19 April 2024
7 NFL players who switched to Crypto
After all the chaos of COVID-19 amongst the NFL fans, 2021 was indeed a terrific year. Stadiums reopened to maximum capacity; the tailgaters gathered to the stadium parking spaces once more, anxious to spread their barbequed companionship. BTC investors had a terrific year as well in 2021 as the leading currency by market valuation hit all-time high costs many times, ultimately peaking at $69,000 in early November. As a result, there has been a significant surge in media coverage on Bitcoin. With the rising profitability and popularity of Bitcoin, the following 7 NFL players agreed to be paid in Cryptocurrencies or have a portion of their money swapped to Crypto.
1. Aaron Rodgers:
The current NFL MVP 2020 announced via a video post on Twitter that he was collaborating with Cash App to collect a share of his paycheck in Bitcoin. Rodgers was expected to earn $22.3 million in 2021. He also disguised as John Wick for a Halloween party in the video. As if it wasn't bizarre enough, Rodgers then told the audience that he would donate $1 million in Bitcoin. In his case, a part of his pay will be transferred to his Cash App account, which he will use to purchase Bitcoin. In addition, the star quarterback for the Green Bay Packers has a photograph of himself on the field during a game with the famous laser eyes on his Twitter profile, further indicating his support for Bitcoin.
2. Aaron Jones:
Last but not least NFL player to acquire Crypto is Aaron Jones of the Green Bay Packers. The running back signed a deal with FTX to become an ambassador for the exchange in September. Jones was given an equity stake comparable to Tom Brady's deal in the exchange. Jones will also use the FTX Pay system to take Cryptocurrency donations on his own charity's website.
3. Odell Beckham Jr.
OBJ announced in late November that he has teamed with Cash App to earn his NFL paycheck in BTC, following the lead of Aaron Rodgers. The NFL is expected to pay him almost $4.25 million this season, according to his contract. In addition, the Los Angeles Rams' wide receiver told fans that he would give back $1 million in BTC as part of his new partnership with Cash App. Beckham's Twitter page features a Crypto Punk NFT, indicating that he is no newbie towards the Cryptocurrency and NFT world. If you've not realized, Jack Dorsey's Cash App is engaged in both OBJ's and Aaron Rodgers' BTC compensation agreements. The payment service app has grossed roughly $10 billion in annual revenue from 36 million monthly active users and 100 million downloads throughout the first three quarters of the year.
4. Sean Culkin:
Sean Culkin, a defensive back for the Kansas City Chiefs, announced his intention to convert his whole NFL paycheck to BTC. Although some on this list have pledged to convert merely a portion of their pay to BTC or to be compensated in Cryptocurrency for endorsements, Culkin has pledged to change 100% of his income to Bitcoin. Culkin’s reasons for switching to Cryptocurrency, like Saquon Barkley’s, is due to the short half-life typical among NFL players. As per Statista, the average duration spent in the NFL among most athletes is 3.3 years.
5. Saquon Barkley:
Saquon Barkley, the New York Giants' standout running back, said in July that he was switching all of his sponsorship money to BTC. Like the majority of the players on this list, Barkley isn't paid in Cryptocurrency. However, he is nonetheless exchanging part of his cash earnings for Cryptocurrency. To get his BTC, Barkley uses the Strike payment app. Nevertheless, he isn't the first NFL player to utilize Strike to purchase BTC with his paycheck. Russel Okung, a former NFL offensive lineman, was the first athlete to publicly announce that he was utilizing Strike to change his NFL paycheck to BTC last year.
6. Tom Brady:
Another well-known quarterback in 2021 is Tom Brady, who explored Cryptocurrencies. Brady hasn't confirmed whether the NFL pays him in BTC, however after acquiring an equity stake in Sam Bankman-exchange Fried's and serving as a brand ambassador, he will be paid in BTC by the FTX exchange. But on the other hand, Brady isn't simply into Cryptocurrencies. In April, the iconic player announced the release of his own NFT platform, Autograph, intending to recruit top talent in sports, entertainment, fashion, and pop culture. However, Brady and Crypto's journey does not end there. Brady scored his 600th career passing touchdown late in October, setting an NFL record and confirming his standing as the league's all-time leading touchdown passer. The fan who caught the ball from the touchdown receiver got one Bitcoin from Brady. The Bitcoin was worth around $62,000 at the time of the game, as per Golden Auctions, a sports memorabilia auction website; however, the ball alone could be valued at over $500,000.
7. Trevor Lawrence:
The latest new star quarterback of the Carolina Panthers has joined the list of NFL athletes who openly accept Cryptocurrency payments. On the other hand, Lawrence's contract is not with the NFL directly. Instead, the 2021 NFL top draft pick's Crypto salary comes from an endorsement deal with the crypto portfolio app FTX. The sum of Lawrence's deal has not yet been disclosed, but if he's still hoarding his Crypto gains, there's a high chance he's benefited from a rise in value, particularly in the Solana (SOL) currencies. The total Crypto market cap increased by about $500 billion since late April when the deal was announced.
Disclaimer: The author’s thoughts and comments are solely for educational reasons and informative purposes only. They do not represent financial, investment, or other advice.