Would more money have lured Strahan back?

Michael Strahan insists that his decision to retire wasn’t at all about the money. I’ll take him at his word on that, but I still think money would have helped. Money had been an issue on more than one occasion during his 15-year career, including last offseason before he decided to sit out of training camp and ponder retirement. He also had a bitter battle with the Giants back in 2002 over whether they could split his signing bonus over two seasons, prior to signing a seven-year, $46 million deal. And I reported earlier this offseason that Strahan was hoping for one final big payday as a condition for returning in 2008. Despite the headline, he never said that it was “$8 million or goodbye,” but I did have two sources telling me that $8 million (equivalent to what Jason Taylor will earn in Miami this season) was what Strahan was hoping to be paid if he returned. He had been talking with at least one team executive and was under the impression, according to those sources, that the ... (link)