However, once their careers are over, they are likely subjected to medical costs FAR beyond anything the average American will ever see.

Take a player earning $1M per year for the average 4 seasons… Even if he saves $3M of that, the league does not have a health plan.

Now you have a person who, almost by definition, is a physical freak. He is heading towards his 30′s weighing 250+ pounds with an enlarged heart from the workouts, with multiple lingering injuries from the game. Maybe even concussion effects.

And all he has is maybe a communications degree from a university that sailed him through without worrying about his marks. So the job prospects are not great, especially if he starts suffering from any of the lloming medical problems.

This person will eventually need new knees, new hips, fused vertebrae, wheelchair access to his house, as well as medications. Without that health plan, he will run through $3M pretty damn quick.

So while I generally agree that players need o manage their money better, the league could also do a better job of post-career care of the guys who’s violent collisions earn the ratings.

What I do have an issue with is blatant violation of man law. If another man who is YOUR Teamate and is apparently in a bad enough situation to put his pride aside and lower himself to ask for a loan; say NO. COOl! ……But don’t run to the next media hound and throw your whole lockeroom under the bus just to make yourself look Good and Responsible. With short sided decision making like that YOU may be on the other end of that conversation one day.

The two ton elephant here is the NFL is by far the most violent sports league that by definition creates the shortest careers and physical trauma that often has lifelong affect. And what makes that elephant pink is the NFL has minimal guaranteed contracts unlike those other leagues.

@espnfeedback

Handling it the right way? I dont think talking about teammates money problems or private conversations he has with them in the media is the right way to handle it. It doesnt matter if he didnt name names I bet everyone on the team knows who hes talking about. You say u didnt wanna lend money so u wouldnt be beefing with a teammate but telling the world about it is ok. Real smart. He should just keep that stuff to himself instead of looking for a pat on the back from the media for being “smart” with his money.

No he isnt hes 100% a defensive end.

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What college kid has any experience managing big money? Maybe Reggie Bush. Allegedly.

Then the patriots drafted Devin McCourty. Wasn’t sad after I saw him play. . .

But on topic, I think this is just another example of a smart move on Graham’s part.

Pink slips surely coming for some of the ‘dancers’ on Delaware Avenue.

The lowest pick in the draft makes a hefty 6-digit income! Whoever is buggin’ Graham for money needs to learn how to have some self-control….stop buying so much STUFF, and you will have money when you need it!

Good for you Brandon!

Just athletes and lottery winners? Try most of America, our government for decades, and anyone in between. Just because people make more money isn’t going to mke them be more careful with money…it often means exactly the opposite.

And they dont run a 4-3 .. have u seen the personel they put out there?
they run a 2-5

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Well most of them went to best Universities the country has to offer for free.

If they didn’t learn anything then its their own damn fault for taking sociology/communication classes just so they could focus on football.

If you’re a scrub, you’re talking maybe $750,000 or so to handle all of those issues, not to mention family concerns and a host of other issues for the rest of your life. It sounds easy to say, just get a regular job, but obviously a number of these guys aren’t equipped to do other work, not that they won’t try to do other work…look at how many of them fail at business who have business degrees.

Even if you have a degree, that doesn’t make you qualified to take a job in that field, not to mention the studies that are showing how mentally screwed up most of these guys are from the toll their bodies and brains go through.

Just saying, don’t criticize when you have no idea what they go through.

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LOL, can your wife play DE?

There are people from all walks of life, and all different ranges of income, that don’t know how to manage their money. Just because you make tons of money doesn’t mean you’re all of a sudden going to know how to spend it. In fact quite the opposite I think would occur.

And don’t forget these guys are trying to keep up with the Joneses. Just like in the real world, people live beyond their means, spend like crazy on things they don’t need, get themselves in debt, etc. These young players are probably even more pressured to show-off, because of who they are.

Whether you make 30K or 30Mil, no one is immune to the consequences of money mismanagement.