The Seahawks are suing Malik McDowell for the ~$800K that an arbitrator ruled he must pay back to the team, but as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (citing John P. Gilbert of FieldGulls.com) writes, Seattle initially wanted to recover even more.
As Gilbert notes, McDowell’s roughly $3.2MM signing bonus was to be paid out in installments, with about $1.6MM due at signing, $800K due in July 2017, and the final $800K due in July 2018. Seattle paid out the first $2.4MM, so it would seem that the arbitrator would have awarded at least that amount back to the club for McDowell’s breach of his contract (and, per Gilbert, the Seahawks actually asked for the full $3.2MM). But even though the bonus was to be completely paid by July 2018, the cap charges for the bonus were to be spread evenly from 2017-2020 in the amount of $800K per year. Since the Seahawks cut McDowell after the 2018 season, the CBA prohibits them from recovering the 2019-20 allocations totaling $1.6MM. Therefore, Seattle was only entitled to $1.6MM for the 2017-18 cap charges, less the $800K that it did not pay.
All of that is interesting enough, but more interesting is the fact that McDowell himself has taken to Twitter to address the issue (Twitter links 1, 2, 3, 4). Per McDowell, he was cleared by neurologist Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher to play football, but the team’s neurologist, Dr. Samuel R. Browd — whom McDowell says specializes in children under the age of two — did not clear him. McDowell suggests that the Seahawks hid behind Browd’s opinion and that the team had its own reasons for not letting him play, though he did not specify what those reasons might be.
After all, one would think that the Seahawks would want a player they just drafted in the second round and to whom they just paid $2.4MM to be a major contributor, so it’s difficult to envision a scenario in which the Seahawks would undermine that player’s efforts to return to the field. And, if McDowell had a legitimate grievance, one would also think that he would have contested the arbitrator’s ruling or appeal it, which he did not do.
Instead, this feels like McDowell’s attempt to suggest to potentially interested clubs that he is, in fact, healthy and ready to play. McDowell’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said in March that his client has been medically cleared by independent doctors, but the only team McDowell has visited after being cut by Seattle, the Cowboys, has been unable to give him a clean bill of health.
McDowell is an idiot. The Hawks didn’t clear him as he fractured his skull and the liability was huge. Malik broke the terms of his deal before even making it to training camp. He still got to keep half his bonus for doing nothing. The Hawks are simply following the CBA to get what is rightfully theirs.
It’s pretty telling that no other team has signed him since he’s been released. Good luck getting a team clearing his medical.
but the team’s neurologist, Dr. Samuel R. Browd — whom McDowell says specializes in children under the age of two
Well I don’t know too many 6’6 300lb toddlers!
What is the deal here? Since Paul Allen died the Seahawks fall apart?
So you are taking him at his word? Samuel R. Browd, M.D., Ph.D., FACS, FAANS, FAAP is the Director of Seattle Children’s Hydrocephalus Program, the Medical Director of Seattle Children’s Sports Concussion Program and the Director of the Sports Institute at UW Medicine.
Dr. Browd’s work in concussion has focused on materials, science and engineering solutions. His innovations and collaborative efforts with UW Mechanical Engineering have led to a new force reducing football helmet named VICIS. Dr. Browd currently serves as an unaffiliated neurologic consultant to the NFL and an independent neurologic consultant to the Seattle Seahawks.
Dr. Browd has been on staff at Seattle Children’s since 2007. In addition to his work with hydrocephalus and concussion care, he has served as the surgical director of the spasticity management program
I was also taking the article at its word too
Plus, I didn’t realize he injured himself on an ATV, but someone needs to get to the bottom of this, despite Samuel R. Browd’s godlike pronouncements.
Are we for certain that Mr McDowell doesn’t have the brain of a two year old? And yes, this was a self inflicted ATV accident. Non football related. These injuries occurring outside of playing football generally nullifies NFL contracts.
Lefty, you weren’t taking the article at its word, you were taking McDowell’s tweet at its word.
His statement is grossly false as the neurologists is one of the best there is. He’s not just a guy that worked with 2yr olds.
Not even sure what you’re referring to on the last part. The arbitration hearing was well before Paul’s passing and everything else has seemed the same as always
Bet he ends up with the Cowboys or Bengals
It’s more likely he tries to catch on with the XFL.