How does the NFL pension work for retired players? (2024)

Modified 22 May 2021

How does the NFL pension work for retired players? (10)

Like many other professions, the NFL has a pension plan for its players. It is known as the Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan. All four major league sports in the United States have pension plans for their players.

NFL players have been covered by the pension plan since 1962. The current plan considers 55 to be the standard retirement age. Since the career of an NFL player can be very short and is extremely hard on the body, the pension fund is crucial for many players' futures.

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How do NFL players qualify for the pension?

Once a player has been on an active roster for three years (or on injured reserve) they become fully vested, which means they qualify for the full NFL pension. If you’re interested in more specific details of the pension plan you can find out more here.

How much money do NFL players receive from their pension plan?

The amount of pension money an NFL player receives depends on when they retire. For example, according to Investopedia, if a player retired in the 1980s or 90s they could receive between $3000 to $5640 per month. NFL players who retire after 1998 receive $5,640 each month.

The amount is also based on the number of credited seasons played. Under the 2020 CBA agreement, player retirement funding was increased.

NFL pension plan controversy

The recent 2020 CBA agreement was not all good news for retired NFL players. The New York Times reported that some 400 former players' disability payments will decline.

Executive director of the NFL players union DeMaurice Smith released an open letter discussing the changes to the players' pensions.

“It is not a decision we wanted to make or took lightly, but in totality we believe that a system that will ultimately allow more men to qualify for disability payments was better, and that securing pensions for another decade was vitally important during an era when most Americans are losing any economic security retirement from their former employers,” Smith said.

An open letter. pic.twitter.com/lBNmQ6ZMo7

— DeMaurice Smith (@demauricesmith) March 15, 2020

As with all collective bargaining agreements, there’s always going to be some give and take that leaves certain parties unhappy.

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    Edition:

    How does the NFL pension work for retired players? (2024)

    FAQs

    How much is a 10 year NFL pension? ›

    The player in question would have to have played in the NFL for ten years, past 1993, and they then receive that $43,560 per year, tax-free, after the age of 55.

    Do NFL retirees get a pension? ›

    In general, you can begin to receive Pension Benefits at age 55, however if you have a Credited Season before 1993, you may begin to receive your Pension when you reach age 45. Former Players with a minimum of three Credited Seasons will receive $550 for each Credited Season prior to 2012.

    How long does an NFL player have to play to get a pension? ›

    You need at least two credited seasons to be eligible for a severance payment. Severance is paid as a lump sum post-retirement check. You will receive the payment on the quarter-end date following one full year without any NFL contract activity.

    What happens to an NFL Players salary when they retire? ›

    When an NFL player retires, all of the dead money on their contract counts against the current year's salary cap. As far as the salary cap goes, player retirement is treated the same as if a player were cut or traded by the team.

    How much will Tom Brady get for retirement? ›

    Once he retires, Brady could make up to $25 million a year as Fox's No. 1 game analyst.

    How much is an NFL pension worth? ›

    Due to the NFL's systemic injury rate, the average retirement age for an NFL player is 55. A ten-year NFL veteran who played prior to 1993, receives approximately $43,560, a year, pre tax, at age 55.

    Do NFL players have to work after retirement? ›

    While Brady and Ryan have banked enough to camp out permanently on a tropical beach after their playing days are over, the vast majority of NFL players need to get a job when their time on the gridiron is done.

    How much do retired NFL players get monthly? ›

    The amount of pension money an NFL player receives depends on when they retire. For example, according to Investopedia, if a player retired in the 1980s or 90s they could receive between $3000 to $5640 per month. NFL players who retire after 1998 receive $5,640 each month.

    How much did Tampa Bay pay Tom Brady to come out of retirement? ›

    That's why TB12 came out of his short-lived retirement this winter to return to Tampa Bay on a one-year, $15,000,000 contract. In most cases, such a deal is pretty straight-forward, but with Brady, nothing is ever quite as simple as it seems.

    How much pension does OJ Simpson get from the NFL? ›

    OJ Simpson reportedly receives money from pensions through the Screen Actors Guild and the NFL. Simpson receives an estimated $25,000 monthly payout from the NFL pension. Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), creditors cannot access pensions.

    Do NFL players get free clothes? ›

    Players don't have to pay for their gear. Many of them don't have sponsorships with big companies like Nike or Adidas, and they are either given the Nikes of their choice (because Nike is the NFL's gear sponsor). If a player prefers a different brand, it's up to them to pay.

    Who is the highest paid retired football player? ›

    Peyton Manning, QB — $248.7 million

    He had one year and $19 million remaining on his Broncos contract when he retired.

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