Is There Life After Football?

by James A. Holstein

  70. Ibid.

  71. Segura, September 10, 2012.

  72. For accounts of illicit self-medication, see Broke, Favre and Havel 1997.

  73. Broke.

  74. Jenkins, Sally, and Rick Maese. April 13, 2013. “Pain and Pain Management in NFL Spawn a Culture of Prescription Drug Use and Abuse.” Washingtonpost.com. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/pain-and-pain-management-in-nfl-spawn-a-culture-of-prescription-drug-use-and-abuse/2013/04/13/3b36f4de-a1e9-11e2-bd52-614156372695_story.html, retrieved 5/21/13.

  75. Ibid.

  76. Ibid.

  77. Dryden, January 28, 2011.

  78. Player Care study.

  79. Ibid.

  80. Ibid.

  81. Guskiewicz, Kevin M., et al. 2007. “Recurrent Concussions and the Risk of Depression in Retired Professional Football Players.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 39(6): 903–9. Also see League of Denial.

  82. The observed conversation took place before discussion of the 2013 concussion lawsuit and settlement reached a fever pitch, so the voiced concerns weren’t simply a matter of timing.

  83. Mike and Mike. October 21, 2013. ESPN Radio and ESPN2-TV. The segment was rebroadcast repeatedly in the following days.

  84. League of Denial, pp. 79–80.

  85. SportsCenter. November 19, 2013. ESPN-TV.

  86. See Eitzen 2009, Messner 1992.

  87. J. Coakley 2008.

  88. Smith, Michael David. October 24, 2013. “Richard Sherman: I Played through a Concussion and It Paid Off,” NBCSports.com. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/10/24/richard-sherman-i-played-through-a-concussion-and-it-paid-off/, retrieved 10/24/13.

  89. Mike and Mike. October 11, 2013. ESPN2-TV.

  90. Finley, n.d.

  91. Schlereth, Mark. January 5, 2004. “Schlereth: It Was All Worth It.” ESPN.com. http://espn.go.com/espn/print?id=1718301&type=story, retrieved 3/27/13.

  CHAPTER 5. “ALL THAT DOUGH: WHERE DID IT GO?”

  1. Feinstein 2005, p. 204.

  2. “Former Pro Bowl CB Chris McAlister: I’m Broke.” September 15, 2011. Sporting-news.com. http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2011-09-15/former-pro-bowl-cb-chris-mcalister-im-broke, retrieved 4/17/14.

  3. Jessop, Alicia. October 13, 2012. “Not Broke: How NFL Players Stay Financially Stable after the Game Ends.” Forbes.com. http://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciajessop/2012/10/31/not-broke-how-nfl-players-stay-financially-stable-after-the-game-ends/; Dickey, Jack. April 6, 2012. “Warren Sapp Is Broke.” Deadspin.com. http://deadspin.com/5899896/warren-sapp-is-broke; both retrieved 8/6/13.

  4. See Appendix 2, “Retirement Benefits,” and Player Care study. The Player Care study makes no mention of cumulative assets, and no systematic data on former NFL players’ current net worth is apparently unavailable.

  5. Research interview #02. Blackburn lived off his side income, signing bonuses, and postseason game checks.

  6. Indeed, many players vastly overestimate the extent of their own assets. See Broke; Torre, March 23, 2009; Chadiha, May 31, 2012.

  7. See O’Toole, p. 136; Broke; Koebler, July 21, 2011. Of course these estimates vary according to how players shelter their incomes from taxes and deductions, how they invest, how much they accrue in sales tax, and the various state and municipal income taxes they may have to pay.

  8. Research interview #40.

  9. Katzowitz, Josh. May 15, 2013. “James Harrison: I Spend $400K–$600K on My Body per Year.” CBSSports.com. http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/22247097/james-harrison-i-spend-400k-600k-on-my-body-per-year, retrieved 7/27/13.

  10. Rosenthal, Gregg. July 2, 2012. “Adam Jones Recounts Spending $1 Million in Weekend.” NFL.com. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82a463aa/article/adam-jones-recounts-spending-1-million-in-weekend, retrieved 7/25/13. That’s quite a reaction from Owens, who is known for outlandish spending. See Evans, Sean. April 12, 2012. “Money to Blow: A Recent History of NFL Players Going Broke.” Complex.com. http://www.complex.com/sports/2012/04/money-to-blow-a-recent-history-of-nfl-players-going-broke/owens#gallery, retrieved 8/2/13.

  11. Tober, Will. July 24, 2011. “Seven Most Ridiculous Purchases by Athletes in NFL History.” Bleacherreport.com. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/775852-7-most-ridiculous-purchases-in-nfl-history; Whitley, David. November 2, 2012. “Warren Sapp’s Sad Bankruptcy Auction Not the First—or Last—Tale of Jocks Gone Broke. Sportingnews.com. http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2012-11-02/warren-sapp-broke-fired-nfl-network-bankrupt-athletes-list; both retrieved 7/25/13.

  12. Torre, March 23, 2009. Emphasis added.

  13. Best, Joel. 2014. Stat-Spotting: A Field Guide to Identifying Dubious Data, 2nd ed. Berkeley: University of California Press.

  14. Mr. Torre has not responded to multiple e-mail inquiries about the story and the statistics he cites.

  15. While detailing former players’ current income, the Player Care study fails to report data on former players’ current assets. Double the poverty level amounted to $20,800 for a single person or $42,400 for a family of four in the contiguous 48 states and Washington, D.C., when the survey was administered in 2008. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. January 29, 2010. “The 2008 HHS Poverty Guidelines.” ASPE.hhs.gov. http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/08poverty.shtml, retrieved 7/25/13.

  16. Whitley, November 2, 2012; Brooks, Matt. April 9, 2012. “Warren Sapp: The Latest Millionaire Athlete to File for Bankruptcy.” Washingotnpost.com. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/post/warren-sapp-the-latest-multimillionaire-athlete-to-file-for-bankruptcy/2012/04/09/gIQAErXz5S_blog.html; Stone, Jeff. October 4, 2012. “Warren Sapp, Michael Vick Just the Latest NFL Players to Go Broke and Bankrupt; But Why?” IBTimes.com. http://www.ibtimes.com/warren-sapp-michael-vick-just-latest-nfl-players-go-broke-and-bankrupt-why-817369; both retrieved 1/12/13.

  17. Broke.

  18. Eisen 2007.

  19. Broke.

  20. Lambert, Pam. March 15, 2004. “The High Cost of Winning.” People.com. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20149566,00.html, retrieved 7/29/13.

  21. Landau, Elizabeth. January 7, 2011. “Winning the Lottery: Does It Guarantee Happiness?” CNN.com. http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/01/07/lottery.winning.psychology/index.html, retrieved 7/29/13.

  22. Dahl, Melissa. N.d. “$550 Million Will Buy You a Lot of . . . Misery.” NBCnews.com. http://www.nbcnews.com/health/550-million-will-buy-you-lot-misery-1C7291165, retrieved 7/29/13.

  23. Roberts, Daniel, and Pablo Torre. April 11, 2012. “Jerry Maguire Aspires to Be You.” SI.com. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/magazine/04/10/steinberg/index.html, retrieved 4/18/14; Torre, March 23, 2009.

  24. See Fedotin, Jeff. August 13, 2006. “George Koonce Goes from Leading Players on the Field to off the Field.” Packers.com. http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-1/George-Koonce-Goes-From-Leading-Players-On-The-Field-To-Off-The-Field/94cc5822-5aa4-11df-a3b6-528cc843f916; Murf, B. October 8, 2012. “Phillip Daniels Discusses His New Role, Hopes to Coach.” Homermcfanboy.com. http://www.homermcfanboy.com/2012/10/18/phillip-daniels-discusses-his-new-role-hopes-to-coach/; “NFL Introduces Four New Bootcamps for Current and Former Players.” December 8, 2012. Wordpress.com. http://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/fournewbootcamps.pdf; “Specialized Resources for the NFL Family.” N.d. NFLlifeline.org. http://nfllifeline.org/resources/programs-and-benefits/; all retrieved 8/15/13. See also Packers Player Development Manual.

  25. Hack, Damon. June 16, 2011. “Playing for Profit: Ex-NFL Corner Succeeds in Business after Football.” SI.com. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/damon_hack/06/16/eugene.profit/index.html?xid=cnnbin&hpt=hp_bn10, retrieved 4/4/13.

  26. Broke.

  27. Torre, March 23, 2009.

  28. Research interview #3.

  29. Chadiha, May 31, 2012.

  30. Research interview #20.

  31. Anderson, Elijah. 1999. Code of the Street. New York: Norton.

  32. Oliver, Melv
in L., and Thomas M. Shapiro. 1997. Black Wealth/White Wealth. New York: Routledge.

  33. Research interview #40.

  34. Research interview #20.

  35. Research interview #24.

  36. Research interview #23.

  37. Broke.

  38. Torre, March 23, 2009.

  39. Broke.

  40. Broke, Eisen 2007, Feinstein 2005.

  41. Broke.

  42. Chadiha, May 31, 2012.

  43. Festinger, Leon. 1954. “A Theory of Social Comparison Processes.” Human Relations, 7(2): 117–40.

  44. Research interview #23.

  45. Research interview #02.

  46. Torre, March 23, 2009.

  47. Research interview #30.

  48. Player Care study.

  49. These tend to be the investments of choice of individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, especially African Americans. See Oliver and Shapiro 1997.

  50. Jessop, October 13, 2012.

  51. Broke.

  52. NFL Players Association. N.d. “Agent Regulations.” NFLplayers.com. https://www.nflplayers.com/About-us/Rules—Regulations/Agent-Regulations/; NFL Players Association. N.d. “NFLPA Financial Advisor Registration Program Regulations.” NFLplayers.com. https://www.nflplayers.com/About-us/Rules—Regulations/Financial-Advisor-Regulations/, retrieved 8/2/13.

  53. NFL Players Association, n.d., “NFLPA Financial Advisor Registration Program Regulations.”

  54. Broke; Freeman 2003; Torre, March 23, 2009.

  55. Torre, March 23, 2009.

  56. Broke.

  57. Ibid.

  58. Ibid.

  59. Ibid.

  60. Research interview #41.

  61. Billick, 2007, p. 77. Rogers was the second player selected in the draft.

  62. Broke.

  63. Research interview #41.

  64. Broke.

  65. Le Batard, Dan. July 13, 2009. “As Bernie Kosar’s Life around Him Crumbles, the Former QB’s Game Plan Is Familiar: Emerge Unscathed.” Post-gazette.com. http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/as-bernie-kosars-life-around-him-crumbles-the-former-qbs-game-plan-is-familiar-emerge-unscathed-349253/, retrieved 7/26/13; Schoenberger, Robert. June 19, 2009. “Former Cleveland Browns Quarterback Bernie Kosar Files for Bankruptcy.” Cleveland.com. http://blog.cleveland.com/browns_impact/print.html?entry=/2009/06/former_cleve-land_browns_quarte_1.html, retrieved 7/25/13. Ironically, or tragically, depending on one’s perspective, bankruptcy filings show that Kosar now owes millions to his father, brother, and ex-wife.

  66. O’Toole, 2006, p. 146.

  67. Research interview #41.

  68. O’Toole 2006.

  69. Ibid., p. 145–46.

  70. Broke.

  71. Ibid.

  72. Eisen 2007, p. 185. Emphasis in original.

  73. Player Care study.

  74. Torre, March 23, 2009.

  75. Research interview #41.

  76. Research interview #304.

  77. Eisen 2007. At the same time, NFL wives warn prospective pro football spouses of the vagaries of NFL marriages and the dangers of getting “dumped” after putting up with the hardships of the early years at the periphery of the league. See Feinstein 2005, O’Toole 2006.

  78. Le Batard, July 13, 2009.

  79. “Troy Aikman Antes Up $1.75 Million in Divorce Settlement.” June 11, 2012. TMZ.com. http://www.tmz.com/2012/06/01/troy-aikman-wife-divorce-settlement/, retrieved 4/18/14.

  80. Wahl, Grant, and L. Jon Wertheim. May 4, 1998. “Paternity Ward.” SIVault.com. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1012762/; Breitman. David. March 3, 2010. “The Top 10 Athletes with the Most Children.” Spike.com. http://www.spike.com/articles/q1nho0/the-top-10-athletes-with-the-most-illegitimate-children; “Jets’ Cromartie, Wife Expecting Twins.” April 17, 2012. Foxsports.com. http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/new-york-jets-antonio-cromartie-wife-expecting-twins-total-of-12-kids-8-different-women-041712; all retrieved 8/5/13.

  81. Wahl and Wertheim, May 4, 1998; “Monthly Child Support Payments Average $430 per Month in 2010, Census Bureau Reports.” June 19, 2012. Census.gov. http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/children/cb12-109.html, retrieved 8/5/13.

  82. Brooks, April 9, 2012.

  83. Soshnick, Scott. May 9, 2011. “NBA, NFL Players’ Ex-Wives Likely to Feel Pinch.” SFGate.com. http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/NBA-NFL-players-ex-wives-likely-to-feel-pinch-2372426.php; Tinouye, Kunbi. April 20, 2012. “Does ‘Baby Mama Drama’ Make Pro Athletes Go Broke?” Thegrio.com. http://thegrio.com/2012/04/20/does-baby-mama-drama-make-pro-athletes-go-broke; both retrieved 8/5/13.

  84. Tinouye, April 20, 2012.

  85. Koebler, July 21, 2011.

  86. Research interview #30.

  87. Koebler, July 21, 2011.

  88. Ibid.

  89. Ibid.

  90. Ibid.

  CHAPTER 6. WHAT’S NEXT?

  1. SportsCenter. September 6, 2013. ESPN-TV.

  2. Player Care study.

  3. Korn, Melissa. March 14, 2013. “The NFL Tackles Job Training for Retired Players.” WSJ.com. http://blogs.wsj.com/atwork/2013/03/14/the-nfl-tackles-job-training-for-retired-players/, retrieved 8/15/13. This statistic was drawn from the Player Care study.

  4. “From Professional Sports to Franchising.” August 3, 2013. Chicagolawbulletin.com. http://www.chicagolawbulletin.com/Articles/2013/08/13/sporting-column-8-13-13.aspx, retrieved 8/13/13.

  5. Research interview #24.

  6. Research interview #20.

  7. Ibid.

  8. Research interview #30.

  9. This amount was in the ballpark of the salary of a new tenure-track faculty member in, say, the English Department at ECU.

  10. Research interview #42.

  11. “Summary of NFL Player Benefits.” N.d. Delducasports.com. http://www.delducasports.com/assets/files/Summary-of-NFL-Player-Benefits.pdf, retrieved 7/7/13.

  12. Research interview #42.

  13. Research interview #26.

  14. “College Graduates Unemployment.” N.d. Huffingtonpost.com. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/college-graduates-unemployment, retrieved 11/16/13.

  15. Research interview #28.

  16. Research interview #30.

  17. See the web site of the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund for a list of well over 100 instances where old-timers met hard times. “Player Stories.” N.d. Gridirongreats.org. http://www.gridirongreats.org/stories, retrieved 8/15/13. See Oriard 1982 for additional examples. In general, pensions have been modest, if not inadequate, for players retiring before the free agency era.

  18. Hack, Damon. June 16, 2011. “Playing for Profit: Ex-NFL Corner Succeeds in Business after Football.” SI.com. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/damon_hack/06/16/eugene.profit/index.html?xid=cnnbin&hpt=hp_bn10, retrieved 4/4/13.

  19. Materials relating to Dampeer’s story come from research interview #22.

  20. Research interview #17.

  21. See Billick 2009, Dawidoff 2013, Feinstein 2005, Freeman 2003.

  22. Research interview #42.

  23. Of course this mythology leads to its own sort of debunking. Brian Billick, himself a Super Bowl–winning coach, once responded to a query about what time he arrived at his office in the morning. “About a half hour before whatever time Gruden lies about coming in,” replied Billick (Freeman 2003, p. 6).

  24. Average salaries among NFL assistant coaches are around $400,000; college coaches make considerably less, but still more than $200,000 on average. Assistants in major conferences average close to $300,000 per year. See Berkowitz, Steve, and Jodi Upton. June 24, 2013. “College Football Assistants Seeing Salaries Surge.” USAToday.com. http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2012/12/18/assistant-coaches-salaries-bowl-subdivision/1777719/; Saraceno, Jon. March 17, 2011. “Coaches Salaries Slashed in NFL Lockout Cost-cutting.” USAToday.com. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2011-03-16-coaches-salaries_N.htm; both r
etrieved 8/20/13.

  25. “What’s the Average Salary of a High School Football Coach?” N.d. Degreedirectory.org. http://degreedirectory.org/articles/Whats_the_Average_Salary_of_a_High_School_Football_Coach.html; Zuvanich, Adam. January 11, 2013. “Football: Feldt Hired as Permian Coach.” Oaoa.com. http://www.oaoa.com/oavarsity/boys/article_e035c388-5c35-11e2-8aee-0019bb30f31a.html; Nelson, Akilah, and Kelly Davis. October 26, 2012. “Five of Highest-Paid High School Coaches in Midlands.” Thestate.com. http://www.thestate.com/2012/10/26/2495498/5-of-highest-paid-high-school.html; Shirley, Brent. August 18, 2011. “As High School Football Popularity Soars, So Do Coaches’ Salaries.” Star-telegram.com. http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/08/18/3300034/as-high-school-football-popularity.html; “How Much Do High School Coaches in Southeast Texas Make?” September 27, 2011. Beaumontenterprise.com. http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/hs/article/How-much-do-high-school-football-coaches-in-2191111.php; “Search Arkansas High School Football Coaches Salaries.” N.d. ArkansasOnline.com. http://www.arkansasonline.com/extra/databases/coachsalaries/; Porter, Matt. May 1, 2013. “County High School Coaches Say the Pay They Receive for the Long Hours of Work Is Forcing Them to Consider Leaving the Area—or the Profession.” PalmBeachBost.com. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/sports/high-school/county-high-school-football-coaches-say-the-pay-th/nXdYC/; “‘What’s the Story?’ with Coaches Salaries.” April 27, 2013. Fdlreporter.com. http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20130428/FON0101/304280121/-What-s-story-coaches-salaries; all retrieved 8/20/13.

  26. Thelen, Paul. June 20, 2013. “Active NFL Players Destined to Become Coaches after Retirement.” Bleacherreport.com. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1679155-active-nfl-players-destined-to-become-coaches-after-retirement, retrieved 8/15/13.

  27. Joyner, K.C. 2008. Blindsided. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

  28. “Bill Walsh NFL Minority Fellowships.” N.d. NFLplayerengagement.com. https://www.nflplayerengagement.com/next/bill-walsh-nfl-minority-coaching-fellowship/; “Internship Opportunities.” April 10, 2014. NFLplayers.com. https://www.nflplayers.com/About-us/Join-Our-Workforce/Internship-Opportunities/; both retrieved 4/18/14.