Everyone envies pro football players these days. They’re paid by the million, they get to do something they love for a living, they live in the most ridiculous mansions and they lead these amazing lives. But it’s not all fun and games and offstage the life of a football player can be incredibly tough. Let’s take a look behind the scenes of the football lifestyle to see what it really involves…
Big Money
Of course, there’s a lot of money in football and that’s the first thing people think about with the football lifestyle. Remember that hilarious “show me the money!” scene in Jerry Maguire? If you follow the NFL news on sites like Betting Sports.com you’ll know that Aaron Rodgers, quarter back for the Green Bay Packers recently signed a record-breaking contract worth $134 million. However, much of the time, a player won’t receive the full figure that’s reported in the news because the exact quantity is based on performance. Not only that, but there’s not necessarily long term security in football. A player might know what he’s doing for the next year or two, possibly four years, as in the Rodgers contract, but that’s generally as far as they can see into the future. So much is dependent upon their bodies holding up, and as they reach their mid to late twenties and become that little bit more injury-prone, playing a rough game professionally can get quite stressful.
Hard Work
Behind the brand deals, the wild haircuts and the designer clothes is one thing: hard work. Whether you’re watching Marshawn Lynch bobbing and weaving on the field or Michael Phelps in the swimming pool, top performers always make what they do look incredibly easy. The truth is that it’s no easier for them than it is for anybody. Sure they have natural talent, but the top end of any area of life is a great leveler because everyone who has made it that far also has natural talent. What counts is the hours of work players put in at the gym and in training. The commitment they make day in day out is what the lifestyle of an NFL player is really all about.
Responsibility
As well as the hard work, players have a lot of responsibility in their lives and it’s a constant concern for them. One false step on the field can lose a game for the team, but one false step off the field can end a career. For a football player, bad behavior nearly always makes the news, be it a scrap in a bar, a drunk-driving incident or an ill-considered post on social media. These actions can result in losing a brand deal or jeopardizing a career. Not only that but players are, whether they like it or not, role-models for young people. They can’t just do as they please because every decision they make might guide an impressionable child or teenager to follow their example.