Odell Beckham Jr. Claims It’s ‘Very Difficult’ to Live Off $100 Million Contract, Goes Viral

Odell Beckham Jr. lamented the lack of financial literacy knowledge as he claimed that the money he made from his $100m contract isn’t sufficient.

Odell Beckham Jr. Claims It’s ‘Very Difficult’ to Live Off $100 Million Contract, Goes Viral

Odell Beckham Jr (Image via Getty Images)

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Sure, a player contracted for $100 million doesn’t get the whole of the said 100 million dollars, but even after tax reductions, it is more than what many make in their lifetime. And when an athlete says that isn’t enough to live, there’s no question that they’ll land in hot water for their statements. And that’s what happened to injured star Odell Beckham Jr.

Beckham Jr., once a first-round draft pick who quickly became a star with the New York Giants, opened up about his struggles with financial literacy. He shared these reflections during an appearance on The Pivot podcast, which was originally recorded in October. That interview resurfaced and went viral last week, drawing widespread attention to his comments.

I’ve always explained this to people, bro, you give somebody a five-year, $100-million contract — what is it really? It’s five years for 60 (million). You’re getting taxed. Do the math, that’s 12 a year that you have to spend, use, save, invest, flaunt, whatever.

Beckham Jr’s comments were not focused on daily sustenance but on building generational wealth. He even did a mini-planning session, stating that if they spend $4 million a year, the $60 million would be reduced by 33.33% to $40 million. For comparison, the median lifetime earnings for all workers with different educational backgrounds are $1.7 million, according to a study from Georgetown.

It’s a wonder why his statements weren’t called out in October itself. He made a few more comments, heading toward the point that the money NFL players make isn’t enough to last a lifetime. However, the former Miami Dolphins star does make a point towards the end when he highlights that the players weren’t taught to manage money when they entered the league.

I didn’t ask for the certain dollar amount or whatever. But we weren’t taught about no financial literacy … We weren’t taught this skill.

However, at 33, Beckham’s statements were bit strange. It does sound tone-deaf when a mature adult who’s way past his rookie years makes such statements about $100 million not being enough when billions survive on a fraction of that.

Shannon Sharpe disagrees with Odell Beckham Jr.

On Wednesday episode of the Nightcap, the NFL legend and HOF Shannon Sharpe ripped into the wideout and rejected the claims he made. Sharpe criticized Odell Beckham Jr. and asked whether he wanted 10 mansions or 15 cars.

Odell Beckham Jr
Odell Beckham Jr in a game against Tennesee Titans playing for Cleveland Browns in 2019 (Image via AP)

He continued to ask him whether he needed to buy everyone in his family houses that costs more than a million or two. Beckham Jr. had noted that one of things he will spend money will be to buy his mom a house.

Do you really need 10 houses? Do you really need 15 cars? Do you need to buy everybody in your family a mansion that costs $1 million, $2 million?

Former NFL nose tackle Breiden Fehoko called the comments made by Beckham Jr. the dumbest comments he has ever heard.

Meanwhile, the wideout has come out in his defense and called out the audiences for interpreting his message wrong. He tweeted:

Boy u can’t say nothin in this world nowadays, that’s why I been in my own lane my own world n put the way. People love to take Shxt completely outta context to rationalize a statement in their own head that makes sense to them… what a world.

Beckham Jr, who last played for the Dolphins in 2024, is expected to make his return to the league. He claimed that there’s a little more fight left in him to showcase on the field.

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