Unfortunately a lot of these guys are just too stupid to invest for the rest of their lives. They want to live the high life while they're in the league not realizing that the average career of a professional athlete lasts 3-4 years.
It's not really surprising that most of these guys work all their lives towards making a living playing a sport, and don't realize the harsh reality of what happens when you can't play any more.
Fortunately, some guys are intelligent enough to prepare for life after pro sports, and it's becoming more commonplace nowadays to see these guys investing and living smart, preparing for life outside of the only thing they know. I see the leagues offering financial planning and assistance more and more these days to protect the players once they retire/get injured.
Not every guy in the NFL has the unlimited earning power of guys like Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, and the money can go fast if you're not careful. A lot of these guys are from low-income backgrounds and lack in financial education so they overspend/overestimate their earnings.
Makes you wonder how guys like Charles Barkley still have money.
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