NFL salary: Steelers safety makes a contentious statement
In the event that the NFL switches to an 18-game schedule, one Steelers safety is advocating for increased compensation for players.
The NFL is constantly searching for innovative methods to increase its earnings. This has recently meant letting streaming services compete for the only right to broadcast games, and there are even rumors that primetime games may soon be available for pay-per-view. A player for the Pittsburgh Steelers feels that the players are not receiving enough money from the NFL because it is taking an excessively large cut.
Another revenue-generating change that the league is flirting with is an 18-game season in the NFL. The league moved from 16 games to 17 games for the first time in 2021. In the process, the league agreed to axe one preseason game from the schedule while increasing the salary cap.
Even though the NFL won’t have an 18-game schedule until 2031 at the latest, it appears that a season expansion may happen once again. However, as one might expect, not every NFL player agrees with this.
DeShon Elliott told ESPN’s Brooke Pryor that players aren’t getting paid enough by the ownership to participate in an 18-game season. The safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers feels that players’should get lot more money’ than they do now.
“They’re not paying us enough money already. They’re stingy with their money, so they want to make us play 18 games. As a player union, we should get way more money than what we’re getting. And not just the top guys. And the thing is, they’re not out here playing football. They’re not here running around putting their bodies on the line. They don’t care. All they care about is making money, but if you’re going to make money on the top end, the bottom end has to make money too.”
Elliott’s argument makes sense to a degree. If the league wants to expand the NFL season from 17 games to 18 games, this obviously comes with some added health risks to the players. When a chance does occur, we can expect the salary cap to take another significant jump, so many players will be compensated accordingly. We will also likely see one fewer preseason game.
But this statement isn’t going to sit well with many football fans.
According to a USA Today Study from 2024, the national average salary in the U.S. in Q4 of 2023 is $59,384. Many hardworking folks in the lower-to-middle economic class who support the NFL don’t like hearing about how football players need to be paid more.
Elliott’s argument makes sense to a degree. If the league wants to expand the NFL season from 17 games to 18 games, this obviously comes with some added health risks to the players. When a chance does occur, we can expect the salary cap to take another significant jump, so many players will be compensated accordingly. We will also likely see one fewer preseason game.
But this statement isn’t going to sit well with many football fans.
According to a USA Today Study from 2024, the national average salary in the U.S. in Q4 of 2023 is $59,384. Many hardworking folks in the lower-to-middle economic class who support the NFL don’t like hearing about how football players need to be paid more.
Regardless of one’s stance, it is common knowledge that professional athletes receive high compensation. If the league intends to add another game to the calendar, it should come as no surprise that players are requesting more.
