Sitting out an entire season

[sportscurmudgeon]

In response to a posting in another thread, I said that John Riggins and Sean Gilbert were the only players I could recall in the NFL who actually sat out an entire season. Here is an exerpt from a column by Charlie Walters in the St. Paul Pioneer-Press about Bud Grant and his contract disputes back in the 1950s. Remember, there was nothing even remotely rleated to free-agency then. I thought some of the folks here would appreciate a brief history lesson:


"Quarterback Eli Manning, the No. 1 pick in Saturday's NFL draft, forced the San Diego Chargers to trade him to the New York Giants. Hall of fame former Vikings coach Bud Grant, who was the Philadelphia Eagles' first-round draft pick as a two-way end in 1950, refused to sign that year, but could not force a trade.

"Instead, Grant, now 77, turned down the Eagles' offer of $7,500 and played for the NBA Minneapolis Lakers for $3,500. But Grant, also a standout pitcher, hired out for cash to various baseball teams throughout Minnesota. He made nearly as much playing baseball as he did from the Lakers.

"After sitting out a year from football, Grant went back to the Eagles but had to take a $500 cut. After two years that included a Pro Bowl season, Grant became the first NFL player to play out his option. He wanted $10,000 to return to Philadelphia, which offered $8,000. So Bud signed with Winnipeg for $11,000. His five interceptions as a safety against Regina Saskatchewan in a 1956 Canadian Football League game still is a North American pro football record.