Toronto Argonauts’ James Wilder Jr. making tough decision on football future
In a personal statement, Toronto Argonauts’ running back James Wilder Jr. said that he plans to sit out the 2018 season due to lack of financial security.
The Toronto Argonauts offence took a big jump in the second half of the season and a reason for that was the emergence of James Wilder Jr. as a dual threat in the backfield.
Now it looks like the team could be without its most dynamic player as Wilder Jr. released a statement through 3DownNation saying that he will not play in the 2018 season.
It appears that the decision comes because of a lack of financial security for the 25-year-old. After rushing for 872 yards and another 51 receptions for 533 yards to go along with five touchdowns, the Argos made a big push towards the Grey Cup beating the Calgary Stampeders.
There is no secret to the pay different that players in the CFL receive in comparison to the NFL and Wilder Jr. was hoping to pursue opportunities down south when his agent received calls from teams.
“I wish it could be different. I don’t want to put my football dreams aside but as the father of four, playing for $56,000 Canadian (about $45,000 USD) without any protection from career-ending injury isn’t enough to give my family comfort,” Wilder explained in his statement.
“I’ve received expressions of interest from several NFL teams and I’ve reached out to the Argonauts on multiple occasions but have been told they won’t allow me to pursue those opportunities. They are also unwilling to re-negotiate my contract to reflect the value I believe I bring to the team.”
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Rookies in the CFL sign a standard two-year contract which pays the league minimum when they join the league while the NFL’s salary for first year players stands at $480,000 according to spotrac.
According to Wilder Jr. his intention was not to spend an extended period in the CFL which is fair given his age and skill set and at the same time it would be tough for the Argos to lose a player of his caliber.
In an interview with 3DownNation, Wilder Jr. cites a stretch last season when he suffered a concussion as a factor in this decision.
"“It was a wake-up call after I got a concussion this year and played through injuries. If an injury was to happen here it’s just ‘thank you for the time you put in here’ and they send you home. I don’t want to be part of that statistic.” Wilder Jr. said."
The Tampa native said that he is working a construction job in Dallas which takes away time for the training, he even goes to the YMCA so that someone can watch his children as he trains.
This is not the first time that the issue of pay has been brought up, former CFL top Canadian and Lou Marsh Trophy winner Jon Cornish was working at TD Canada Trust bank, in the offseason and off-and-on during the season.
Players in both leagues have had to make the tough call on their future in football with the rising concerns with brain injuries. It is not an ideal position because these players want to play the sport but there is also the reality of a tough life if things do not work out.
Now Wilder Jr. said that he would consider coming back to the CFL if he was given a pay increase or another way to earn income. With the Argos now under the ownership of MLSE maybe there are sponsorship or endorsement deals that he could earn in Toronto which has allowed similar opportunities for star players.
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It is a tough place where the team’s hands are tied in a way and the player has to make a tough decision. Wilder Jr. has decided that providing for his family is more important than pursuing his dream of playing football.