Ike Taylor upset after taking pay cut

[Sportsguy9695]

The pay cut that Ike Taylor agreed to so he could stay in Pittsburgh apparently hit the Steelers cornerback in more than just the wallet.

"Did it hurt me? Hell, yeah," Taylor said Monday on "The Jim Rome Show."

"Does it still hurt? Yeah, it hurts, but hopefully I can go in and bounce back this year, do what I need to on the field, and we will see what happens after."

Taylor, who is entering the final year of his contract, spoke out for the first time about the pay cut that cost him $4.25 million to remain with the organization that drafted him in 2003. During organized team activities and minicamp, he had not expressed any dissatisfaction with having his base salary reduced from $7 million to $2.75 million. That changed, however, when he went on Rome's nationally syndicated show.

"I'm (ticked) off about it, still am (ticked) off about it, and I'm going to be (ticked) off until the end of the season about it," said Taylor, who along with safety Troy Polamalu is the longest-tenured player on the Steelers. "It's like you get to a point: 'Why me?' Like, I didn't show my loyalty? You want to talk about a guy who's going to come in in-shape, not waiting to build up into shape when he gets to camp.

Source: ESPN

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Not sure why Ike is grandstanding over this...granted, he's always in top flight condition, he WAS a great CB, team guy, etc, but he's lost skills like any aging CB...he was not close to a $7mil cap hit player, and imo is not even a $4mil cap hit player today...that's the loyalty...the Rooneys letting him play out his last contract yr...(AZ is set @ CB so at best, he probably get s $2.5 mil deal from somebody)

Hines got 3 contracts from PIT, but even he didn't get to play out his last yr...they made Ike an above fair market contract, just as they did Harrison.

He was smart enough to accept it, but now whining about it? C'mon Ike...you're better than that.

 

[LucklessPadresFan]

Yep, it makes no sense. You negotiate, accept the pay cut, sign the contract and then come out publicly and whine. Not a good way to begin the season.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Not sure why Ike is grandstanding over this...granted, he's always in top flight condition, he WAS a great CB, team guy, etc, but he's lost skills like any aging CB...he was not close to a $7mil cap hit player, and imo is not even a $4mil cap hit player today...that's the loyalty...the Rooneys letting him play out his last contract yr...(AZ is set @ CB so at best, he probably get s $2.5 mil deal from somebody)

Hines got 3 contracts from PIT, but even he didn't get to play out his last yr...they made Ike an above fair market contract, just as they did Harrison.

He was smart enough to accept it, but now whining about it? C'mon Ike...you're better than that.

Exactly my thoughts... Ike has always had a tendency to blurt out stupid comments. Thankfully, the media doesn't put everything that he says on paper. These comments are certainly understandable, but unecessary. FO/Coaches/Steeler Nation knows what kind of player he is, and we all know he wasn't playing at the level to receive the money he was going to be making. Like you said ATL, he was given an above fair market contract, so he should shut up about it.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Exactly my thoughts... Ike has always had a tendency to blurt out stupid comments. Thankfully, the media doesn't put everything that he says on paper. These comments are certainly understandable, but unecessary. FO/Coaches/Steeler Nation knows what kind of player he is, and we all know he wasn't playing at the level to receive the money he was going to be making. Like you said ATL, he was given an above fair market contract, so he should shut up about it.

To be fair...I can see how a question could provoke that kind of response and have it blown up.

I'm sure he didn't just blurt it out...but still...fuel for the media...maybe a QTR of the people click on that article if the lead is Ike's happy to finish out his last year as a Steeler, excited, blah blah blah.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

We all know how the media likes to cut up quotes so that it causes controversy.

They've been doing that to Roethlisberger for years now. Last couple offseasons they had been trying to fuel a feud between Haley & Ben which was almost nonexistent. Tempers may have flaired a few times on the sidelines, but not like the media was portraying it. I watched almost every interview on Ben, and the quotes you read in articles were never word for word on what he actually said.