Eddie Lacy's one-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks in 2017 contained a unique weight clause, designed to incentivize the running back to maintain a playing weight deemed optimal by the team. This clause, potentially worth $385,000, added an intriguing layer to Lacy's comeback story and sparked considerable discussion about the use of weight-related incentives in professional sports contracts.
The Incentive Structure: A Tiered Approach
The weight clause in Lacy's contract was structured as a seven-tiered incentive program. Each successful weigh-in at or below the specified target earned Lacy $55,000, adding up to a possible bonus of $385,000 on top of his $2.865 million base salary. The weigh-ins were scheduled throughout the offseason and regular season, with decreasing weight targets over time:
- May: 255 pounds
- June: 250 pounds
- August: 250 pounds
- September: 245 pounds
- October: 245 pounds
- November: 245 pounds
- December: 245 pounds
Early Success and Public Scrutiny
Lacy successfully met the first two weight targets in May and June, earning himself $110,000. His agents publicized these achievements on Twitter. However, the public nature of these weigh-ins soon became a source of discomfort for Lacy.
Lacy's Regret: The Price of Publicity
Lacy expressed regret over the publicity surrounding his weight clause, telling ESPN The Magazine that he disliked the public nature of the weigh-ins. He felt that regardless of his progress, he was subjected to insults and negative comments on social media.
"It sucks," Lacy said. "It definitely sent me into a funk."
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He admitted that the negativity affected him, making it difficult to ignore the constant scrutiny.
The Seahawks' Perspective: Optimizing Performance
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll emphasized the importance of Lacy playing at a weight that allowed him to be both powerful and durable. Carroll believed Lacy was most effective in the 240-pound range, balancing size and agility.
"I want him big. I want him big and tough and strong," Carroll said. "But I want him in the best shape so that he can run at his best and be durable and handle the load… Into his [240s], he's really dangerous."
Lacy's Journey: From Alabama to the Seahawks
Lacy entered the NFL in 2013 weighing 231 pounds after playing college football at the University of Alabama. However, his weight fluctuated throughout his career. A report by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel indicated that Lacy weighed 267 pounds during one of his free-agent visits prior to signing with the Seahawks.
Addressing the Challenge: Diet and Training
Lacy acknowledged the need to change his eating habits to meet the weight targets. He mentioned eliminating excessive amounts of food and adjusting his diet, given his Louisiana roots and love for "good food." He also incorporated P90X workouts into his training regimen.
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The Ankle Injury: A Limiting Factor
Lacy was still recovering from an ankle injury he sustained the previous year with the Green Bay Packers. Pete Carroll noted that the injury limited Lacy's conditioning work during the offseason, but he expected Lacy to be fully ready for training camp.
Weight Clauses: A Controversial Tool
Weight clauses in professional sports contracts are not new, but their effectiveness and potential drawbacks have been debated. While they can incentivize athletes to maintain a healthy weight and optimize performance, they can also create undue pressure and lead to unhealthy weight-loss practices.
One former NFL agent and team executive argued that weight clauses are "counterproductive and detrimental to a player’s health," as players may resort to extreme measures to meet weight targets, such as saunas, steam rooms, and diuretics, which can deplete their strength and glycogen storage. He suggested alternative methods like body fat measurements or DEXA scans as more productive and beneficial approaches.
Other Creative Incentives in Sports Contracts
Eddie Lacy's weight clause is one example of the creative ways teams try to motivate players through contract incentives. Some other notable examples include:
- Numerical Palindromes: The Los Angeles Rams have a history of using numerical palindromes in their contracts, such as giving Tavon Austin an average salary of $10,555,501 instead of $10.5 million.
- Jersey Number Shout-Outs: The Minnesota Vikings gave Jared Allen a signing bonus of $15,500,069, with the extra $69 matching his jersey number. The New York Jets configured Darrelle Revis' contract to average $14,024,212, referencing his jersey number (24) and New York area code (212).
- "Love of the Game" Clause: Michael Jordan's contract with the Chicago Bulls included a "Love of the Game" clause, allowing him to play basketball whenever he wanted without jeopardizing his contract.
- Space Travel Ban: Sunderland of the English Premier League included a clause in Stefan Schwarz's contract prohibiting him from traveling to space.
- Incentives Based on Attendance: The Houston franchise of the National Pro Fastpitch league offered Monica Abbott a bonus for every game attended by at least 100 fans.
- Horses: The Texas Rangers signed Rougned Odor and delivered two horses to his property.
- Mustache Maintenance: The Oakland Athletics agreed to supply Rollie Fingers with $100 worth of mustache wax per year.
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