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Cheesehead
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
Now is not the right time, however.
General manager Ted Thompson broached the subject with McCarthy in a recent conversation and McCarthy said he would be happy to discuss it. But he said he would prefer to wait until after the season is over, so that he can focus on coaching the team.
"It was just a 30-second conversation," Thompson said. "We talk all the time about all kinds of things. We'll talk at the end of the season. It's not like we're sitting around talking about it that often. With contracts with players and coaches we understand the business side of things. All of these things will be addressed in due time."
Thompson acknowledged that he was encouraged by the team's 8-1 start and that McCarthy was everything he thought he was when he hired him. The Packers have won 12 of their last 13 games, dating to last season, and are tied with Dallas for the second-best record in the National Football League.
McCarthy, who was asked about his contract extension and did not bring it up himself, also said his conversation with Thompson was brief. But he made it clear he was happy in Green Bay and would be more than willing to talk when the season was over. He said Thompson was in agreement that talks could wait.
"We talk all the time," McCarthy said.
"I never liked when a coach's contract (becomes an issue). To me, when you're in a season, it's about playing and winning games. You sit there and talk about distractions. Am I going to sit here and negotiate my contract the last four weeks of the season because it personally benefits me? Why can't we wait until February?"
If negotiations were to begin now, McCarthy said it probably wouldn't be a problem and that he could keep it from being a distraction. But he said there was no hurry and it just made sense for it to be put on the backburner, given the good relationship he and Thompson have.
It's unclear whether McCarthy would be giving up some money by waiting. He's in the second year of a three-year deal worth a reported $6 million. It's possible that, as part of the extension, he could negotiate a raise for the remaining weeks of this season, but whatever he receives at the time of the extension will probably be all guaranteed and more than enough to satisfy his needs.
The risk for McCarthy is if things go poorly the rest of the year and the Packers blow their standing as one of the NFL's top teams. They could also get blown out in the first round of the playoffs, lessening his leverage.
Then again, if they continue to do well and make a strong playoff run, McCarthy will be sitting pretty when it comes time to negotiate.
The way McCarthy sees it, he has trust in Thompson and the current structure of the organization and there's no reason to believe he will be shortchanged. He signed a three-year deal because he wanted to prove himself in the NFL before committing long term and he doesn't see anything wrong with having to prove himself throughout this season.
"I think it's something different here," McCarthy said. "You're not dealing with an owner, you're not dealing with an outside person. I think I'm pretty reasonable, I think I'm pretty realistic. Business is business, don't get me wrong. I took the three-year for a reason. I had an option to take a three or a four.
"I took the three for a reason because I believed we were going to change this thing. So let's cash in when the time is right. I just don't want to deal with it right now."
McCarthy's $2 million-per-year salary pales in comparison with the NFL's top money-makers, led by Seattle's Mike Holmgren, Washington's Joe Gibbs, Baltimore's Brian Billick and Atlanta's Bobby Petrino. According to a study done by the New York Post, Holmgren will make $8 million this year, Gibbs $5.7 million, Billick $5 million and Petrino $4.8 million.
According to the Post, the average yearly salary of an NFL coach this year is $3.25 million, well above what McCarthy currently earns.
It remains to be seen how high the Packers are willing to go with McCarthy and whether the pending change in the team's presidency will affect how much Thompson would be able to offer the coach. Current President Bob Harlan has left those negotiations to his general manager in the past, but if the executive committee or its new hire gets involved, there's no telling how the talks could go.
If they choose to, the Packers wouldn't be the first team to take a hard line with a coach. Last year, Chicago's Lovie Smith had the lowest head coach's salary in the NFL while leading the Bears to a Super Bowl.
It took until almost a month after the Super Bowl for a deal to get done and at one point there was an impasse that threatened to blow the whole thing up. Smith, who had just completed his third year of a four-year deal, eventually agreed on a four-year, $22 million contract.
Now is not the right time, however.
General manager Ted Thompson broached the subject with McCarthy in a recent conversation and McCarthy said he would be happy to discuss it. But he said he would prefer to wait until after the season is over, so that he can focus on coaching the team.
"It was just a 30-second conversation," Thompson said. "We talk all the time about all kinds of things. We'll talk at the end of the season. It's not like we're sitting around talking about it that often. With contracts with players and coaches we understand the business side of things. All of these things will be addressed in due time."
Thompson acknowledged that he was encouraged by the team's 8-1 start and that McCarthy was everything he thought he was when he hired him. The Packers have won 12 of their last 13 games, dating to last season, and are tied with Dallas for the second-best record in the National Football League.
McCarthy, who was asked about his contract extension and did not bring it up himself, also said his conversation with Thompson was brief. But he made it clear he was happy in Green Bay and would be more than willing to talk when the season was over. He said Thompson was in agreement that talks could wait.
"We talk all the time," McCarthy said.
"I never liked when a coach's contract (becomes an issue). To me, when you're in a season, it's about playing and winning games. You sit there and talk about distractions. Am I going to sit here and negotiate my contract the last four weeks of the season because it personally benefits me? Why can't we wait until February?"
If negotiations were to begin now, McCarthy said it probably wouldn't be a problem and that he could keep it from being a distraction. But he said there was no hurry and it just made sense for it to be put on the backburner, given the good relationship he and Thompson have.
It's unclear whether McCarthy would be giving up some money by waiting. He's in the second year of a three-year deal worth a reported $6 million. It's possible that, as part of the extension, he could negotiate a raise for the remaining weeks of this season, but whatever he receives at the time of the extension will probably be all guaranteed and more than enough to satisfy his needs.
The risk for McCarthy is if things go poorly the rest of the year and the Packers blow their standing as one of the NFL's top teams. They could also get blown out in the first round of the playoffs, lessening his leverage.
Then again, if they continue to do well and make a strong playoff run, McCarthy will be sitting pretty when it comes time to negotiate.
The way McCarthy sees it, he has trust in Thompson and the current structure of the organization and there's no reason to believe he will be shortchanged. He signed a three-year deal because he wanted to prove himself in the NFL before committing long term and he doesn't see anything wrong with having to prove himself throughout this season.
"I think it's something different here," McCarthy said. "You're not dealing with an owner, you're not dealing with an outside person. I think I'm pretty reasonable, I think I'm pretty realistic. Business is business, don't get me wrong. I took the three-year for a reason. I had an option to take a three or a four.
"I took the three for a reason because I believed we were going to change this thing. So let's cash in when the time is right. I just don't want to deal with it right now."
McCarthy's $2 million-per-year salary pales in comparison with the NFL's top money-makers, led by Seattle's Mike Holmgren, Washington's Joe Gibbs, Baltimore's Brian Billick and Atlanta's Bobby Petrino. According to a study done by the New York Post, Holmgren will make $8 million this year, Gibbs $5.7 million, Billick $5 million and Petrino $4.8 million.
According to the Post, the average yearly salary of an NFL coach this year is $3.25 million, well above what McCarthy currently earns.
It remains to be seen how high the Packers are willing to go with McCarthy and whether the pending change in the team's presidency will affect how much Thompson would be able to offer the coach. Current President Bob Harlan has left those negotiations to his general manager in the past, but if the executive committee or its new hire gets involved, there's no telling how the talks could go.
If they choose to, the Packers wouldn't be the first team to take a hard line with a coach. Last year, Chicago's Lovie Smith had the lowest head coach's salary in the NFL while leading the Bears to a Super Bowl.
It took until almost a month after the Super Bowl for a deal to get done and at one point there was an impasse that threatened to blow the whole thing up. Smith, who had just completed his third year of a four-year deal, eventually agreed on a four-year, $22 million contract.
