A big scandal struck the Los Angeles Rams. Allegedly, the organization from the LA owes some money to two of its former players – Todd Gurley and Clay Matthews – who called out the Rams via their social networks.
Todd Gurley first wrote on his Twitter account that he still didn’t receive the money he was supposed to get after the release from the Rams.
“@RamsNFL past due. Send me money ASAP,” Gurley wrote this Wednesday, while Matthews added, “You and me both TG! Better get some interest with that too.”
The superstar running back was released on March 19, following his five-season stint in the team from LA. Two years ago, Gurley signed a deal which made him the highest-paid RB in the league. The Rams offered him $60 million for a 4-year extension, from which $45 million were guaranteed.
It turned out that Gurley’s knee injuries limited his performances, and he wasn’t helping too much during the previous season and also didn’t have the expected impact during the 2018 playoffs once the Rams reached the Super Bowl. That is why they decided to cut him.
The franchise designated his release as post-June 1st, and they will divide the cap hit of $11.75 million over the upcoming two years. After the cutting, the Rams owed $7.55 million to the player for his roster bonus. Although there weren’t any official comments from LA, sources from within the organization are suggesting that they didn’t do anything different than any other team would in their situation, and were following the offset language in his contract. Reportedly, they don’t have to pay him $2.5 million if he signs elsewhere.
Regarding Matthews, who spent just one season in LA, he was released on the same day as Gurley, and his roster bonus is $2 million. But the offset language in his contract also allows the possibility for the Rams to spare some money. The situation goes like this.
If Matthews signs for some other team, the Rams would have to pay him the difference between the newly signed contract and his roster bonus. For example, if he inks a deal worth $1.5 million, the Rams need to pay the outside linebacker half a million dollars. If the contract is worth $2 million, they don’t owe him anything.
Anyhow, it seems that these comments could be signs of some bad blood between the two and their former team. Gurley already had a few remarks on the financial matters between him and the Rams. Although he didn’t publicly accuse nobody from the organization, it seems that he didn’t expect to be cut.
He was one of the biggest stars of the league, and the face of the Rams. They drafted him at the 2015 NFL draft, as the 10th overall pick, and Gurley immediately made a massive impact on the field, earning the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. In five years as a starter with the Rams, he became one of the most productive RBs in the league, winning the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award in 2017, becoming a three-time All-Pro, and a three-time Pro Bowl players.
Some sources are claiming that Gurley felt hurt and betrayed because the team didn’t believe in him anymore, although giving them everything he had.
