Good statistics (even though the salary figures are several years old) from the NFLPA as to why a college football player should stay in school and graduate before going to the NFL. Playing the odds (if you stay in school and graduate) you will have a better chance of making the team, playing for more years, and making more money over your NFL career. In addition you will have a degree that should help you "in life after football".
Why is education important in becoming an NFL player?
Education is crucial for success to become an NFL player or a success at any career. Completing a college degree will not only prepare players for life after football, but it also seems to pay off during a player's career. Players with degrees earn 20 to 30% more than players who don't have degrees. They also have a career that lasts about 50% longer. While there is not one answer for why players with degrees have stronger careers, one theory is that players who show the intelligence, concentration, and mental discipline to complete a degree show these qualities on the field more. Doing well in school from an early age also helps players develop the concentration they will need to memorize plays and avoid eligibility problems in high school and college.
How long do most NFL careers last?
The average length of an NFL career is about 3 and a half seasons. Although there are some exceptional players who have long careers that extend 10 or twelve seasons and beyond, most players only stay active for about three seasons. Players leave the game because of injury, self-induced retirement, or being cut by the team. This also means that while players may make more money than most people, they are only making it for an average of three and a half years. To make sure they are successful in the future, players must invest their money well and make plans for another career when they can no longer play football.
What are my chances of becoming an NFL Player?
While many young people every year set their goals on becoming NFL players, it is extremely difficult to reach that level. Statistically of the 100,000 high school seniors who play football every year, only 215 will ever make an NFL roster. That is 0.2%! Even of the 9,000 players that make it to the college level only 310 are invited to the NFL scouting combine, the pool from which teams make their draft picks. As you can see, most people who want to become NFL players will not. Therefore it is very important to come up with alternative plans for the future.
How much do NFL Players make?
Despite what most people think, not all NFL players are millionaires! For example in 2000, the minimum salary for rookies was $193,000. While the highest paid players in the league can make $7-8 million per year, most players make much less than that. Each team is given a cap on how much they can spend on the players every year called a salary cap (about $62 million in 2000). The best players, usually the starters, take the most room under the cap, while the backups and practice squad players are paid less. This year, the average NFL salary was $1.1 million. Qualifying players also receive a wide variety of fringe benefits including pre-season pay, life, dental and medical insurance, severance pay, disability benefits and pension coverage.
NFL Players Association - FAQs - NFL Hopefuls Faq
Congratulations on making the right decision: Joe Laurinaitis, Alex Boone, Malcolm Jenkins, Marcus Freeman, and Brian Robiskie; and have a great senior year.
