Golden Tate calls Seahawks contract offer "laughable"

[seahawksfan234]

Golden Tate says Seattle Seahawks' contract offer was 'laughable' - ESPN

From ESPN:

Former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate, who signed a five-year, $31 million deal with Detroit last week, said the offer from Seattle was "laughable" and that he is disappointed in how some Seahawks fans have turned on him for leaving.

"I'm just appalled at the attitude I've received on Twitter from people I thought were Golden Tate fans," Tate said Tuesday on 710 ESPN Seattle. "People are starting to show their true colors. I think the world of the 12s [Seahawks fans], but there is a large group who very quickly turned on me. It kind of bothered me because I felt like I gave everything I possibly could to the city of Seattle.

"I was out in the community and I played my tail off every game. And I helped bring the first ever Super Bowl [championship] to Seattle. I don't care who you are. If you have an opportunity to earn way more money in another city, you'll leave in a second. Every single person in the world would have done what I did."

Tate feels the fans expected too much after he said he was willing the give the Seahawks a hometown discount.

"I didn't mean a 40 percent discount," Tate said. "I'm going to earn in one year at Detroit what Seattle was going to pay me for two years. Seattle offered numbers that were laughable. I thought, 'I've given you everything and this is what you give me?'

"Considering I was there for four years, and started two of those years. I missed one game in those two years. I did everything right and wasn't a trouble maker. And what they offered, I was like, 'Is this serious?' The numbers [the Seahawks] shot at me were not first-priority, like they said they wanted to do for me to stay in Seattle."

Tate said he also is looking forward to playing for a team that emphasizes the passing game more than the Seahawks do.

"I'm going from a run-heavy offense to a pass-happy offense," he said. "It's a chance to be the player I always imagined being."

Despite his disappointment over the offer he received for the Seahawks, Tate said he left on good terms with Seattle coach Pete Carroll and everyone in the organization.

"Pete called me that night [when he signed with Detroit] and wished me good luck," Tate said. "He said, 'If you need anything ever, call me.'"

But Tate also feels the Seahawks didn't appreciate him enough to make competitive offer.

"It's a business and I get it," Tate said. "But I felt I was undervalued a little bit considering all I had done. I'm going to miss the city of Seattle, but I really had no choice. I did my very best to stay in Seattle. I leave with my head high."

I was pretty surprised reading the comment section as it seems to be a bunch of people defending Tate, but reading this article makes me feel like he is all about himself and was offended by the contract offer the Seahawks gave "the great Golden Tate". The quotes in here make him sound like a complete and utter asshole to me.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Golden Tate says Seattle Seahawks' contract offer was 'laughable' - ESPN

From ESPN:



I was pretty surprised reading the comment section as it seems to be a bunch of people defending Tate, but reading this article makes me feel like he is all about himself and was offended by the contract offer the Seahawks gave "the great Golden Tate". The quotes in here make him sound like a complete and utter asshole to me.

His exit interview with Softie was a lot different. I feel it's just a reaction to twitter and fans who expected him to take what ever the Seahawks offered, which truthfully wasn't a great offer.

 

[Logicallylethal]

Players need to stop reacting to twitter when it comes to fans making the comments.

For every great fan base there's always going to be that small percentage of people who say dumb things. And with the internet now...instead of it being said at the bar with your buddies...it's now being said online and directed at the player for them to see

I mean Tate is an educated guy...he has to expect some backlash for leaving. It's not like he's Edgar Martinez or Gary Payton to this city. I mean even when Griffey left there were some people who turned on Griffey. It's just the nature of the sport and the business.

 

[BoBlake]

Players need to stop reacting to twitter when it comes to fans making the comments.

For every great fan base there's always going to be that small percentage of people who say dumb things. And with the internet now...instead of it being said at the bar with your buddies...it's now being said online and directed at the player for them to see

I mean Tate is an educated guy...he has to expect some backlash for leaving. It's not like he's Edgar Martinez or Gary Payton to this city. I mean even when Griffey left there were some people who turned on Griffey. It's just the nature of the sport and the business.

Exactly. Not to mention that the one's the are pissed off are always the most vocal. That's true about everything.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Players need to stop reacting to twitter when it comes to fans making the comments.

For every great fan base there's always going to be that small percentage of people who say dumb things. And with the internet now...instead of it being said at the bar with your buddies...it's now being said online and directed at the player for them to see

I mean Tate is an educated guy...he has to expect some backlash for leaving. It's not like he's Edgar Martinez or Gary Payton to this city. I mean even when Griffey left there were some people who turned on Griffey. It's just the nature of the sport and the business.

Yeah but in his defense, I really think he really wanted to resign with the Seahawks ,but it was unrequited love from the Seahawks, so he's hurt that he's the one getting the hate.

 

[SonnyCID]

Heard this interview on my way home today and I completely understand where he's coming from. The Hawks are not above criticism from these guys and as long as they are offering 40-50% less for drafted impact players and opening up the wallet big time for guys from other teams, players are going to leave on shitty terms.

 

[Logicallylethal]

Yeah but in his defense, I really think he really wanted to resign with the Seahawks ,but it was unrequited love from the Seahawks, so he's hurt that he's the one getting the hate.

I completely understand that side too. That's why I have nothing but love for Tate and hope he thrives in that Lion's offense. Matter fact I'm probably gonna draft him in fantasy football next year lol

With that said though...I am curious as to how low the offer was from the Seahawks. I heard John Clayton mention 4.5 a year, but he was just speculating just like we are.

 

[SonnyCID]

I completely understand that side too. That's why I have nothing but love for Tate and hope he thrives in that Lion's offense. Matter fact I'm probably gonna draft him in fantasy football next year lol

With that said though...I am curious as to how low the offer was from the Seahawks. I heard John Clayton mention 4.5 a year, but he was just speculating just like we are.

Tate said 40-50% less and he was going to make more this year in Detroit than the first two years in Seattle's offer.

 

[Mariners_44]

The Hawks are not above criticism from these guys and as long as they are offering 40-50% less for drafted impact players and opening up the wallet big time for guys from other teams, players are going to leave on shitty terms.

This point has been mentioned multiple times by multiple outlets. I don't personally agree with the thought that the Hawks needed to invest into Tate rather than opening up their wallet for Harvin. When you have a chance to go out and get a player of his stature there is absolutely nothing wrong in doing so. The Hawks have a great track record for paying the guys that have stepped up, and in my opinion Tate has valued his performance far more than it actually was. The Hawks valued Tate as a player within a system that weighs heavily on running, and when you see the fly sweep from Harvin in the SB you realize what they valued in him over someone like Tate. I can't dog the guy for leaving and have a ton of respect for the fact that I truly felt like he wanted to stay. At the end of the day you are only worth what someone is willing to pay, and we weren't willing to pay enough.

 

[WizardHawk]

Welcome to the modern world Tate.

Fans have more avenues to voice their opinions and vent their frustrations and now players are getting to see what was always there before, but far less expressed in public.

I'm not mad at Tate at all. He does need to chill on the 12's as of course they are going to be upset. I mean HE said he would give a home town discount. Had he not said that this would be less than half of what he is getting.

Tate wanted to be played like a big time WR on a passing team. The Seahawks wanted to pay him like a mid level WR playing on a running team. Neither was at fault and some of the fans are going way overboard.

Golden will always hold a special place in Seahawk history and several of his plays throughout the season were key to bringing us our first championship. Whatever he does now won't change that.

 

[David_son]

Wasn't Tate who said at the beginning of the offseason he would take less to stay in Seattle... So much for that huh.

 

[SonnyCID]

This point has been mentioned multiple times by multiple outlets. I don't personally agree with the thought that the Hawks needed to invest into Tate rather than opening up their wallet for Harvin. When you have a chance to go out and get a player of his stature there is absolutely nothing wrong in doing so. The Hawks have a great track record for paying the guys that have stepped up, and in my opinion Tate has valued his performance far more than it actually was. The Hawks valued Tate as a player within a system that weighs heavily on running, and when you see the fly sweep from Harvin in the SB you realize what they valued in him over someone like Tate. I can't dog the guy for leaving and have a ton of respect for the fact that I truly felt like he wanted to stay. At the end of the day you are only worth what someone is willing to pay, and we weren't willing to pay enough.

I dont think he was necessarily overvaluing himself. I just think that his value and Seattle's budget didn't line up, obviously it wasn't even close.

 

[RegentDenali]

Whatever. I believe the Lions overpaid for him. The Seahawks were not going to commit 6+ mil/5 years for Golden Tate. The Seahawks offer was reported to be 4-5 range.

This was simply a situation where a team was more desperate for him and paid for it.

Wish him well as long as we aren't playing the Lions. Besides that, buh bye.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

The only thing that's laughable is how much the Lions paid for him.

 

[dude82]

I like Tate, but he's digging himself a hole here. I understand that he felt under-appreciated by the Seahawks based on the offer they apparently made to him compared to what he was looking for, but even if he thought the terms were "laughable", he's really not helping his lasting impression here by using that term to describe the offer publicly. He just opened himself up to more criticism on Twitter. You'd think a young guy whose entire career to this point has coincided with the rise of social media would be more adept at handling criticism on the net. He's only going to get more of it now. Hopefully he handles this round better.

 

[dkmightyhammer]

I doubt the Hawks offered him "40% less". That sounds like Tate hyperbole to me. I'm sure Seattle's offer was reasonable. Plus outside of Detroit were there any other teams willing to pay big to get Tate? If there was then maybe he has a point, but I'd bet most teams offers were probably more in line with Seattle's numbers than Detroit's.


I liked Tate a lot and I hope he does well in Detroit but I'm not sure we needed to pay him what Detroit is and I'm also not sure he'll be missed as much as he thinks he will since Harvin will fully back into the offense and Kearse's game seems to be stepped up.

 

[Uhsplit]

It is unfortunate that some idiotic fans would slam GT for taking the $. A very high percentage of posts that I have read in this forum and others showed a vast majority of fans wishing GT well and thanks for the memories.
It is also unfortunate that GT had to air our contract discussions and label them laughable. Not at all professional.

 

[seattlefan75]

The only thing that's laughable is how much the Lions paid for him.

Thats exactly what I said they paid a lot of money for a player that didnt make a pro bowl and the highlight season of his time here as a starter was 898 yards and 5 touchdowns? That man can leave

 

[cdumler7]

Thats exactly what I said they paid a lot of money for a player that didnt make a pro bowl and the highlight season of his time here as a starter was 898 yards and 5 touchdowns? That man can leave

You have to remember though in that that Seattle if I recall ran the ball more than any other team in the NFL. So a receiver having 900 yards receiving in a very run heavy offense would be like maybe 1100 yards and say 7-8 touchdowns in an offense like that of Detroit. Throw in he does have special teams ability as well so that should increase his value.

Now I am not saying Detroit didn't overpay for him but he does have some attributes that many teams are looking for.

Also on the 40% less it actually is right at that $4 million mark so really it aligns with news reports of what Seattle offered him. I mean this year alone he is making $9.5 million with his $8 million signing bonus. So him saying he would make as much in one year as he would in Seattle for 2 could actually be accurate.

 

[Banned 10x]

It is unfortunate that some idiotic fans would slam GT for taking the $. A very high percentage of posts that I have read in this forum and others showed a vast majority of fans wishing GT well and thanks for the memories.
It is also unfortunate that GT had to air our contract discussions and label them laughable. Not at all professional.

I've never understood why people get angry for anybody to leave for the big bucks. Everybody, even the ones criticizing, would've left to Detroit as well.