5 NFL stars who receive millions in salary through cryptocurrencies
The way some NFL players are being paid by their teams is changing. In addition to contracts being worth a ton more money than they used to in the past and still regularly increasing, some players are now opting to receive some of their salary in cryptocurrencies rather than cash. Here are five NFL players who have opted to do so, setting the trend for others to follow eventually.
5 NFL stars who receive a portion of their contracts in cryptocurrencies
#1 - Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. As part of his rookie contract to be a top selection in the draft, he was awarded a $24 million signing bonus to join the Jaguars.
Rather than receive $24 million in guaranteed cash, Trevor Lawrence instead opted to take the entire amount into cryptocurrencies. He reportedly spread the amount to several different cryptos, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, among others.
#2 - Saquon Barkley, New York Giants
The New York Giants paid star running back Saquon Barkley just slightly over $10 million for the 2021 NFL season. Barkley opted to take the entire amount of his 2021 salary, all in Bitcoin.
Saquon Barkley is entering the final year of his rookie contract with the Giants heading into the 2022 NFL season. He is owed $7.2 million in 2022 and is likely to receive some or all of the amount in Bitcoin once again. He will become an unrestricted free agent after the season, so his contract situation is unknown beyond that.