When you retire from the National Football League, how much money can you potentially make? Many people think that retiring from the NFL will leave you with a considerable fortune, but the truth is that only a few players ever become wealthy from the sport. This is the story of my personal journey with becoming financially secure after retiring from football.
My first year out of the NFL, I was living paycheck to paycheck. I didn’t have any post-retirement income and wasn’t sure what to do with myself. Being an NFL player, I had always envisioned making tons of money once I was done with the sport. Little did I know that things would be much different without a salary and bonuses coming in from the NFL.
To make matters worse, my body was still recovering from all the abuse I put it through over the years playing football – physically I don’t think I was ever the same! I still had medical expenses to cover and all the other bills started to pile up really quickly.
Fortunately, I was able to get some relief from NFL benefits. Thankfully, the NFL provides some level of financial support to retired players. I was issued a disability check each month, which help pay for my ongoing medical bills. This was a godsend as I was able to go to physical therapy to help recover more quickly from my football-related injuries.
Additionally, I joined a teammate in their new business venture, golfing holiday retreats. This gave me something of an income to help cover day-to-day expenses, and I also had the benefit of getting to be around another former NFL player who was still in-the-know about the business world around the sport.
It wasn’t until I got involved in broadcasting that I started to make real money. I was able to parlay my experience in the NFL and my connections into a respectable salary as a sports commentator. If I had to assign a monetary value to my experience in the NFL, I’d say it’s been invaluable to this day.
I have since managed to build a very successful career in broadcasting and even started my own business – a marketing agency for athletes. While I’m not rolling in money, I am comfortably in the black and have been able to provide for myself and my family.
To me, it’s not about how much you make when you retire from the NFL, it’s about what you choose to do with your life afterwards. Being an NFL player was a once in a lifetime experience and it helped set the foundation for me to make something of my life post-football. For me, it’s not about the money, but the legacy.