For NFL fans, 2021 used to be a substantial year. Stadiums returned to ability crowds after the 2020 season used to be shortened with slight attendance. Stadium parking heaps were again stuffed with the alive to anticipation of tailgaters and their barbequed camaraderie.
It used to be additionally a substantial year for Bitcoin (BTC) investors because the biggest cryptocurrency by market capitalization reached all-time excessive costs extra than one cases within the course of 2021, at closing topping out at $69,000 in early November. This led to a dramatic amplify in media coverage of Bitcoin.
Seven NFL avid gamers in 2021 determined to name the audible and open either being paid in crypto or having their cash salary partially converted to crypto. These avid gamers beget capitalized on the return of the customary season and the increased profitability of Bitcoin.
Aaron Rodgers
The reigning 2020 NFL MVP announced by a Nov. 1 video submit on Twitter that he used to be partnering with Cash App payment service to uncover a share of his salary in Bitcoin. Rodgers will produce roughly $22.3 million this year.
The video depicted Rodgers dressed as John Wick for a Halloween birthday celebration. If that wasn’t irregular ample, likely by originate, Rodgers additionally urged viewers that he would donate $1 million in BTC.
In Rodgers’ case, he’ll beget a share of his salary despatched to his Cash App narrative, which he’ll then use to rob BTC.
The Twitter profile for the star quarterback for the Inexperienced Bay Packers aspects a image of himself on the field within the course of a sport with the enduring laser eyes, extra signaling his toughen for BTC.
Tom Brady
Tom Brady is one other very excessive-profile NFL star quarterback who dabbled closely in cryptocurrency in 2021. Brady has now not yet acknowledged that he is being paid in BTC by the NFL, nonetheless he’ll be paid in crypto by FTX alternate after he took an equity stake in Sam Bankman-Fried’s alternate, and can advantage as a spot ambassador.
Brady has now not reserved himself to crypto assets by myself, on the other hand. The enduring soccer star launched his possess NFT platform, called Autograph, in April to diagram the discontinue expertise in sports, entertainment, model and pa custom.
Tom Brady transferring into Crypto used to be a top tag pic.twitter.com/hc6qxQou9o
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) October 20, 2021
It doesn’t cease there for Brady and crypto, though. Gradual in October, Brady threw the 600th passing touchdown of his occupation, marking an all-time excessive for the NFL, and helping to catch Brady’s pickle because the all-time main touchdown passer within the league’s history. Brady paid 1 BTC to the fan who used to be at the starting put aside given the ball by the receiver who completed the touchdown.
That BTC used to be rate about $62,000 at the time of the game, nonetheless the ball itself can be rate over $500,000 in accordance with Goldin Auctions sports memorabilia public sale company.
Odell Beckham Jr.
Odell Beckham Jr. (OBJ) followed in Aaron Rodgers’ footsteps by asserting unhurried in November that he had partnered with Cash App to score his salary from the NFL in BTC. His contract stipulates that he can beget to score about $4.25 million from the NFL this season.
The Los Angeles Rams’ broad receiver urged fans that he would give advantage $1 million in BTC as half of his fresh partnership with Cash App. Beckham appears to be no stranger to the crypto and NFT scene as his Twitter profile dons a Crypto Punk NFT.
While you haven’t seen, Jack Dorsey’s Cash App is moving with each OBJ’s and Aaron Rodgers’ BTC salary deal. The rate service app has had a substantial 2021 by the predominant three quarters of the year by raking in nearly $10 billion in income from 36 million filled with life customers and 100 million downloads.
Trevor Lawrence
The Carolina Panthers’ fresh star quarterback joined the ranks of NFL superstars who’re publicly accepting crypto payments. Lawrence’s deal, on the other hand, is now not with the NFL without lengthen. The 2021 NFL top draft prefer’s crypto salary comes from an endorsement deal with the crypto portfolio app FTX (formerly Blockfolio).
— SBF (@SBF_FTX) April 30, 2021
The rate of his deal has now not been made public, nonetheless if Lawrence has been hodling his crypto earnings, there could be a upright likelihood he has loved an appreciation in rate, critically from the Solana (SOL) coins. The whole crypto market cap has increased by about $500 billion since unhurried April when the deal used to be announced.
Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley, the megastar working beget the benefit of the Fresh York Giants, published in July that he used to be converting all of his endorsement pay into BTC. As with most others on this listing, Barkley is now not being paid without lengthen with crypto. In its put aside, he is swapping a few of his cash earnings for crypto.
Barkley is the use of the Strike payment app to compose his BTC. He’s now not the predominant NFL participant to use Strike to rob BTC with his salary, on the other hand. Closing year, frail NFL offensive lineman Russel Okung modified into the predominant participant to publicly half that he used to be the use of Strike to transform his NFL salary to BTC.
Barkley’s reasoning for seeking to amass wealth with BTC revolved spherical the inability of longevity amongst NFL athletes. He urged The Most involving Industry Trace host Anthony Pompliano on July 15:
“While you stare the KD’s, the Lebrons and Bradys of the world and you cherish to prefer to compose generational wealth, it is seemingly you’ll maybe well maybe perchance now not originate that with the game that I play and the pickle that I play and coming off of accidents. While you sit out of soccer for a whole year, you remember that this sport can be taken faraway from you.”
Sean Culkin
Kansas City Chiefs’ tight cease Sean Culkin went public with his plans to convert his whole salary from the NFL into BTC. While others on this listing dedicated to converting handiest a share of their salary into Bitcoin or being paid for endorsements with cryptos, Culkin is swapping 100% of his salary.
I fully grasp Bitcoin is the potential forward for finance and I needed to expose that I in truth beget valid pores and skin within the game — now not correct seeking to compose a posthaste buck. I will be converting my whole 2021 NFL salary to #Bitcoin.
— Sean Culkin (@culkin22) April 26, 2021
Like with Saquon Barkley, Culkin’s reasoning for turning to crypto has to originate with the instant half-existence customary amongst avid gamers within the league. The moderate time most athletes exhaust within the NFL is 3.3 years, in accordance to Statista. Culkin acknowledged in a statement:
“Concerned with my occupation—critically its bodily requires, and brevity–it makes essentially the most sense to be paid in sound cash that I grasp protects its purchasing energy over time.”
Aaron Jones
Closing nonetheless undoubtedly now not least on the listing of NFL stars incomes crypto is the Inexperienced Bay Packers’ Aaron Jones. The working advantage signed a cope with FTX to change into an envoy for the alternate in September. Like with Tom Brady’s deal, Jones purchased an equity stake within the alternate.
Jones will additionally combine the FTX Pay platform into his possess charity’s web put to enable it to uncover crypto donations.
Got my first NFT Bawl out to @MaisonDeGOAT thanks for welcoming me to the herd #GOATz
Mad to be apart of the community !!! pic.twitter.com/oLRquKjGRE— Aaron Jones 3️⃣3️⃣ (@Showtyme_33) December 9, 2021
