Ex-player says Redskins tried to rent him a luxury box in his second year
Former Washington Redskins offensive lineman Ross Tucker told a story of how the team tried to rent him a luxury box at FedExField when he was a second-year player trying to make the roster, according to the Washington Post.
Tucker recounted how in May 2002, when Steve Spurrier was the head coach, an employee who handles the luxury box sales kept trying to rent one to him, despite knowing it would cost Tucker almost all of salary when you account for taxes. Moreover, Tucker he didn't even know if he would make that year's team.
From Tucker's account, according to the Post:
“Now, these things for the season were $125,000, and my salary was $300,000,” Tucker said. “And I’m not gonna say the guy’s name—nice enough guy, had a lot of pressure I’m sure to sell luxury boxes. But I’m like, first of all, I don’t even know if I’m going to make the team. And I’ll never forget, I’m sitting around with other offensive linemen that are also competing for these jobs. He comes up to me, he goes, ‘Hey Ross, I talked to some people, you’re good, you don’t need to worry about [making the team], you’re good.’ ”
“I’m like ‘Oh, okay. Really, in May, you’re telling me I made the team here in the lobby of Redskins Park? Thanks, that’s awesome, Luxury Box Guy.’ And then I said ‘okay, that’s fine, but it’s still too much money.’ He’s like ‘What if you split it?’ And I’m like, what is this guy not understanding? $300,000 after taxes is 150 grand. I’m not giving $65,000 [for a luxury box]. I’m 23 years old; why do I need to go in on a luxury box?”
• Then and Now: Darrelle Revis in 2015, Joe Namath in 1965
Not surprisingly, Tucker did not end up renting a luxury box that year. But he did feign enough interest in doing so to get his family and friends one for free during a preseason game he started.
- Molly Geary
