Thomas Is Awarded $200,000

Former NFL cornerback Pat Thomas has won a $200,000 grievance settlement for breach of contract from both the Raiders and the Rams. Arbitrator Sam Kagel ruled that each club owes Thomas $100,000 for breaching his 1983 player contract.

The decision stemmed from a grievance filed in 1983 after Thomas passed the Rams’ preseason physical, was traded to the Raiders before he began practice and then subsequently failed the Raiders’ physical.

Under a provision of Thomas’ contract, he was to receive his full $200,000 salary if he failed the preseason physical in 1983 as a result of a 1982 injury.

The Rams argued that they owed Thomas nothing because he had passed their physical. The Raiders refused to pay, claiming that they were defrauded by the Rams because Thomas was “damaged goods.”

In finding in favor of Thomas, Kagel ruled that the Rams had acted “improperly” in announcing Thomas fit to play.