Guaranteed Money: Why Not Just Rookies Need Contract Guarantees

The rookie contracts in the NFL are currently the best contract an NFL player can receive at this point. The reason being is the guaranteed money that comes with the contract.

NFL contracts for players are not currently guaranteed, meaning that let's say a offensive linemen signs a contract for seven years for $35 million, with a majority of the money coming in the fifth, sixth and seventh years the first four years the player will be able to collect the money.

Throughout his career he suffers injury after injury and eventually retires after the average length of an offensive linemen in the NFL, which is three and a half years. Now the question is since the player retired due to injuries what is their option to gain an income?  What happens to the player if the injuries are so severe that they are not able to work? What can these ex-players do to better themselves?

This is where it gets sickening. Due to the fact that the average age of death for an NFL player is 55 years of age, they do not even get a chance to use their pension.  This is because in order to take out a pension, a player needs to be 55 years old.  

If the player collects the pension early there's a major penalty.

So, even though the NFL is growing and making billions of dollars every year, the ex-players are not getting the disability support they need. Brian DeMarco is one former player who had no food in his home but with the generosity of programs such as the Gridiron Greats Foundation, he was able to get the supplies he needed.

But these stories don't always end well for former players.  There's the example of Mike Webster who committed suicide. Another example is of another player who had 13 surgeries on one leg and was still denied disability. Another player who actually got disability suddenly found that after his case was reviewed without any notification his disability was gone.  He was forced to live in the streets.  

The NFL Players Association has constantly turned its back on its former players. Yet, when these rookies first come into the league you hear about the contracts being signed. Like the one signed by Matt Stafford the first pick in the NFL draft for 2009. Stafford signed a six year $78 million contract with $41.7 million of guaranteed money.

That guranteed money is the best thing to happen to the NFL. Not because the players are being greedy, but in case they have to retire early they have money that they can use because they probably will not be receiving any kind of disability from the NFL.

Unfortunately if the player isn't a rookie and does not get any portion of the contract guaranteed they are stuck if a career ending injury occurs. It means that they could be struggling to make ends meet.  This happens frequently and the NFL Players Association often turns its back on these players.

It is time for the NFL to at least make a minimum contract that is guranteed regardless of if the player is a rookie or not.