Should You Become a Football Player in 2020?

Every CFL and NFL career starts with a dream. It then graduates into a goal pursued by years of hard work, commitment and never giving up. But is a job as a pro-footballer worth it?

Should you risk it all for a career that lasts about three years for most people? It depends on who you ask. If you ask Tom Brady, neither injuries nor being picked as the 199th pick should stop you from being a successful player.

But for people who quit college to pursue football careers that didn’t last, you probably should do something else in life. With that in mind, below is an outline of why or not to consider a pro-football career in 2020.

Not an Expensive Sport

Football is a relatively cheap sport, so if you’re worried about spending thousands of dollars on training, worry not. Instead, focus on how to find a trainer, how to exercise or find like-minded people.

High school and college are the best places to get started with football. Not only do they offer education, but they also train you free of charge. Your only expense will be your time and maybe some money for jerseys.

Speaking of time, football workouts consume over 20 hours weekly at the junior levels. And if you become a first-team player in college, you could spend up to forty hours doing football-related training.

Patience and Commitment are Vital

Every year, over one million high schoolers participate in football games across Canada and the US. But only 300 of them end up playing the game professionally. You know why? A significant portion of this population lacks the patience and commitment needed to succeed in football.

If you’re a patient person who can commit to playing football multiple hours, there’s a chance you can build a career around it. But if you hate commitment, then a profession as a quarterback, running back or kicker might not work out for you.

In other words, determine whether you genuinely love football before you pursue a career in it. If you only want to do it for the money and fame, you will fail terribly.

Financially Liberating

Let’s face it. A career in football is a sure way to become a multimillionaire. It is your chance to buy you and your parents dream homes, make investments and travel the world like it’s no one’s business.

The average NFL player makes $2.1 million per year, but it can increase to $10 or $20 million depending on your talent. Unfortunately, not many CFL players get paid that kind of money—they average $100,000 a season.

Either way, a pro-football career can be financially liberating. And unless you spend your money like these soccer players who love gambling, you could retire rich. In fact, you could call it quit at 30 years of age and live a decent life for the rest of your life.

Part of the Elite

The NFL is the biggest league in Northern America. That means being a part of it, even for a season, is a delightful experience. As a pro-baller, you’re a member of an elite group of people—the most talented athletes available.

Sometimes NFL athletes get slandered for ridiculous mistakes. They are continuously criticized and blamed when fans don’t feel they are performing as they should. But everyone respects their achievements, more so, for playing at the highest level of the game.

Veteran players, of course, receive the utmost respect. And if you’re an overachieving player, your name will be instilled in the memories of fans for years. You might also get into the hall of fame, win awards or get immortalized with a statue.

Fame and Post-Career Jobs

For a sport watched by over 100 million people, getting famous is a part of the perks of football players. On social media, you could gain millions of fans. In the real world, you’ll have every kid shouting your name whenever you travel around.

With fame comes plenty of opportunities. For example, you can increase your earnings through commercials or leverage it to become an actor. Most players also use their fame to get TV jobs, particularly after retirement.

Injuries and Short Careers

Some facts about professional football can’t be ignored. First, it attracts injuries galore. You could eat healthily and workout with the help of coaches. But this is the type of job where you have to break a bone or two along the way.

If you’re not so lucky, you could get a career-ending, life-changing injury. Although rare, some players ended up getting amputated or head life-threatening head injuries after stings as football players.

On the flip side, there’s the issue of short careers. You don’t have to be injured. Sometimes things don’t work out, and your job could end faster than you think. So, before you dream of spending a decade chasing super bowls, figure out how to stay at the top of your game.

Mental Health

Mental health is gaining traction within the CFL and NFL. The latter now requires every franchise to have a mental health expert. It’s also considering lessening its stance on marijuana as a pain reliever.

These initiatives aren’t coming out of the blues. They are the result of years of awareness creation about mental health issues footballers suffer from their job. More importantly, they are an attempt to change how the NFL deals with mental health.

Against that backdrop, determine what you can do to keep your mental health in check should you pursue a career in football. Hire a part-time professional or join a team with an established mental health system.

Now is your Turn

On the one side, becoming a footballer isn’t expensive and can be achieved through hard work and commitment. It is also highly rewarding, both financially and socially. But on the other, it’s challenging to get a long-term football job. The average player lasts three years. And for that reason, it’s essential to pursue a degree or have an alternative you can fall back on if your football career fails.