Lockout hasn't forced Cleveland Browns to cut back on employees' salaries

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As the NFL owners' lockout stretched into its third month, some teams are implementing paycuts for low-salaried employees to save dimes in their $9 billion enterprise.

The Miami Herald reported that the Dolphins informed employees last week they will cut pay 20 percent for anyone making more than $75,000. Lower-salaried employees will take cuts of 15 or 10 percent.

Other teams that previously imposed paycuts include the Cardinals, Bills, Jets, Packers, Chargers and Raiders, according to reports. The Browns are holding firm to not institute any cuts at present.

Although they are downsizing the security department, say several sources, the Browns have not demanded paycuts, furloughs or other cost-cutting measures. They are holding true to comments made by President Mike Holmgren a few days after the lockout started on March 12.

At that time, Holmgren said, "It's going to be business as usual in the building for the Cleveland Browns. Our philosophy is that we're going to keep people working. We have a lot of good people working hard, doing their jobs, and we will continue to do that." 

Last month, the NFL reduced salaries of its employees by 12 percent. Previously, Commissioner Roger Goodell and chief legal counsel Jeff Pash reduced their salaries to $1 until the lockout ends.

Two months ago, Holmgren joked, "I'm going on record. I am not working for $1 a year." But he also said with caution, "If the time comes where financially we get struck down, it probably starts with me."

Just about every head coach and assistant coach hired in the last three years has lockout language in their contracts, but most don't take effect until 90 days into the lockout. The current lockout reached 64 days on Sunday.

Larry Kennan, head of the NFL Coaches Association, which is not a formal union, said "a lot" of teams began taking money out of coaches salaries at the start of the lockout. He estimated as many as 13 teams currently are deducting coaches' pay.

"There are several teams that have clauses that say they can take money, but they haven't done so yet," Kennan said in an interview on Friday. He said 90 days is more of a benchmark to do so than 60 days.

Kennan said the Browns "are one of the better teams that are not going to do that until they feel they have to. With the Browns, it might be six months before they take any money from their coaches.

"That's kind of the benchmark for some of the real good teams that don't want to take money. Six months would take you up to September when the games are not being played. So they would have to do something at that point." 

By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer