Michael Oher - Pro Football Rumors

This Date In Transactions History: Panthers Shut Down Michael Oher

November 25th, 2021 at 10:40am CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2016, the Panthers placed Michael Oher on injured reserve. The move, in essence, capped Oher’s NFL career.

The left tackle had suffered a serious concussion, just months after inking a brand new three-year, $21.6MM extension. The new portion of that deal was set to start in 2017, but he never played a snap on that pact. Oher, of “Blind Side” fame, later ran into personal trouble. In the spring of ’17, he was alleged to have fought an Uber driver. Later on, he posted a picture to social media with what appeared to be prescribed medication for brain injuries.

In July of that year, the Panthers released Oher with a failed physical designation, which allowed him to collect injury compensation. Oher’s contract was over before it even began, and his NFL career was finished after just eight seasons in the NFL. Oher overcame adversity throughout his life to become a first-round pick and found his second wind with the Panthers after some rocky years with the Ravens and Titans.

The Panthers reached Super Bowl 50 with Oher as Cam Newton‘s protector and they hoped to keep him in that spot through at least 2019. Instead, Oher would see his last NFL down at the age of 30 and leave the game after starting in all 110 of his games.

This Date In Transactions History: Panthers Extend Michael Oher

June 17th, 2020 at 7:19pm CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2016, the Panthers agreed to a brand new three-year, $21.6MM deal with Michael Oher. Unfortunately, Oher never played a down under the new contract.

[Poll: Which First-Round WR Will Make The Biggest Impact In 2020?]

Oher, of “Blindside” fame, found his way to the Panthers after an up-and-down career with the Ravens and Titans. His first deal was a modest one – two years, $7MM – and he quickly proved to be a bargain. Oher played in 98.4% of the team’s snaps in 2015 as the starting left tackle. With Oher as Cam Newton‘s protector, the Panthers went all the way to Super Bowl 50 before losing to the Broncos.

With one year remaining on his contract, the Panthers wanted to lock Oher up long before he could reach the open market. Thanks to Oher’s personal progression and the progression of the tackle market, he netted more than $7MM per annum on his new deal from Dave Gettleman & Co.

The new deal was set to start in 2017, but things did not go according to plan. After just three games in the 2016 season, a concussion shut Oher down for the season. Then, in the offseason, things took a strange turn. Oher was alleged to have fought an Uber driver in the spring and later posted a picture to Instagram with what appeared to be bottles of prescription medication to deal with brain injuries. The now deleted photo was captioned, “All for the brain, [shaking my head].”

In July of that year, the Panthers released Oher with a failed physical designation. The move saved them just $1.69MM against the cap but allowed Oher to collect injury compensation. With that, Oher’s contract was over before it even began.

Extra Points: Rookies, Irving, Oher

July 22nd, 2017 at 12:52pm CST by Ben Levine

Last year, we saw first-round pick Joey Bosa hold out of training camp and refuse to sign his rookie contract. ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano believes we could several 2017 picks following this same path. There are still four first-round picks who haven’t signed their contracts, including 49ers defensive end Solomon Thomas, Titans wideout Corey Davis, Raiders cornerback Gareon Conley, and Browns safety Jabrill Peppers.

Graziano attributes the hold outs to “contract language.” Specifically, the writer notes that several front offices pursue some type of offset language, which would prevent players from double dipping in the event that they’re cut. On the flip side, agents are seeking annual salaries that mostly consist of a roster bonus, protecting their clients in the event of a suspension or fine.

Over the past two days, we’ve sign two first-round picks finally sign their rookie contracts, with both Jets safety Jamal Adams and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes inking their deals on Thursday.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFL…

Following a mysterious absence from camp on Friday, Cowboys defensive end David Irving has returned to the team, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). The player is subject to a $40K fine for the no-show, and Irving is already set to miss the first four games of the upcoming season due to suspension. The 23-year-old appeared in 15 games last season, compiling 17 tackles and four sacks.
A Nashville Uber driver has filed a lawsuit against free agent offensive lineman Michael Oher, according to Mike Reader of the Charlotte Observer. The lawsuit said that Oher “acted maliciously, intentionally, willfully, wantonly, recklessly and/or negligently,” with the driver claiming that the lineman pushed him, kicked him, and called him a homophobic slur. The former first-rounder was released by the Panthers earlier this week with a failed physical designation.
In case you missed it, veteran wideout Anquan Boldin is set to work out for the Bills next week.

Panthers Release Michael Oher

July 20th, 2017 at 3:41pm CST by Zachary Links

Michael Oher has been released by the Panthers with a failed physical designation, the team announced. The move has been anticipated for some time.

The reason for Oher’s failed physical has not been released, but odds are that Oher was cut due to complications stemming from the brain trauma he has suffered as of late. When considering Oher’s concussion history and erratic off-the-field behavior, it’s clear that Oher has bigger fish to fry before he worries about resurrecting his football career. It’s worth noting that Oher has been in the league’s concussion protocol since September, and no player has ever been in protocol this long and managed to return to live action.

By cutting Oher, the Panthers will save $1.69MM against the cap. Meanwhile, Oher will qualify for injury compensation.

In 2015, Oher appeared in all 16 regular season games for the Panthers graded out as a top-30 offensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. The Panthers rewarded him with a three-year, $21.6MM extension, but that deal has not worked out for Carolina. He was sidelines after three games in 2016 and formally placed on IR around Thanksgiving.

NFC Notes: Rodgers, Panthers, Elliott, Cards

July 18th, 2017 at 1:07pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Packers have not discussed a contract extension for Aaron Rodgers with his agent, David Dunn, the quarterback told a Milwaukee TV station last week (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com). Given that Rodgers still has three years left on the deal he signed in 2013, the Packers don’t have to work anything out imminently. However, on the possibility of Rodgers becoming the NFL’s highest-paid player again in the near future, team president Mark Murphy admitted to Demovsky, “You need to plan for it.” Unsurprisingly, Murphy added that the franchise regards re-upping the two-time league MVP as a priority. Rodgers topped all NFLers when he signed his five-year, $110MM deal four years ago, but salaries around him have increased significantly. As a result, the 33-year-old is set to rake in just the sixth-highest amount at his own position this season ($22MM).

Latest On Panthers, Michael Oher

July 13th, 2017 at 2:35pm CST by Zachary Links

Michael Oher‘s future with the Panthers is up in the air. What we do know, however, is that he will be in camp with the team when it’s time to report at the end of July, ESPN.com’s David Newton hears.

Panthers training camp gets underway on July 25 and Oher will be there, despite previous uncertainty from coach Ron Rivera.

“We’re going to go into training camp with the guys that we have,” Rivera said recently. “We’ll have 90 on our roster, and we’ll be ready to go with those guys.”

Oher was displaced from the starting left tackle spot when Matt Kalil was inked to a five-year, $55.5MM deal this offseason. The hope was that Oher could take over on the right side, but the Panthers could instead opt to cut ties with him, given all of his issues.

Oher entered into the NFL’s concussion protocol last September and, at last check, he has yet to be cleared. The tackle is also dealing with and personal issues and fallout from the alleged assault of an Uber driver in the spring.

No player in NFL history has ever spent this much time in concussion protocol and returned to the field. Soon, we should have some clarity on whether Oher will be the first.

NFC South Notes: Freeman, Panthers, Oher

June 16th, 2017 at 10:01am CST by Zachary Links

Devonta Freeman is staying patient with regards to his contract talks with the Falcons, as ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure writes. Freeman has already made a major mark on the franchise after becoming the first Falcons running back since Michael Turner (2010-11) to post back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. The Falcons obviously want to keep him in the fold beyond the final year of his rookie contract, but it may take some time for the two sides to come to terms. Freeman’s agent famously said that he wants him to be paid like an “elite” running back, but Atlanta would like to avoid going into Le’Veon Bell/LeSean McCoy territory with a new deal.

Here’s more out of the NFC South:

When asked about tackle Michael Oher, Panthers coach Ron Rivera said he’s preparing for camp with the 90 guys who will be on the roster, adding that the front office is “taking care of it,” (Twitter link via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer). Reading between the lines, it sounds like Rivera is not banking on having Oher with the team in 2017. Oher reported to Carolina’s minicamp this week, but he did not practice on the field with the rest of the team. As Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter) notes, nobody has ever been in the concussion protocol as long as Oher and returned to play in the NFL.
Wide receiver Willie Snead remains optimistic and hopeful that he’ll sign a long-term deal with the Saints before the season starts, Joel Erickson of The Advocate writes. “I think the guys upstairs are working on it,” Snead said. “I’m hopeful, and I just have to keep worrying about myself and staying healthy and doing all the right things. I know it’s going to be a handled, it’s going to take time, but I feel like we’ll get it done sooner or later.” Snead was retained for this year via the $615K exclusive rights free agent tender.
The Panthers named Bryan Porter as the team’s new director of football operations. Porter has been with the team since 2001 and has gradually moved his way up the ladder.
The Saints intend to sign linebacker/defensive end Royce LaFrance before the start of training camp, Nick Underhill of The Advocate hears (on Twitter).

Michael Oher Reports To Panthers

June 13th, 2017 at 1:59pm CST by Zachary Links

As Panthers’ mandatory minicamp gets underway, Michael Oher has reported to the team, as Jonathan Jones of Sports Illustrated tweets. However, the offensive tackle is not out on the field practicing.

There has been a great deal of speculation about Oher’s future in Carolina and his future in football in general. Oher hasn’t been near the team this offseason for a litany of reasons, including potential brain trauma, an alleged assault of an Uber driver, and “personal reasons.” The tackle met with GM Dave Gettleman in early May, but Gettleman hasn’t offered much in the way of details since then.

Last week, Oher was back in the news when he posted a picture to social media with what appeared to be bottles of prescription medication to deal with brain injuries. He has since deleted the picture which was captioned, “All for the brain smh.”

Oher is under contract with the Panthers through 2019 after signing a three-year, $21.6MM extension with the Panthers last summer. Right now the odds of Oher being in uniform for 2017 seem slim, but the Panthers also aren’t banking on him. Left tackle Matt Kalil, signed to a five-year, $55.5MM deal in March, is slated to start.

Michael Oher Could Be Done In Carolina

June 9th, 2017 at 6:56pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Panthers offensive tackle Michael Oher still hasn’t passed the NFL’s concussion protocol since suffering a brain injury that ended his season last September. Further concern over Oher’s status arose Friday when he posted a since-deleted picture on Instagram that showed 10 pill bottles with the caption, “All for the brain smh” (via Mike Chiari of Bleacher Report).

Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman responded to the post, telling Bill Voth of the team’s website, “I don’t know if Michael posted that photo or not. Regardless, my primary interest is Michael’s health.”

Oher has been away from the Panthers this offseason, thanks to a combination of concussion issues, a May 4 citation in his hometown of Nashville for an alleged assault of an Uber driver and “personal reasons,” but he has met with Gettleman. The GM informed Voth that he flew to Nashville on May 5 and sat down with the 31-year-old.

“We really had a great visit. We talked for an hour, had lunch, it was a very comfortable conversation,” said Gettleman. “We talked about a lot of things – nothing about football. It was about him, how he was doing and the issues he was dealing with. It started and ended well. And after we met, Michael did follow up for a few days. However, the communication has stopped.”

With talks between Oher and the Panthers having ceased, Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer tweets that the lineman is likely done in Carolina. For now, Oher’s under contract through 2019 after signing a three-year, $21.6MM extension with the Panthers last summer. Carolina has a mandatory minicamp next week, but it’s unknown whether Oher will attend.

“Our No. 1 priority is a healthy Michael Oher,” noted Gettleman. “This is not about football, this is about Michael.”

Latest On Panthers OT Michael Oher

May 22nd, 2017 at 3:08pm CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers were without Michael Oher for the bulk of 2016 after a brain injury kept him off the field. Now, the Panthers aren’t quite sure when they’ll get Oher back in the fold, and it’s not entirely related to his concussion issues.

Oher skipped the first five weeks of the Panthers’ voluntary OTAs and has given no indication that he plans to check in until the team’s mandatory minicamp next month, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes. Oher still has yet to be cleared from concussion protocol, but his absence is not solely because of the brain injury, nor is it strictly because of the fallout of his alleged fight with an Uber driver this spring. The tackle is dealing with other personal matters that are sidetracking him from football, Person hears.

A player’s absence from voluntary workouts is not newsworthy in and of itself, but given the multitude of issues Oher is facing, it’s fair to wonder if he’ll be ready to go for Carolina at all this season. After the Panthers signed left tackle Matt Kalil to a five-year, $55.5MM deal in March, Carolina isn’t necessarily banking on Oher in 2017. The Panthers are willing to give Oher time to work through his problems, Person hears, but they’re also worried about the extra weight he has gained this offseason.

The Panthers are tied to Oher for three more seasons. In 2017, Oher is slated to carry a cap number of $5.5MM, but the Panthers can lop off $2.5MM from that sum by releasing him.