Joining Aaron Jones in accepting a pay cut off a $12MM-per-year contract this offseason, Joe Mixon accepted a steeper pay slash compared to the Packers running back. The seventh-year Bengals back is now tied to what can be labeled a two-year, $11.5MM deal — one that gives the Bengals flexibility to move on after the 2023 season.
Mixon entered the offseason as one of eight backs tied to eight-figure-per-year extensions. While he remains under contract nearly three years after agreeing to a four-year, $48MM Cincinnati extension, the former second-round pick is now making a fraction of the AAV he signed up for in 2020. With Samaje Perine gone, however, Mixon is the clear-cut Bengals starter. And it is not out of the question his workload increases in 2023.
“I see the bigger picture. I see the task at hand and what we’re trying to build and in order to keep other players here and pieces here, sometimes you have to sacrifice,” Mixon said, via Bengals.com’s Geoff Hobson. “I felt like this year was the year to sacrifice on the Super Bowl team we can potentially be.
“That was my stance on it. We agreed on a number with great compensation this year with the incentives. Off my last deal, I feel like they allowed me to work to be able to make that money back. That’s cool. I’ll go work for it.”
Mixon, 27, took a $4.39MM pay cut for this season and trimmed $4.67MM off his 2024 salary. Although the Packers slashed Jones’ 2023 salary by $5MM, he received $8.52MM in guarantees in exchange for the cut. While Mixon is at $11.5MM over the next two years, Jones is at $23MM. It will cost the Packers $12.4MM in dead money — in a non-post-June 1 scenario — to release Jones in 2024; Mixon can be cut for just $2.75MM in dead money next year.
Had Mixon refused the pay cut, he would have joined the likes of Dalvin Cook, Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette and Kareem Hunt as proven veterans unsigned in a year when the running back market crashed. This undoubtedly influenced the Bengals’ terms when they approached Mixon with the long-rumored cut. But Mixon will be Cincinnati’s starting back for a seventh year. With 71 starts to his credit, Mixon will move into third place on the Bengals’ all-time list — behind James Brooks and Corey Dillon — early this season. He sits just more than 1,000 rushing yards shy of Brooks for second in team history in rushing.
Mixon is coming off a down season and has totaled 1,545 career touches. The Oklahoma product will have a chance to prove last year (1,255 scrimmage yards, down from 1,519 during the Bengals’ Super Bowl LVI season) did not mark a clear sign of a decline while operating as the lead back on what again looks like one of the NFL’s best teams.
With all of his off the field drama it is not hard to see that he didn’t have a choice in the pay cut. Take less money or lose your job. He is still making a nice amount of money, and he is still on a winning team; life could be worse for Mixon.
That’s what I gathered as well. A few million is better than $0.00.
He also is an accumulator more than a high end talent, these guys complaining about 10 million a year when NFL across this country have been struggling with a horrible economy for multiples years now is just sad, how entitled to be like “I’m playing a game and making a top 1% of all humanity in history salary, but it isn’t enough I’m disrespected” I think if an RB complains about his salary teams should just cut em and tell ‘em to kick rocks, Quinshon Judkins will be replacing them in NFL fans hearts very soon
How good is Mixon in 2023? Better than average, but he probably has less of the magic than when he signed his big contract.
That and allegedly pulling a gun on a woman. Interesting way to frame being a team player.
if he continues to beat opponents on the field the way he beats women off the field this guys gonna have a truly remarkable career
Smart man, try to win. You’re already set for life. Just don’t go beating any more women….
ah who are we kidding the Bengals and Raiders LOVE jailbird/awful humans.
Your incredibly ignorant opinion is dated by about a decade. Plus, you spelled Browns wrong. Marvin Lewis loved bad guys. Anyone actually paying attention knows that Zack Taylor builds with amazing guys. Mixon is a Marvin Lewis holdover.. Nice try tho. Go figure out what you’re talking about
Was Darius Hodge a Marvin Lewis guy? The Bunguls most recent history is full of wanna be thugs. From Corey Dillon to Burfict, to Pacman, to Hodge, to Mixon. Eli Apple has the biggest mouth on him in the league. Every one is a POS. Every one is Bengal alum. It’s lost them regular season games, playoff games, fans, and money. The Browns are also love jailbirds, but the Bengals were the first Ohio-based reformation camp. Jamarr Chase is one night out in Miami from a DOJ #.
Jamarr chase has never had a bad word said about him. He signed my dads jersey when he stopped him at a gas station and took a pic with him. Sounds like a realllllyyyyy bad dude. Stop running your mouth over the internet about people youve never met
Your dad met Jamarr Chase so he must be just a splendid guy. I met Antonio Brown twice, he signed a football AND a hat for me. He’s a top notch human…
Stop acting like you know your favorite football player. Like his kids mother hasn’t accused him multiple times of beating her with proof of text messages that he belittled her, talked extremely down to her, and potentially was violent towards her. But hey, your old man met him at a gas station he must be a God sent!!!
Learn to read better. She has already backpedaled and said “mental abuse not physical” how convienient, the only evidence she provided was bavk and forth text messages where both parties traded insults and he was “criminally abusive mentally” with zero character witnesses
So yeah, I apologize, you’re right. Verbally and mentally abusing the mother of your child is soooo much better than not physically abusing her. They should give him an award honestly. It can be ‘The First Bengal To Only Mentally Abuse His Girl And Not Hit Her’.
That’s Ohio for ya. They accepted Deshaun, they allowed mental abuse as long as it’s not physical and the guy catches TDs, and consistently don’t win championships.
Please link me with one article that shows she recanted her statements. I personally can’t find one, but that doesn’t mean it’s not out there.
Recanted her own testimony twice btw.
Haha. Like he had a choice. The Bengals said…..take this or we’ll get someone else. Sure, take credit like you’re a team player and you did this so other guys can get a raise. He may be getting another haircut if he’s suspended 6 games
The Bengals know Mixon’s value and they would have been fools to give him an ultimatum. You just can’t go out and find productive RBs that provide the ball security he does. He only fumbles once every 219 carries and with the outcome of many games being determined by turnovers a player like that gives you a clear advantage against opponents.
Of course it was an ultimatum. The Bengals said…..take this…..Mixon knew that was in his best interest at this time. Honestly I think the Bengals played a bit dirty. They came to him late in the off-season where most teams are set so Mixon would not have had the options if they did this earlier. Mixon is not productive anymore. He’s a decent receiver but he doesn’t block and his ypc are below league average. Not fumbling is not a reason for paying someone 12 million. That’s ridiculous
That RB Coalition already paying dividends…