NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr has provoked widespread disbelief and anger from fans after making the astonishing claim that a $100 million contract is not enough to guarantee lifelong financial comfort.
'Flaunting' Listed as a Major Expense
The controversial comments were made during an interview on The Pivot Podcast with Ryan Clark last month, but the clip has gained significant traction in recent days. Beckham, 33, who has an estimated net worth of $45 million from a career that included a Super Bowl win with the Los Angeles Rams, attempted to break down the economics of a major deal.
"I always explain this to people, you give somebody a five-year, $100million contract. It’s five years for 60. We’re getting taxed," Beckham stated. "That’s 12 (million) a year that you have to spend, use, save, invest, flaunt, whatever."
He elaborated, questioning the longevity of such wealth: "If you're spending $4million-a-year... Can you make that last forever?" This perspective, particularly the inclusion of 'flaunting' as a necessary cost, has been labelled deeply out of touch by a global fanbase for whom such earnings are unimaginable.
A Lavish Lifestyle Under Scrutiny
Beckham's own substantial expenditures have come under the microscope following his remarks. He is known for an extravagant car collection valued at an estimated $9 million, featuring vehicles like a Rolls-Royce Dawn and a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta.
Furthermore, in 2018 he revealed spending around $300,000 annually on maintaining his physical condition with a personal trainer and chiropractor. "I put, probably, over $300,000 in my body in the offseason," he explained. Past property ventures also highlighted a lavish lifestyle, including a Cleveland mansion listed for $3.3 million with a shoe closet larger than many retail stores.
Fan Fury and the Broader Athlete Financial Picture
The reaction on social media platform X was swift and critical. One fan responded, "The money doesn’t last forever when you aren’t disciplined and don’t invest to make the money work for you." Another wrote, "Never in my life did I ever think I’ll see someone complain about making $12m yearly. Some people live off $10k yearly…."
Despite the fury directed at his comments, Beckham inadvertently touched on a genuine issue in professional sports: financial management after retirement. A 2015 report by the American Bankruptcy Institute indicated that 16% of retired NFL players declare bankruptcy. Similar estimates for Premier League footballers in England suggest between 10-20% face financial ruin after their playing days end.
Beckham, currently a free agent after last playing for the Miami Dolphins in 2024 and serving a six-game doping ban, insists he is "not done yet" with the NFL. However, his struggle to recapture peak form since tearing his ACL in the 2022 Super Bowl, combined with these controversial financial observations, has dominated his recent headlines.
