From a team standpoint, outside of figuring out how to replace him, the biggest question the New England Patriots now face is if they can recoup money already paid to Aaron Hernandez. The Patriots released Hernandez prior to his arraignment on murder charges, at which point ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that, under the rules of collective bargaining agreement, the Patriots had technically waived all rights to recoup any bonus money or salary. MassLive.com followed up with Hernandez’s agency, Athletes First, and asked if the Patriots could still go after the money and their response was short: “Not successfully.†The agency further explained that the Patriots cut Hernandez before he could default on his contract. The Patriots could try to come after the money on “some alternate theory,†but the agency is confident the team would fail in such an attempt. Source: MassLive.com
If say they have a pretty solid case. Didn't Atlanta get some money back from Mike Vick? Lions got some money back from Barry Sanders too...right?
I think its pretty hard to recoup the guaranteed upfront signing bonuses because they are, well, guaranteed
Not if there is stipulations in the contract language about run ins with the law. Falcons got money back from Vick and Barry Sanders had to repay the Lions...so I don't think it's out if the realm of possibility that the Patriots can get some money back from Hernandez.
that is why teams should wait to resign players that have questions about their character. make them prove themselves.
I think the only way they could have really gotten cash back is by keeping him on the roster until he had "defaulted" on his contract and voided it, ie: can't play because Im in jail, yo. Cutting him when they did was all about sending a message, not about the cash.
The Patriots can also just not pay the rest of the "guaranteed money" that he's owed now and let Hernandez go after them...lol.
