Julio Jones Signs Four-Year, $16.2 Million Contract: How Much Does He Keep?

It's easy to get hung up on numbers and be impressed with the sheer scale of money that seems to be poured upon the athletes of today. But in reality, what the contract shows they make and what they really make are substantially different.

Take the case of Julio Jones, who today signed a $16.2 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons.

President Obama is wanting to raise the tax rate on Jones, who by this contract would be making just over $4 million a year, from 36 percent a year, currently under the Bush tax cuts, to 45 percent.

That means under the current plan, he'll have just $2,560,000 after taxes per year. Under the Obama plan, he would only have $2,160,000. Something tells me that Julio doesn't love President Obama enough to vote for him, not when it would cost him $400,000.

Then there's the agent, who gets three percent of the pie. That's another $121,500 a year gone. If he gets four percent, and some do, that's $162,000 a year gone.

So now he's down to just over two million dollars a year.

Then there's those union dues, they are $10,000 a year right now and let's not forget the living expense of having to have a home in the city you play for, or one nearby.

Let's say you're on the frugal side of the typical NFL player and only fork out a cheesy $5000 a month amount. That comes to $60,000 a year, and that's only if they rent. Should he buy a house there, toss in another $25,000 for property taxes and insurance.

Now he's down to a paltry $1,900,000 a year. Which sounds really good until you remember that he started off making $4,050,000 a year.

So of the $16.2 million contract, to answer the headline question, he gets to keep $7,600,000.

Then, because he's bought nice things, take away another $20,000 for personal property insurance, who knows what on car insurance and then there are those policies most athletes by that insure them against career-ending injuries.

Those run anywhere from $20,000 a year up to $100,000 for a football player.

Realistically, Julio Jones should be able to "bank" about $1.3 million a year away if he doesn't go crazy like so many others have. Almost 70 percent of all that $16.2 million will never see his hands.

And while I'm not about to start a telethon to raise money for the downtrodden football players, they don't get what it appears they do when you hear the big numbers.