How would you behave differently than other NFL players if you were one?

Red Dragon

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Suppose you suddenly had the abilities of a Randy Moss or Tom Brady, and were promoted to starter on the Cowboys (or any other team). Since you have not been steeped in NFL culture, would you behave differently than most players, and if so, how?


Would you be willing to accept a much lower pay than others (for the sake of maximizing salary cap space?)

Would you showboat and dance a lot less than the other players (or, maybe, celebrate even more?)

Would you maintain a much lower public profile, buy much less gaudy stuff?

Would you call out the sports media on their BS, much more aggressively than others?
 

Williamsboys

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Well, I have been very very bad and need a good spanking, does that answer your question??
 

gjkoeppen

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Suppose you suddenly had the abilities of a Randy Moss or Tom Brady, and were promoted to starter on the Cowboys (or any other team). Since you have not been steeped in NFL culture, would you behave differently than most players, and if so, how?

Would you be willing to accept a much lower pay than others (for the sake of maximizing salary cap space?)
Would you showboat and dance a lot less than the other players (or, maybe, celebrate even more?)
Would you maintain a much lower public profile, buy much less gaudy stuff?
Would you call out the sports media on their BS, much more aggressively than others?



This is foolishness and here's why I think so. There are people that have been heard to have said that they wouldn't change if they won the lottery. They would continue to work because that is how they were raised and wouldn't buy gaudy things or spend lavishly but when those type of people actually did win the lottery they did everything that they said they wouldn't do. That is what sudden wealth does to most people. I'd like to think that I would maybe buy a new car and house, nothing real lavish and keep enough money to pay my bills and maybe take a vacation once a year for a week or two and use whatever money that is left over on helping family members and relatives making their lives better.
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glimmerman

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Want my worth as market set by my peers. And I am celebrating if I score or whatever but also doing it with my team mates. You ever see a player or RB score and hand it to one of the big guys that blocked for him and opened the hole.

Pack some money away and set up my future and help my parents. See these players get a 30 million dollar signing bonus, they are clearing at least half of that. But I am having some nice sustainable things. Then give back. That’s me at 50. If you asked me in my 20’s maybe not exactly the same.
 

John813

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1. No. That's communism baby. Ain't sharing no bread.
2. I would flip off the fans and try to punch a kid every time I scored. Maybe flash some gang signs too.
3. Buy the latest cars, call everyday people poor and set up a gfm for more cars.
4. Hell no. I would join in constantly to hype up stories.
 

glimmerman

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This is foolishness and here's why I think so. There are people that have been heard to have said that they wouldn't change if they won the lottery. They would continue to work because that is how they were raised and wouldn't buy gaudy things or spend lavishly but when those type of people actually did win the lottery they did everything that they said they wouldn't do. That is what sudden wealth does to most people. I'd like to think that I would maybe buy a new car and house, nothing real lavish and keep enough money to pay my bills and maybe take a vacation once a year for a week or two and use whatever money that is left over on helping family members and relatives making their lives better.
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There is a show that used to be on called how the lottery changed my life. And others that were documentaries on what happened to people that won. ALOT of horror stories and being broke.

I am setting up my future and like you helping family and friends. Pretty much every thing I NEED to do. Then taking a chunk and blowing it on perhaps a garage full of new cars. Depends on how much I won.
 

conner01

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Suppose you suddenly had the abilities of a Randy Moss or Tom Brady, and were promoted to starter on the Cowboys (or any other team). Since you have not been steeped in NFL culture, would you behave differently than most players, and if so, how?


Would you be willing to accept a much lower pay than others (for the sake of maximizing salary cap space?)

Would you showboat and dance a lot less than the other players (or, maybe, celebrate even more?)

Would you maintain a much lower public profile, buy much less gaudy stuff?

Would you call out the sports media on their BS, much more aggressively than others?
I would not take less than the market
I can’t dance but I’d celebrate somehow just like any 20 something would
I’d be chasing women and enjoying life but I’d manage my money much better than most athletes do
For the most part these are 20 somethings and we would act just like many of them do if we were 20 somethings again
For a few here the league still wore leather helmets when they were 20 anyway
 

plasticman

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Assuming 57 players on a roster, that's 1824 total NFL players. That number represents a large, unique, and diverse pool of young men with different life circumstances, family dynamics, and individual experiences. There is no "typical" story among them so it's a difficult question to answer.

We've seen just about every possible "behavior" that exists. Some players have gone on to be U.S. senators. Some have gone on to be prison inmates for life.

What I would do is not different. It's not even rare. It just isn't discussed at length.

When it comes to money and earning a living, I think every pro football player could use some help from resources that they trust. That would be family and their own quality education. I firmly believe that the greatest issue facing NFL players when they leave the league is the fact that they did not complete their education. It is very important, not just the subject matter but the training in analytical reasoning that is an integral part of any discipline from mathematics to art history. I would also consider the advice of respected teammates that appear to be making the right choices.

The average pro football career is three and a half years and 70% of NFL players are broke two years after they leave the game. It may be a mistake to even think of pro football as a career. For most, it is an opportunity to get a great head start on financial security while playing the game you love at it's ultimate level. Many, many players fail to recognize this and behave as though that money will always be there. The number of players that enjoy 10+ seasons of high salaries are a very small subset of the total.

The actual contract amount that a player gets is only part of his earnings potential. There is also the possibility of additional income from his association with the NFL such as advertising, investment opportunities and partnerships. The quality of his NFL performance will influence his ability to make money after his career is over.

It is a fact that winning championships increase your ability to generate income long after your NFL career is finished. People love winners. Too few players, in my opinion, consider this. Therefore, it is prudent in many cases to accept less in a contract if there is a higher probability of winning a championship. However, it must also be understood that this is a gamble.

Keep in mind, I am much older than NFL players, I have the advantage of experience. I also do not have nearly the temptations available.

I would hope that the game itself has taught me discipline. After all, that is the reason sports are included as part of a young person's education, to teach the concepts of discipline as well as teamwork, commitment, and personal sacrifice. If the game has successfully taught me these virtues then there is nothing "different" that I need to do.
 

csirl

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There was a documentary a few years ago about broke pro sports stars - included people like Bernie Kosar who went bankrupt. Helping friends and family with their financial issues and hair brained business ideas seems to be a major cause of bankruptcy. Many players cant say no to friends/family.
 

OmerV

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Suppose you suddenly had the abilities of a Randy Moss or Tom Brady, and were promoted to starter on the Cowboys (or any other team). Since you have not been steeped in NFL culture, would you behave differently than most players, and if so, how?


Would you be willing to accept a much lower pay than others (for the sake of maximizing salary cap space?)
I wouldn't accept less unless it were an extension with a team I love playing for, and even then, not much less. I would, however, agree to rework the contract if needed in a year or two to spread out the cap it over more years.

Would you showboat and dance a lot less than the other players (or, maybe, celebrate even more?)

Nothing practiced or premeditated. No performances. Only spontaneous reactions and emotions.

Would you maintain a much lower public profile, buy much less gaudy stuff?

I would be active in the community, but low profile socially,

Would you call out the sports media on their BS, much more aggressively than others?

I would hope to be benign enough to not get a lot of scrutiny of my personal life, and I would understand that scrutiny on the playing field is part of the deal. Not that I would like it, and I may even respond if asked a question, but calmly with no displays of anger, and no public squabbles. The player loses that battle because he doesn't have as much of a platform as the media

My thoughts in red.
 

Flamma

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Suppose you suddenly had the abilities of a Randy Moss or Tom Brady, and were promoted to starter on the Cowboys (or any other team). Since you have not been steeped in NFL culture, would you behave differently than most players, and if so, how?


Would you be willing to accept a much lower pay than others (for the sake of maximizing salary cap space?)

Would you showboat and dance a lot less than the other players (or, maybe, celebrate even more?)

Would you maintain a much lower public profile, buy much less gaudy stuff?

Would you call out the sports media on their BS, much more aggressively than others?

Me personally, I never even spiked the ball.

As far as money goes, last year I transferred from an 80-85k a year job to a 55k a year job. I didn't need the extra money, so don't think I am sacrificing.

If I was happy with the team I was playing for, and happy where I live as a result, an extra few million dollars is not getting me to move. That's not me. I'm the person that will purposely travel an extra 15-30 minutes more each way to work just because I know my 8 hours at work is much more pleasant.
 

Bigdog

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I would be like Leon on those Budweiser commercials, lol.
 

OmerV

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Me personally, I never even spiked the ball.

As far as money goes, last year I transferred from an 80-85k a year job to a 55k a year job. I didn't need the extra money, so don't think I am sacrificing.

If I was happy with the team I was playing for, and happy where I live as a result, an extra few million dollars is not getting me to move. That's not me. I'm the person that will purposely travel an extra 15-30 minutes more each way to work just because I know my 8 hours at work is much more pleasant.
Unless you played in the NFL you likely wouldn't have been allowed to spike the ball without a penalty.
 
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