Odell Beckham says NFL players should "get paid more"

[molsaniceman]

If he doesnt like the pay dont sign the contract

I'm not disputing anything you're saying...but it's not really about the number of games, etc....it's about how much revenue the entity is bringing in period, gate, TV rights, licensing, etc....and if the NFL dishes out the same percentage of the gross revenue as MLB, NHL, etc...then your argue flies. The battle then shifts to how it's distributed.

I have no problem with the starting QB making the most money as he's the most important player on the team, but I really think the bottom feeders should make a lot more than currently.

For every ODB there are many more of these
Greg Robinson, St. Louis Rams (No. 2)
The tackle out of Auburn has yet to crack the starting lineup and has played 10 offensive snaps overall. The Rams' offensive line did not perform well last week against the Eagles and really has not been a strength all season long. But at this point, there don't appear to be any plans to get Robinson on the field.

To compare to mlb Trout his rookie year made 510,000 ODB will get his payday

 

[gowazzu02]

Hard to compare with roster size (53 nfl 25 mlb 23 nhl and 15 nba) and games played (16 nfl 162 mlb 82 nba+nhl) so much different

The real comparison is NFL Owners make WAY more then Baseball/MLB/NBA owners......

ODB is really right actually. But the problem is the players shelf lives are so short they wont ever really win a negotiation against the owners. Cause the owners can just wait them out, the players will never give up a year.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

If he doesnt like the pay dont sign the contract


For every ODB there are many more of these
Greg Robinson, St. Louis Rams (No. 2)
The tackle out of Auburn has yet to crack the starting lineup and has played 10 offensive snaps overall. The Rams' offensive line did not perform well last week against the Eagles and really has not been a strength all season long. But at this point, there don't appear to be any plans to get Robinson on the field.

To compare to mlb Trout his rookie year made 510,000 ODB will get his payday

ODB was the player that made the comments, but he makes over a mil a yr not really to target of my point.

Yes, you're always going to get a player that is under-performing or over-performing their contract...that happens in every sport.

I don't think fans realize that of the NFL 53 man roster...about 50% of the players make league minimum or thereabouts.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

The real comparison is NFL Owners make WAY more then Baseball/MLB/NBA owners......

ODB is really right actually. But the problem is the players shelf lives are so short they wont ever really win a negotiation against the owners. Cause the owners can just wait them out, the players will never give up a year.

That's it...some of the NFL problem is distribution of money, but you're exactly right...the rank n file players don't have the resources to sit out and force a more equitable share of the money.

In a locker room you really have to wonder how a guy like Kelvin Beechum feels...starting LT making $500k LY and the RT making $3.2 mil...$31.2k vs $200k per game...seems like teams should be able to fix that much quicker than waiting for a contract to expire.

 

[awaz]

It's not about feeling sorry or feeling bad for anyone. Just like the policeman that puts his life on the line for $40k a yr...they knew that going in also...that doesn't change the fact that they are underpaid.

Disagree. If they were underpaid, nobody would do the job. If you are in a role you feel you are underpaid to do, then you are overqualified to do it.

Get a new job.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Disagree. If they were underpaid, nobody would do the job. If you are in a role you feel you are underpaid to do, then you are overqualified to do it.

Get a new job.

Either you're not grasping it or I'm not grasping it, and I'll say it's me, but either way, we can agree to disagree on this one.

 

[LongtimeRamsFan42]

If he doesnt like the pay dont sign the contract


For every ODB there are many more of these
Greg Robinson, St. Louis Rams (No. 2)
The tackle out of Auburn has yet to crack the starting lineup and has played 10 offensive snaps overall. The Rams' offensive line did not perform well last week against the Eagles and really has not been a strength all season long. But at this point, there don't appear to be any plans to get Robinson on the field.

To compare to mlb Trout his rookie year made 510,000 ODB will get his payday

When is that quote from? I'm guessing the first few weeks of the season? Greg Robinson started 12 games last year as a rookie split between LG and LT(once Jake Long got hurt). They started him slow in the first few weeks because he was raw and was trying to get the playbook down pat.

 

[tducey]

No they don't, they already make an outrageous salary, if I could make what these NFL players make in 1 year over the course of my lifetime I'd be happy.

 

[TxHeat]

Sorry ATL96Steeler, I am not going to feel bad for a guy that will still make a ton of money in life. He wants to be paid like a NBA or MLB guy and take less hits? He could have aimed for the MLB or NBA. It kind of rings a little hollow to bust your butt getting into a profession and then complaining about facets of the job, like pay. You know full well what the pay would be and still went into the profession.

similar to those McD's employees bitching about their pay. If you want more money do something else. If Odell wanted to be paid better should have tried to play second base.

 

[blstoker]

That's it...some of the NFL problem is distribution of money, but you're exactly right...the rank n file players don't have the resources to sit out and force a more equitable share of the money.

In a locker room you really have to wonder how a guy like Kelvin Beechum feels...starting LT making $500k LY and the RT making $3.2 mil...$31.2k vs $200k per game...seems like teams should be able to fix that much quicker than waiting for a contract to expire.

Maybe I'm reading the first paragraph wrong, but don't the players already get upwards of 60% of the NFL's revenue?

As to the second paragraph, the issue isn't that they should pay LT more than RT, but that with salary cap situations, it's really hard to adjust all the players to make more money when they perform, and it's even harder to have players take a cut when they don't perform to it.

As for Beechum specifically, the CBA itself stipulates what he gets paid until he can restructure his contract (which happens to be this season). It doesn't matter what Pittsburgh wanted to pay him the last 3 years, they paid him what was allowed (no more, no less).

As for retirement, players receive a pension plan after 3 qualifying years of service, with pay starting at $2350/month when the player turns 55 (monthly payments go up for each year of service). There is also the NFL Player Second Career Savings Plan and Player Annuity Program that players can use to further save for retirement. Yes, these plans kick in many years after they'll retire from the NFL, but that doesn't mean there isn't a safety net for even the players on the back side of the roster.

Before anyone complains for the guys who are out of the league before the pension is out there, a vast majority of these men were given an opportunity at an education, which makes me even less likely to feel for most of them. They chose a high risk high reward career path, and if they didn't take the time to ensure they had some sort of safety net if the risk proved too high, then that's on them not anyone else.

 

[Wolvie]

Beckham's cap hit for this season looks like $2.4 mil rounded up, roughly $147.8k per game.

That's not bad money actually imo, but the rank n file guys...they have a legitimate gripe imo...league min. needs to be about $800k

I agree, the min should be raised. And the amount practice squad guys get should be a good chunk of change as well.

The only problem with raising the min w/o touching the salary cap is that the guys at the top of the food change will have to get less, which I am completely fine with. I wonder how Beckham would react to that.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

No they don't, they already make an outrageous salary, if I could make what these NFL players make in 1 year over the course of my lifetime I'd be happy.

Can you run a 4.3?

LOL...seriously...it's reported that a large percentage of lottery winners are broke within a few years...why? Because their spending habits change. Point is things change when those big checks start coming in.

 

[awaz]

Can you run a 4.3?

LOL...seriously...it's reported that a large percentage of lottery winners are broke within a few years...why? Because their spending habits change. Point is things change when those big checks start coming in.

Agreed 100%. That doesn't mean they deserve more money. It means they're idiots.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Maybe I'm reading the first paragraph wrong, but don't the players already get upwards of 60% of the NFL's revenue?

As to the second paragraph, the issue isn't that they should pay LT more than RT, but that with salary cap situations, it's really hard to adjust all the players to make more money when they perform, and it's even harder to have players take a cut when they don't perform to it.

As for Beechum specifically, the CBA itself stipulates what he gets paid until he can restructure his contract (which happens to be this season). It doesn't matter what Pittsburgh wanted to pay him the last 3 years, they paid him what was allowed (no more, no less).

As for retirement, players receive a pension plan after 3 qualifying years of service, with pay starting at $2350/month when the player turns 55 (monthly payments go up for each year of service). There is also the NFL Player Second Career Savings Plan and Player Annuity Program that players can use to further save for retirement. Yes, these plans kick in many years after they'll retire from the NFL, but that doesn't mean there isn't a safety net for even the players on the back side of the roster.

Before anyone complains for the guys who are out of the league before the pension is out there, a vast majority of these men were given an opportunity at an education, which makes me even less likely to feel for most of them. They chose a high risk high reward career path, and if they didn't take the time to ensure they had some sort of safety net if the risk proved too high, then that's on them not anyone else.

Good post.

NFL owners destroyed the players in CBA negotiations - Sports - The Boston Globe

This article sheds some light on this.

Beechum...what you've posted is the reality of the situation...Gilbert fulfilled his rookie contract and got a 2nd deal...Beechum had 2 choices...keep his mouth shut and play it out (which he's done)...or sit out and command starters money. I understand both choices.

This part I want made clear...no one is, or should be shedding any tears for NFL players...but the people that equate us normal Joe income to pro athletes...they're totaling missing the point imo. My angle is compared to other pro sports leagues.

The bottom line here imo is the owners and the NFLPA have the players by the pair.

 

[gowazzu02]

similar to those McD's employees bitching about their pay. If you want more money do something else. If Odell wanted to be paid better should have tried to play second base.

Not even close to similar. The revenue generated by people going to nfl to watch the odb's of the world is astronomical. Nobody ever went to a mcdonalds cause they liked their fry cook......

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Agreed 100%. That doesn't mean they deserve more money. It means they're idiots.

That's easy to say until you're in those shoes.

 

[packerzrule]

 

[awaz]

That's easy to say until you're in those shoes.

I mean you can say that if you'd like. But if you look at studies on the lottery, it's the least educated among us that play it the most. It's not a stretch to say odds are, the least educated are the ones winning it. It comes as no surprise that they can't handle the winnings.

Same can be said for a lot of athletes. They get the idea in their heads at a young age that they might be able to turn a sport in to a profession, and they devote all their time and energy to it. The search for knowledge, inside and outside the classroom, takes a back seat. I'm not saying they're wrong for doing it, they make a hell of a lot more money than I do and they make it playing a sport. It probably takes putting knowledge on the back burner to achieve that athletic ability.

But it still means they're not smart people.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I mean you can say that if you'd like. But if you look at studies on the lottery, it's the least educated among us that play it the most. It's not a stretch to say odds are, the least educated are the ones winning it. It comes as no surprise that they can't handle the winnings.

Same can be said for a lot of athletes. They get the idea in their heads at a young age that they might be able to turn a sport in to a profession, and they devote all their time and energy to it. The search for knowledge, inside and outside the classroom, takes a back seat. I'm not saying they're wrong for doing it, they make a hell of a lot more money than I do and they make it playing a sport. It probably takes putting knowledge on the back burner to achieve that athletic ability.

But it still means they're not smart people.

I share this story every now and then...to my knowledge this is a 100% true.

My golf buddy, long time friend actually...his brother invited this guy on our annual golf trip...college educated ( I know that doesn't make him smart) guy...was a normal Joe, had a job, mortgage, etc....until his grandfather (TX oil money) left him and all of his siblings $1 mil each.

He (a fairly recent 30 something) turned into the rich college frat boy all of a sudden...3 yrs, (2) 911 Targas, a FL beach house, Vegas condo, later...he was broke and in debt.

Obviously a small sample, but my point here is this guy didn't fit the picture you're painting. He had a good head on his shoulders, but youth and a lot of cash (Justin Biber sp) typically means trouble.

Today if I were to unearth a million dollars as a 50something...I think I could handle it without blowing it in 3 years...I don't want a 7,000 sf home, don't need a Porsche, certainly not 2 of them.

 

[cdumler7]

Money can corrupt even the best of us. Like you said ATL even the smartest among us can blow through our money. I grew up in a very well to do family and hadn't really been taught how to handle money when I was on my own. Got to college and blew through my money very quickly. Thankfully it was a great life lesson that has helped me now as an adult to better manage my money but it can be easy to blow through money not always thinking of the future but enjoying the here and now. I mean most of these guys picked especially in the 1st rounds of the draft have already went out and bought a fancy car, maybe bought a house for their momma and yet haven't actually even received a pay check from the NFL. They are spending money they don't have and not thinking to the idea that maybe I only play 1-3 years in this league. They think this will last forever.

As for the topic at hand. I can agree that the bottom guys on the Salary Cap maybe should be making a bit more but for the most part they are not why we watch this game. The guys making the top dollar are doing so because they are the ones who bring in the fans. yes you have those like OBJ who maybe isn't making as much as what his value actually is in the league but every player has paid their dues to get to getting those huge contracts later on.

Throw in as somebody else said many of these guys received a free education for college all because they could play a football game. If they didn't take advantage of that then that is their own fault. I'm sitting here still paying on my student debt and my wife's while these guys got to go for free then go and make 6 to 7 figure incomes. Really don't feel bad for them at all. They have been handed their lives not only to possibly make millions but get off on the right foot easily being out of debt day one they step into the NFL even if they are just on the practice squad. I bet many of us with some huge debt whether it be a mortgage, car payment, or student loans would love to even have one year of making the type of money even the minimum level to help get most of that paid off just from one year of work.