The Cowboys Made a Draft Prospect Sign 'Work Ethic' Contract As Condition of Picking Him

UCF defensive tackle Trystn Hill had some question marks coming into the draft; he played very little in his final game, a loss to LSU in the Fiesta Bowl, and made it quite clear that he didn’t agree with his lack of playing time. Despite his talent and level of production, such a public spat with his coaching staff is a big red flag for teams big on character and teamwork, which is…. pretty much every team.

The Cowboys decided to take the chance in the second round, but with a caveat. Cowboys reporter Clarence E. Hill Jr. reports the Cowboys required Hill to sign a work ethic contract with defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli before picking him, an unusual contingency to have outside of his normal contract with the team.

In the article, Marinelli said he requires every player under his guidance to sign such a contract, an old-school move for an old-school coach. This kind of contract hasn’t made its way to the public eye before, and while the specifics remain unknown, it’s still an odd move. Why not put the work ethic specifications in his normal contract?

The NFLPA may have something to say about coaches requiring players to sign separate contracts before it’s all said and done.