although it's his decision to look out for his health.

Hmm... I didn't know that. Kind of sucks for rookies. I imagine that if enough rookies start doing this (no idea if this is a one-off or a trend), they will quickly change that rule. That rule in itself seems like a horribly unfair rule in an "open market".

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

the new cba prohibits new deals for rookies prior to the last year, I think it is.

and I agree -- he screwed the niners, although it's his decision to look out for his health.

Screwed the NIners, how? They can, if they choose, recoup money back on the incomplete portion of the contract. Other than that, I think every NFL team goes into these things "signing optimistically" and thinking players will work out their contracts but they know that injuries, the team's decisions, or the players may prohibit that.

If anything, I think doing it now versus waiting until after the draft, when he's a couple weeks into training camp, HELPS the Niners. They can react now.

yeah, they can spend another 3rd round pick and hope that guy works out

as an aside, I wonder how many people carrying the flag for this guy are smokers

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

the new cba prohibits new deals for rookies prior to the last year, I think it is.

and I agree -- he screwed the niners, although it's his decision to look out for his health.

Hmm... I didn't know that. Kind of sucks for rookies. I imagine that if enough rookies start doing this (no idea if this is a one-off or a trend), they will quickly change that rule. That rule in itself seems like a horribly unfair rule in an "open market".

players agreed to it in the negotiating process

what does 'fair' mean?

owners probably sick of dudes like chris johnson holding out on rookie deals.

 

[roadkill1292]

Poor little 49ers. I just don't know how NFL franchises make it in this doggy dog world.

 

[davearm]

the new cba prohibits new deals for rookies prior to the last year, I think it is.

and I agree -- he screwed the niners, although it's his decision to look out for his health.

Hmm... I didn't know that. Kind of sucks for rookies. I imagine that if enough rookies start doing this (no idea if this is a one-off or a trend), they will quickly change that rule. That rule in itself seems like a horribly unfair rule in an "open market".

It's not an open market.

 

[VarsityBlues123]

such a sensitive america on twitter.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

Poor little 49ers. I just don't know how NFL franchises make it in this doggy dog world.

awesome

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

such a sensitive america on twitter.

I think twitter actually recently expanded to canada and mexico

 

[FUBAR]

Schefter and Florio protecting the shield on twitter today is AMAZING

Cliffs Notes?

@AdamSchefter: Chris Borland was scheduled to make $530K this year, plus $10K workout bonus. Not many jobs pay 24-year-olds $540K for 6 months of work.

@drewmagary: Florio's reply here surely sets some kind of new milestone. https://t.co/YE6xArlVcG

I have a feeling Schefter will wish (if he doesn't already) that he hadn't posted that. It could follow him for a long, long time.

Not many jobs pay 24-year-olds $540K for 6 months of work

Very clueless. It's a 11+ month a year job with the training, lifting, running, and then maintenance of your body with chiropractor visits, hyperbaric chambers, massages......dudes have to workout 5 days a week, even the genetic freaks do.

And you are burning 14 hour days with film, practice, training in season.

oh the humanity! Having to work out 5 days a week!

but yeah, NFL players who actually perform work harder than most of us do.

So at best, he could have set the defensive world on fire and win each of the next two defensive player of the year awards - and at most make just over $1m total for the next two years? The Borland owner in my league continues to say that "he's leaving millions of the table," but doesn't that assume he stays healthy for each of the next two years before he could get a bigger payday?

Technically, more than one million is "millions".

no -- 1.2m is not millions

It's more than one. More than one is plural.

Shark Pool, where we argue whether 1.2 is millions!

 

[RUSF18]

Borland said there was no chance he would change his mind. Of course, if you think he's somehow "playing the 49ers", I guess you wouldnt believe him anyways.

Well he already played the 49ers, by retiring after 1 year. They spent a 3rd round pick, and a new PFT article said his family knew all along he would possibly retire after one year.

I bet he didn't decide to let the 49ers know that.

Not saying he doesn't have the right to retire, because obviously he does, just like the 49ers could cut anyone they wanted.

But holding that info back let him get drafted much higher than where he would have had he let teams know he was only playing one year.

Unless you're reading something differently, what I saw was that he first thought about being done after a year during training camp. So that would be after going through the draft process, not "all along" as in his entire path to getting drafted.

 

[Doug B]

Hmm... I didn't know that. Kind of sucks for rookies. I imagine that if enough rookies start doing this (no idea if this is a one-off or a trend), they will quickly change that rule. That rule in itself seems like a horribly unfair rule in an "open market".

It was (collectively) the NFLPA's idea. Short version of the rationale: the highest-paid players in the game should be proven veterans and not the most recent year's top few highest drafted guys.

But yeah, the market is not totally open, anyway. Not only is there a draft, in and of itself, there's also a salary cap.

 

[dickey moe]

So at best, he could have set the defensive world on fire and win each of the next two defensive player of the year awards - and at most make just over $1m total for the next two years? The Borland owner in my league continues to say that "he's leaving millions of the table," but doesn't that assume he stays healthy for each of the next two years before he could get a bigger payday?

Technically, more than one million is "millions".

no -- 1.2m is not millions

It's more than one. More than one is plural.

Looks like you may need remedial mathematics instruction.

 

[davearm]

So at best, he could have set the defensive world on fire and win each of the next two defensive player of the year awards - and at most make just over $1m total for the next two years? The Borland owner in my league continues to say that "he's leaving millions of the table," but doesn't that assume he stays healthy for each of the next two years before he could get a bigger payday?

Technically, more than one million is "millions".

no -- 1.2m is not millions

It's more than one. More than one is plural.

Looks like you may need remedial mathematics instruction.

Mathematics have zero to do with it.

 

[Shutout]

the new cba prohibits new deals for rookies prior to the last year, I think it is.

and I agree -- he screwed the niners, although it's his decision to look out for his health.

Screwed the NIners, how? They can, if they choose, recoup money back on the incomplete portion of the contract. Other than that, I think every NFL team goes into these things "signing optimistically" and thinking players will work out their contracts but they know that injuries, the team's decisions, or the players may prohibit that.

If anything, I think doing it now versus waiting until after the draft, when he's a couple weeks into training camp, HELPS the Niners. They can react now.

??? they lost a 3rd round pick. How could anyone argue it helps them?

Man, you and Kool Aid Larry are acting like, all of a sudden, someone broke new news that the draft isn't a calculated crapshoot.

Go talk to any fan of ANY team and they can tell you a story about how their team has whiffed and burned a draft pick on a player because he was a bust, got hurt, wasn't what they expected, etc. It's the nature of the game. You draft a Jamarcus Russell with a high pick and sometimes you get...Jamarcus Russell. You draft a Marcus Lattimore and sometimes that's what you get.

These are ALL calculated risks and the Niners, as well as every team, knows this. If they don't like it, they should trade their picks for players they think are safer and more likely to play. Or perhaps they could do a better job befored dedicating themselves to a Lattimore type. They understand the risks.

Borland absolutely helped them. He could have easily have waited and quit on them during camp, could have faked an injury and collected cash. Could have walked through the motions and been a detriment to the team. He did none of those. He retired while the Niners can still pursue free agents or adjust their draft board.

Given the situation where a man decides his health is more important than money and given the options AT THAT POINT, he did the best he could do for all parties involved.

Sour grapes on you guys for acting like he had some master plan of screwing the Niners out of a freaking 3rd last year. Yeah, I'm sure, all along, the practice was to devote 13 years of his life to becoming so good at a sport that he positions himself to be a mid-round selection by a particular team, just to go out and play balls out for them when they needed him most last year, only to retire as the best possible time for the organization to react. yeah, that was it.

 

[mquinnjr]

Schefter and Florio protecting the shield on twitter today is AMAZING

Cliffs Notes?

@AdamSchefter: Chris Borland was scheduled to make $530K this year, plus $10K workout bonus. Not many jobs pay 24-year-olds $540K for 6 months of work.

@drewmagary: Florio's reply here surely sets some kind of new milestone. https://t.co/YE6xArlVcG

I have a feeling Schefter will wish (if he doesn't already) that he hadn't posted that. It could follow him for a long, long time.

@AdamSchefter

Before there was former 49ers/Wisconsin LB Chris Borland, there was former Seahawks/Wisconsin OL John Moffitt:... http://fb.me/4dnPH9el7

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/577907354756329473

I'm hard pressed to believe after that follow up and article on Moffitt that Schefter isn't trolling Chris for retiring.

Nothing will happen of course, but I've lost a lot of respect for Schefter today for whatever that's worth.

 

[SF409ers]

Borland said there was no chance he would change his mind. Of course, if you think he's somehow "playing the 49ers", I guess you wouldnt believe him anyways.

Well he already played the 49ers, by retiring after 1 year. They spent a 3rd round pick, and a new PFT article said his family knew all along he would possibly retire after one year.

I bet he didn't decide to let the 49ers know that.

Not saying he doesn't have the right to retire, because obviously he does, just like the 49ers could cut anyone they wanted.

But holding that info back let him get drafted much higher than where he would have had he let teams know he was only playing one year.

Unless you're reading something differently, what I saw was that he first thought about being done after a year during training camp. So that would be after going through the draft process, not "all along" as in his entire path to getting drafted.

Even if the catalyst for this life changing decision occured after getting his bell rung in practice he should have absolutely made his concerns clear after that final pre-season game LAST year when he reportedly told his folks about playing out just the one year. Waiting this long and with free agency now well underway is pretty lame IMO.

In the end draft picks bust all the time and the Niners do have a pretty good track record at finding talented LB’s.