Pittsburgh Steelers left tackle Max Starks was the only offensive player to play ever snap in 2012 and he picked up a nice little bonus for his efforts.
Brian McIntyre of Yahoo Sports reported on Wednesday that Starks earned $272,590 in the NFL\’s 2012 performance-based pay program for accomplishing that.
The performance-based pay benefit program was started by the league and the players union as part of the 2002 extension to the CBA. It was, however, suspended for the 2010 and \’11 seasons because of the expiration of the CBA and subsequent lockout.
In 2012, each team was allocated around $3.46 million and the payouts to not count against the salary cap as it is a benefit similar to health insurance or a 401k.
Starks was an unrestricted free agent last off-season and re-signed late as he was rehabbing from the knee injury that suffered in the 2011 playoffs. He played well at left tackle, but is now once again an unrestricted free agent this off-season.
Starks said after the 2012 season ended that he was hoping to return to the Steelers in 2013, but made it known that he is not interested in being a backup.
