Once the cheering stops: The life of a retired pro-athlete

More than 60 percent of retired NFL or NBA players are under finical stresses and some even going bankrupt. We tend to see the glorious lives of athletes after their career. Troy Aikman as a commentator, or Michael Strahan and Terry Bradshaw also as a commentator. Life after professional sports can set you on the right path for you to be successful. For most this isn’t the case. Many athletes don’t know what to do when their time on the field or court is up. They end up not having any money left and not knowing what to do with their life. In the ESPN article Derrick Brooks talks about the football field is a safe haven where you can block everything out, and how that can be a double-edged sword with life.

Athletes usually start their athletic career at a young age. No matter what time of year it is you always keep in shape or get strong especially as you grow older and move into high school then college. By the time they are playing professional spots it is difficult to find any other purpose then to keep playing. I know personally I don’t know what I would work out for if I am not playing a sport any more. That would leave me lost because I’m always conscious of that thought to work out for my sport. The degree is greater for these professional athletes. To make that transition to being a X-player is difficult.

The other aspect that makes it difficult for these players is that they are used to getting a lot of money for doing something they love. Each pay check rolls in and it supports their lifestyle. Now when they retire and their income doesn’t match their lifestyle they begin to dig their way into debt. There are smart players who put away money, don’t live the lavish lifestyle and are prepared for life after their athletic careers.

I think that these athletes struggle like this because they become used to a lifestyle and certain things. Once it is taken from them they do not know how to act. As we’ve discussed in class the more money an athlete makes the more successful he looks. Some athletes have a lot of money and can spend money on things without it being a problem. Other athletes don’t make as much as the really rich ones but still hang out with them and maybe spend money they don’t have.

I personally have thought of this a few times. I am the type of person to conserve money and use it wisely. That is just the way I was raised. I think that if more pro athletes were educated about how to spend their money then we would see the numbers of broke athletes decrease significantly. Of course they would have to listen and actually do the things they are educated about but at that point it is up to them.