Posted by Will BrinsonPeyton Hillis isn't hurt, per se, but the old "Madden Curse" might be beating him down worse than anyone before him. Hillis is having contract issues with the Browns and his desire to play while injured is being heavily scrutinized in the media.
That scrutiny's likely to get worse: against the Dolphins on October 2, Hillis sat out with strep throat, and he said this week that he could have played. Well, to be more accurate, Hillis said that the only reason he sat out was because that's what his agent advised him to do.
"He was just looking out for me," Hillis said of his agent Kennard McGuire, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. "That's what he's there for, so I have to give him thanks, too. Because I'm stubborn and hardheaded and I like to go out there and play even though I was probably not up for it."
Naturally, McGuire has Hillis' best interests in mind. But those best interests also include -- if not primarily revolve around -- Hillis getting paid by the Browns and that means that the speculation as to whether or not Hillis sat out because of not getting a deal is only going to get cranked up.
For my money, I don't buy that this is as big a deal as some want to make it. Does Hillis want a new deal and more money? Well, duh. He ran for 1,197 yards in 2010, which was almost three times his previous career total.
Do the Browns want to get Hillis a new deal? I would guess so -- he really does embody what the city's all about, and he's an absolute workhorse. I can't imagine they want to pay him based strictly on 2010, however, but it seems safe to say that they'd like to get him inked to a reasonable extension.
Look, this is the quandary that NFL players find themselves in. Play and get hurt and don't get paid and you're disposable. Immediately. Don't play and don't get hurt and maybe get paid after a public contract dispute and you'll be looked as greedy by fans.
And either way, the media will cover it extensively. It's a lose-lose-lose situation for Hillis and it'll continue to be that way until he stops appearing on the cover of Madden gets healthy and signs a new deal.
For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, subscribe to our NFL newsletter, and while you're add it, add our RSS Feed.
