The Rare Holdout: Haason Reddick's Battle with the Jets
Holdouts extending into the NFL regular season are a rarity in the world of professional football, but Haason Reddick's situation with the New York Jets is proving to be an exception to that rule. The talented linebacker, who was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles in April for a conditional 2026 third-round pick, has chosen to sit out, demanding that his contract be reevaluated.
Reddick's performance on the field has far outshined his three-year, $45 million contract initially signed with the Eagles. He recorded a career-high 16 sacks in his first year in Philadelphia and has managed to achieve double-digit sacks for four consecutive seasons. Such an impressive track record would typically warrant a contract adjustment, yet the Jets remain firm in their stance.
The conflict reached a boiling point when Reddick elected to skip the mandatory June minicamp, resulting in a fine of $101,716 from the Jets. Since then, tensions have only escalated. The team demanded that Reddick return from his holdout before any discussions regarding his contract could take place, a condition that Reddick has steadfastly refused.
The financial repercussions of Reddick's holdout are significant. Over the 41 days of training camp he missed, he accrued $2.05 million in fines, with each day costing him $50,000. Additionally, his absence from three preseason games resulted in penalties amounting to $2.375 million, calculated at one week's base salary for each missed game.
Further complicating matters, the Jets are within their rights to reclaim a portion of Reddick's signing bonus—specifically, the $2.743 million prorated for his 2024 contract year. With each week of the regular season that Reddick misses, he forfeits an additional $791,667 from his base salary. Following his absence from the game against the New England Patriots, his total lost salary leaped to $2.375 million.
The stakes are high for Reddick, as his contract could potentially be tolled for an entire year if he sits out the season. Historical precedence from 1999 shows that the Seattle Seahawks lost a grievance when they attempted to extend Joey Galloway’s contract by a year due to a similar holdout.
In light of these financial and professional risks, Reddick had even lodged a trade request during training camp, which the Jets promptly dismissed. As the trade deadline looms, aligned with Week 9 and extending to November 5, the urgency for resolution escalates. The NFLPA has emphasized that the deadline for signing unsigned franchise and transition players, as well as draft picks and restricted free agents, is November 12, the Tuesday following the 10th week of the season.
Reddick's plight brings to mind other significant holdouts in recent NFL history. Kam Chancellor's 2015 holdout lasted 54 days over contract disputes, resulting in a near $3.1 million advancement in his contract. Chancellor ultimately ended his holdout following Seattle's second loss of the season. In 2017, Duane Brown's holdout concluded without a new contract, and he was traded to the Seahawks soon after his return. Melvin Gordon, in 2019, ended his holdout after four weeks, allowing his teammate Austin Ekeler to shine in his absence.
One of the more dramatic holdouts was Le'Veon Bell's complete boycott of the 2018 season rather than playing under a franchise tag. Bell became the first franchise player to sit out an entire season since Dan Williams in 1998.
More recently, Chris Jones experienced a 51-day holdout in 2023, racking up fines and lost wages amounting to approximately $3.25 million. Upon his return, Jones saw some contractual adjustments but did not secure a long-term deal. Similarly, Trent Williams’ 2019 holdout centered around dissatisfaction with his medical treatment and contract; his contract saw no changes after he returned.
Whether Haason Reddick's holdout will lead to a similar resolution or further conflicts remains to be seen, but it is clear that his case is another notable entry in the annals of NFL contract disputes. The outcome may very well set a precedent for how athlete contracts are negotiated and contested in the future, within the high-stakes world of professional football.