With the March 3rd deadline fast approaching its looking more and more like a lockout is inevitable and many people affiliated with the NFL will be going for an unknown period of time without a paycheck.
That being said, some NFL rookies who didn’t get big signing bonuses and/or contracts are starting to realize that they may not have enough money to stay afloat during a lockout.
According to Philadelphia Eagles 2010 first round pick Brandon Graham who received $14 million in guaranteed money, he has had several Eagles rookies come to him and ask him for a loan. One guy asked him for as much as $100,000.
Brandon Graham –
“They try not to make it awkward. They’ll come to you like they’re joking, but they’re serious. They’re trying to feel you out, to see what you’ll say.”
Graham says that if guys can’t manage their money, there is no way he will lend them money.
Graham –
“I’ll be like, ‘What are you going to do with it, other than blow it?’ I don’t want to be beefing with guys on my team because they owe me money.”
Most people who work a 9 to 5 job can’t imagine how any NFL player, or anyone for that matter, could be broke enough to need to borrow $100,000 when they are making a minimum of $300,000 a year.
On the other hand you have 9 to 5 workers who are making $300,000 a year and are one sick day away from being broke and wished they had a friend they could borrow $100,000 from.
Nevertheless, this could be an early indication that as the lockout goes deep into the summer and/or the start of preseason games and finances becomes an issue. You very well could have several players soften the NFLPA’s stance and give up a little if not a lot of what they are fighting for.
Earlier today Pro Football Talk broke a story about a NFL player’s wife who induced labor so that they would have health insurance coverage for the birth despite the fact that the NFL will provide NFL players with COBRA.
Acts of desperation like this could bode well for the NFL and the owners.
But then again, usually in labor disputes like this the owners end up getting more of what they want than the players since they are in a better position financially to handle being in a labor dispute more so than most players.
- David Johnson
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