"My contract says I can't play golf"- $20 million-worth NFL quarterback forced to step away from favorite hobby, including playing with Barack Obama
National Football League (NFL) star Jalen Hurts has a clause in his contract with the Philadelphia Eagles that prevents him from playing golf. The quarterback, who has a net worth of $20 million (via Celebrity Net Worth), just can't golf, even when invited by former President Barack Obama.
The news was broken by NBC Philadelphia's John Clark, who also reported on Obama's round of golf at Merion Golf Club (about 8 miles outside Eagles home town). Regarding Jalen Hurts, Clark reported the following on X (formerly Twitter):
"Jalen Hurts says he did not actually golf yesterday with former President Obama, Saquon Barkley, and Jeff Lurie. Jalen hung with the group the whole time. He says it’s in his contract that he can’t golf."
According to Golf Digest, Barack Obama played golf with NFL's Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and the team's running back Saquon Barkley. The report also states that Jalen Hurts was present for the entire round.
Jalen Hurts had this to say about the experience (via Delaware Online)
"To see him [former president Barack Obama] out there enjoying himself and talking a little trash, that was cool. I told him he didn’t want these problems just yet. I can’t golf right now. By contract, I can’t golf. His day will come."
Jalen Hurts is one of the highest paid players in the NFL. He signed a five-year, $255 million contract with his current team in 2023. According to CBS Sports, Hurts is the 9th highest paid quarterback in the league.
NFL stars reflect on playing with former President Barack Obama
Both Jalen Hurts and fellow NFL star Saquon Barkley said the opportunity to play golf with former President Barack Obama was very special to them. Hurts had this to say (via Delaware Online):
"Kind of like an uncle figure out there. President Obama, an all-time leader, a great presence. I guess the word is 'down to earth.' I can only imagine that lifestyle and the different things that come with that."
Barkley, for his part, called Obama an "athlete."
"He’s pretty good. He’s an athlete. Merion is not an easy place either. He asked me a lot of great questions. It was cool."
Barack Obama shares his passion for golf with other former presidents such as Donald Trump, William Clinton and George W. Bush. According to As, Obama has a golf handicap of 13.
A study published by Golf News Net, based on a CBS Sports report, indicates that Barack Obama has played 333 rounds of golf, which equates to just over 41 rounds per year.
The study concluded that Obama played 1,665 hours of golf during his presidency. This represents 3% of his time in office, as he occupied the White House for 55,008 hours.