Someone really needs to explain this to me. I was reading about the Patriots signing of wide receiver Donte Stallworth. It sounds like a good pickup for the Pats, although Stallworth has been injury prone and never really fulfilled the potential he showed out of college. If he can stay healthy, he gives the Pats the big play receiver they were lacking last season

The article notes the various bonuses that Stallworth is entitled to as part of the package, including a $300,000 workout bonus.

A workout bonus? Shouldn't the minimum expected requirement be that a professional athlete shows up for his job in great physical condition? It's like if I hired a new accountant and gave him a bonus because he is good at math.

This isn't the 1950's or '60's when most pro athletes needed to take off-season jobs to make ends meet and used training camp to get in shape for the season. These guys should be working out pretty much year-round. Giving a guy a bonus for doing what he should be doing as part of the preparation to do his job to the best of his ability just seems ludicrous.