Currently, the NFL is in the middle of its free agency period, where teams look to capitalize on available players and cut those who could not produce on the field or were taking up too much of the salary cap. At the same time team front offices are making these deals, many free agents are demanding bigger contracts from their respective teams, or are excepting bigger paychecks from teams that showed interest in the player.
It’s astounding how much money these players can demand and receive. For example, Steve Jackson, former St. Louis Rams running back, accepted the Atlanta Falcons’ offer of a three-year, $12 million contract, with $4 million guaranteed. Cliff Avril signed a two-year, $13 million dollar contract with the Seattle Seahawks. Perhaps one of the biggest contract negotiations during the 2013 free agency was with quarterback Joe Flacco. Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens agreed upon a six-year contract worth over $120 million. This deal would make him the highest paid quarterback in NFL history.
The amount of money these players make is amazing yet terrible at the same time. In one lifetime, most people in the world will never see the amount of money these players make in a year. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the unemployment rate for those between the age of 18 and 29 increased to 13.1 percent in January, and the national unemployment rate is at 7.6 percent. It’s terrible that when many people in the United States are still searching for jobs after months of unemployment, these players are demanding higher salaries or threatening to move to another team.
Granted, there are those athletes who are taking pay-cuts, yet these players don’t receive as much attention. Tom Brady, the pretty boy quarterback of the New England Patriots, recently took a pay-cut to his contract. However, instead of complaining, Brady said, “Athletes are always talking about money at a time when everyone else is struggling so badly to make it. We all make way more than our fair share. And I just think it reflects poorly on myself and my teammates. I really do just want to win, and that has and will continue to be the reason that motivates me.”
As much as I hate agreeing with a Patriots player, and more specifically Brady, what he said is 100 percent true. Players should take heed in what Brady said and follow his example the next time they want to whine about not receiving that extra $2 million on their contract.