The Real Deal: NFL Salaries
Graphic By: Rachel Thomason

I received a couple of responses to an article I wrote last week that really caught my attention. I wrote an article about how the Giants and Eagles looked pretty impressive in their first games of the season. I was expecting responses from Giants and Eagles fans or maybe even people who don't like the Giants and Eagles, but what I got was kind of surprising. Here are two of the responses I got.

"Man I wish I could be in the NFL where I can crack a nail and sit on the bench and still get my $20 million."

"What's the deal with these huge salaries....there are people in this world that will work ten times as hard and will never see that kind of money.....oh forgive me they do product endorsement, that makes it better."

These comments really caught me off guard. What's up with all the player hating? As my man Stuart Scott of ESPN says on more than one occasion, "don't hate the player...hate the game". First and foremost, what player do you know that makes $20 million dollars to sit on the bench? There isn't one. Do you know what the average NFL salary is? Last time I checked it was between $132,000-$300,000. That's right. Not in the trillions like everyone thinks. People think just because you wear an NFL uniform you're rich. That's not always the case.

Responses:
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Name: The Shape
Comments:
Some of these guys get additional green through promotional items, ads, and merchandise. That could add up to a lot more than their $132K. However, these guys are supposed to be professionals and out there playing the game and giving me my moneys worth. Its sad that they would rather be tied up in contract signing and politics rather than playing the game they supposedly love.

Name: DevilFanFacesWryJeer
Comments:
$132,000 to do what comes naturally to them. Lucky bastards. And in terms of salaries these days, $132K may not mean you are rich, but you are in the upper income bracket.