Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive star breaks down the hidden cost of playing in the NFL

Vita Vea and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl champion Ndamukong Suh discussed the financial reality of playing in the NFL.

Feb 10, 2021; Tampa Bay, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Ndamukong Suh (left) and nose tackle Vita Vea speak during a boat parade to celebrate victory in Super Bowl LV against the Kansas City Chiefs. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

The NFL is a great way to make a ton of money — the greatest football players in the world do very well financially.

Guaranteed contracts and incentives tacked on for performance and success are ways that these contracts can get even juicier.

While it might seem like NFL players have it made, we have seen over and over again how guys can end up with nothing after investing in the wrong thing or people after all the hard work they put in to reach the highest level in the game.

In a recent sit-down with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Vita Vea opened up about the hidden costs that players shell out.

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"You gotta account for food, obviously. Your travel, room and board, if you're renting a car or bringing a car," Vea told Suh. "It all adds up."

Pads, Paychecks, and Price Tags

From personal trainers, fines, and nutritionists, the game isn't always what it's made out to be.

Those on the practice squad have to fight tooth and nail for everything they have on minimal contracts, and while they may not be the ones using the TB12 method, they still have to abide by the same rules of the game that those starters do.

Vea was completely open about some of the things that can pile onto a player, and while starters such as he is have the luxury of bigger paydays, their lives could also be turned upside down by investing wrongly or even once they get injured or cut, leaving them without that cash flow to take care of themselves and their families.

Playing any sport puts players in a position such as that, which is why it is always smart to see players hire people they trust to take care of their finances and well-being while they focus on the game at hand. With numerous players having gone through the tribulations of becoming broke after their playing days, the NFL has tried to help resolve this by implementing the Rookie Transition Program that covers financial education, mental health, social responsibility, media training, and life skills.

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