Hey there, honey. You know, I been watchin’ them NFL games on the TV for years, and I always wondered somethin’. This Thanksgiving, them boys is out there playin’ football, while most folks is home with their families eatin’ turkey. So, I been thinkin’, do them NFL players get paid extra for playin’ on Thanksgiving? It don’t seem fair if they don’t, right?
Well, I did some askin’ around, you know, just like I ask about the price of eggs down at the market. And what I found out, it kinda surprised me. It seems like these NFL players, they don’t get no extra money for playin’ on Thanksgiving. Can you believe it? They get their regular pay, just like any other Sunday game. I reckon it’s in their contracts or somethin’, you know, those fancy papers they sign when they become big-shot football players.
Now, I heard some folks sayin’ that them NFL players, they get paid more for them playoff games. That’s when things get real serious, you know, like when we’re tryin’ to get the last jar of pickles at the county fair. But for Thanksgiving? Nope, nothin’ extra. It’s like they’re just expected to be out there, rain or shine, holiday or not. And they make a lot of money, these fellas. More money than I’ve seen in my whole life, that’s for sure.
I seen them talkin’ about somethin’ called a “collective bargainin’ agreement.” Sounds like a bunch of fancy lawyer talk to me. But from what I understand, it’s like a big rule book for the NFL players and the team owners. And in that rule book, it says how much money everyone gets. And for the Super Bowl, now that’s a big deal! I heard the players on the winnin’ team get a whole heap of money. Like, enough to buy a whole farm!
So, what do these NFL players do on Thanksgiving, you ask? Well, just like us regular folks, they probably miss their families somethin’ awful. I imagine they got their own traditions, just like we do. Maybe they have a big feast after the game, or maybe they just call their mamas on the phone and tell ’em they love ’em.
- They play the game.
- They maybe eat turkey later.
- They probably call their families.
- They get paid the same, no extra pay.
I remember back in the day, they started this whole Thanksgiving football thing with a team called the Lions. Some fella named George started it, they say. Wanted folks to come watch the Lions play, just like folks used to come to the barn dances back when I was a girl. It was a gimmick, they called it. A way to get people interested. And it worked, I reckon. ‘Cause everyone watches football on Thanksgiving now!
You know, it ain’t easy bein’ an NFL player. They gotta be tough, like an old workhorse. And they gotta follow the rules, or else they get in trouble. I heard if they do somethin’ wrong, they can get suspended, which means they don’t get paid at all! It’s like gettin’ grounded when you’re a kid, but way worse. They gotta miss a bunch of games, and that means a whole lot of money they ain’t gettin’.
And you know what else I heard? Them cheerleaders, they only get paid for each game. They don’t get a regular salary like the players. It ain’t right, I tell ya. They work just as hard, jumpin’ around and smilin’ and all that. They should get paid more, if you ask me. But the NFL, it’s a big business, and I guess they got their own way of doin’ things.
So, to answer your question, honey, no, them NFL players, they don’t get paid extra for playin’ on Thanksgiving. They get their regular pay, just like any other game. But they do get paid more for them playoff games, and especially for the Super Bowl. It’s a hard life, bein’ an NFL player, but I reckon it’s a good one too. They get to do what they love, and they get paid a whole lot of money for it. Even if they gotta work on Thanksgiving.
But you know, money ain’t everything. Family is important too. And I hope them NFL players get to spend some time with their families, even if it’s just for a little while. After all, that’s what Thanksgiving is all about, ain’t it? Bein’ together and bein’ thankful for what you got. Even if you gotta play a football game first.
