You know, folks always be askin’, why do NFL players make so much money? That’s a whole lotta dough, ain’t it? Well, I ain’t no expert, but I’ll tell ya what I think. It’s like this whole big thing, ya see?
First off, them NFL players, they be on the TV all the time. Everybody watches ’em. Like, the whole country just stops and watches them games. So, them TV folks, they pay a heap of money to show them games. It is called TV deals. And that money, well, a bunch of it goes to them players. It is the main source of money, I think.
And then, you got all them people goin’ to the games. Have you seen how many folks they pack into them stadiums? It’s a sight, I tell ya! They said one stadium can have 70,000 people. And each of them paid, maybe 100 dollars. So one game can make 7 million dollars. And them tickets ain’t cheap, neither. So, that’s another way they get all that money, ticket sales you know.
- TV deals bring in big bucks.
- Lots of people go to the games.
- Tickets cost a lot.
Now, them players, they don’t just get paid one way. Oh no, it’s all complicated like. They get this thing called a signing bonus, I think, when they first sign up. Then they got their regular pay, their base salary, ya know, like what we used to get paid every week at the factory, but way, way more. And then they get extra money, bounties, if they do good, I reckon. I heard the average salary for an NFL player in 2023 was around $3 million per year. It is a lot.
But here’s the thing, every little thing can change how much they get paid. Like, if they get hurt, or if the team ain’t doin’ so good. It’s like walkin’ on eggshells, I imagine. And they got this thing called a salary cap. It’s like a limit, ya see? Each team can only spend so much money on all their players. So, the big shots at the team, they gotta decide who gets paid what and who they gotta let go. The managers need to pick and choose.
I heard that the salary cap and players’ salaries have gone up over the last couple of decades. Except for the post-COVID year in 2021, the cap has increased yearly for decades.
And, you know, them players, they work hard. I mean, real hard. They’re out there practicin’ all the time, rain or shine. They’re like them workhorses we used to have on the farm, always goin’, always doin’ somethin’. And they put their bodies through a lot. It ain’t easy, what they do. Starting salaries are $660,000. I also heard that they dedicate years to their sport, and earning millions even in short careers averaging three and a half years.
So, you got all that TV money, and all them people buyin’ tickets. And then you got these players, workin’ their tails off. They said NFL players are among the highest-paid athletes globally. It makes sense, I guess, that they’d get paid a lot. But still, it’s a whole lot of money, ain’t it? Seems like more money than anyone needs, really.
But, ya know, folks love watchin’ them games. They love seein’ them players run and jump and tackle each other. It’s excitin’, I suppose. And as long as folks keep watchin’ and keep payin’, them players are gonna keep gettin’ that big money. That’s just the way it is, I reckon. They held out for more money last offseason.
It’s all a big circle, ya see? The fans pay the money, the TV pays the money, and it all goes around and around, and a big chunk of it lands in them players’ pockets. They are the stars, after all. It is important to know why NFL players command such high salaries. So, why do NFL players make so much money? That’s why.
Anyways, that’s my two cents on the whole thing. Maybe it makes sense, maybe it don’t. But that’s how it is in this crazy world, I guess. Just gotta keep on truckin’, as they say.
