In an interview with Yahoo Sports, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson likened the NFL and its treatment of its players to “modern-day slavery.” Yep, he went there. Peterson, who is set to make $10 million next year, just compared himself to a slave. Just how stupid can someone possibly act? Does he really think that the public cares about him and the other NFL players bitching about the millions of dollars they are missing out?
Peterson’s complaint comes at a time when most Americans are still feeling the after effects of the Great Recession. The unemployment rate in the United States is hovering close to 10 per cent and this clown is bitching about being paid $10.2 million next year. The minimum salary for a rookie in the NFL is $325,000. This is significantly higher than the average American’s salary, which sits somewhere around $40,000. When comparing these two statistics it becomes abundantly clear that NFL players are greatly overpaid.
These players are guaranteed a minimum of $325,000 for 16 games of football. That’s pretty ridiculous. The salaries for athletes in all the major sports have exploded over the past two decades. And why do they get paid this much? It’s not as if they are providing some beneficial service to society. They are being paid these exorbitant sums primarily to entertain us. So why is it that we reward those who entertain us so lavishly and pay those who save our lives and teach us so little? Why don’t school teachers and firefighters get $300,000 a year for their services? Even doctors make significantly less than professional athletes. The actions of these individuals and others are so much more valuable to society then that of professional athletes that it is ridiculous how little they are paid in comparison. Maybe if we paid teachers as much as the NFL pays Adrian Peterson they would have taught him the difference between the NFL and slavery.
In the end, Peterson’s comments only hurt himself and the rest of the NFL players in their labour negotiations with the NFL team owners. Now that their previous labour deal has expired and the entire situation is heading towards court, public opinion is everything and comments like these are not going to help the players’ case. I personally cannot have any sympathy for someone getting paid so much for so little, and I’m sure that I’m not alone in this feeling. When professional athletes begin to bitch and moan about the millions they make or don’t make they just seem like spoiled brats.
For doing something that they all supposedly love so much, it makes zero sense to complain in such a public and stupid way. If the NFL players hope to force the owners to continue paying their ridiculous salaries they need to muzzle themselves. Public opinion could easily shift in the players favour if they would just shut up, because in the end the public just wants to see some football. The sooner the players and owners can sort out their differences, get back on the field and start making money the better, because it is in neither side’s best interest for this strike to affect actual NFL games.
