NFL Players and Their Spouses Discuss Football Salaries, Fines, and Expenses
Not all NFL players are landing lucrative contracts to play professional football, prompting many families to seek additional income sources.
“Let me clarify: We have developed multiple income streams over the past seven years,” Allison Kuch, wife of free agent Isaac Rochell, stated on a November 2023 episode of her “Sunday Sports Club” podcast. “If you’ve been in the NFL for seven years and need a job the moment you’re cut, something isn’t right.”
Kuch and Rochell, who welcomed their daughter Scottie in December 2023, do not solely depend on his NFL earnings, particularly while he remains without a contract. They also benefit from her podcast, his Husband PSA merchandise, and various social media partnerships that bolster their household income.
Jason Kelce, who spent 14 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles before retiring in March 2024, is also an ESPN broadcaster and cohosts a “New Heights” podcast with his brother, Travis Kelce. Although the podcast was sold to Wondery for millions, Jason and his wife Kylie Kelce maintain a modest home life. (They have three daughters and are expecting baby number four as of November 2024.)
“We strive to ensure our children feel supported by family and friends, while not putting them in positions of privilege,” Kylie shared exclusively with Us Weekly in June 2024. “[We’re] doing our utmost to ensure that when they turn 16, they will be driving a [used vehicle]. They won’t be receiving a hand-me-down car right now. There’s no way you’re getting dad’s [Tesla] CyberTruck as a hand-me-down. You will be driving a basic model, hopefully with windows that need to be cranked down.”
Continue reading for more insights into the financial realities of NFL players and their families:
Salary Discussion
Despite stars like Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Aaron Rodgers earning significant salaries, not all NFL contracts are equally rewarding. Retired player Chad Hansen’s wife, Bryce Watts Hansen, dispelled the myth that “all NFL players are millionaires” in a series of TikTok posts in December 2024.
Bryce revealed that they live in a modest 700-square-foot apartment, still using the same worn-out couch since he signed his rookie deal with the New York Jets.
“He played for eight different NFL teams, which means signing and terminating numerous contracts,” she elaborated in a video. “While on a team, the pay is decent — whether you’re on the practice squad or active roster — it’s all good money.”
Bryce continued, “However, contracts aren’t guaranteed… [if you’re cut] you get nothing, particularly if you sign early in the offseason and are cut before the season starts. You’re not receiving any of that money because you haven’t played repeatedly or attended practices.”
According to Bryce, they often spend Chad’s earnings on the costs associated with changing teams, along with medical appointments and other essential expenses.
“The expenses really add up, making us prioritize spending on recovery tools or bodywork instead of new furniture,” Bryce noted. “It turned out to be beneficial for both of us.”
Navigating Insurance
Like any employer, the NFL provides insurance for active players.
“They don’t even receive lifetime coverage,” Kuch said in a July 2024 TikTok video. “Some players who only participate in one game, that’s understandable, but Tom Brady? He’s only insured for another four years.”
Kuch is insured under Rochell’s plan, which “restarts” with every new team he joins.
“Last year, since my husband played for the Las Vegas Raiders, he had coverage for the whole employment year,” she shared. “Once that employment year concludes, we receive coverage for another five years. Every year he plays restarts that five-year coverage.”
Thus, even though Rochell was released from the Raiders shortly before Kuch gave birth, their delivery costs were still covered by their insurance provider.
Uniform Costs
Bryce shared that athletes must pay for their jerseys if they wish to keep them. She mentioned in another December 2024 TikTok that Chad only paid for helmets from two of the eight teams he played with during his career.
“I believe jerseys can cost up to $600, so if players swap jerseys after games, they need to foot the bill,” she detailed. “He regretted not buying helmets from a few more teams, but when you get cut, purchasing a helmet that costs several hundred dollars is the last thing on your mind.”
Securing Game Day Tickets
While many wives and children of NFL players are often seen at games, securing tickets can be a challenge.
“NFL tickets are not complimentary, even if your spouse is on the team,” Bryce explained in another December 2024 TikTok video. “Players receive a limited number and often must acquire additional ones from fellow players to ensure their families can attend — and they still incur taxes.”
Bryce noted that the seating arrangements are typically scattered around the stadium among other fans.
“You’re not guaranteed prime seats,” she explained. “And for those in the luxury boxes? Even top players pay for those. They purchase those boxes, they don’t get them for free.”
Travis Kelce, for instance, spent over $3 million on a luxury box at the 2024 Super Bowl for his girlfriend Taylor Swift, their families, and several celebrity friends. The championship was held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, which features a “Field Club” right on the sidelines, complete with tables and bottle service.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Kelly Stafford has had to pay for a suite to accommodate her and Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford’s four daughters.
“There’s a section in the suite with food where you can sit and enjoy a drink or a meal, and my kids are just sitting there coloring,” Kelly mentioned on her “Morning After” podcast in October 2024. “I’m thinking, ‘There’s a reason I bring you to these games. Honestly, this ticket is wasted. You could be coloring at home while watching on TV.’”
Kelly added, “As much as I want them there because I know how much their dad wants them there, I often find myself questioning if I’m wasting money bringing them to the games.”
Various Fines
Many athletes also need to allocate part of their earnings to cover fines from the league.
“You can get penalized for numerous offenses in the NFL,” noted Saints star Juwan Johnson’s wife, Chanen Johnson, in an October 2024 TikTok video. “Fines can come from the NFL itself or from your team specifically, like being late to a practice or meeting … or any poor performance during a game.”
Chanen mentioned that Juwan has only been fined $2,000 for “failing a weight test” throughout his five-year NFL career.
Previously, Rochell revealed on his TikTok that in his rookie season with the Los Angeles Chargers, he was fined $30,000 for a tackle that occurred mid-game.
“Everyone in the NFL knows if there’s a FedEx package in your locker, you’re about to get fined,” Rochell joked. “I opened it, and sure enough, it was a $30,000 fine. Keep in mind, at that moment I was earning $500 per week during training camp, so this penalty was far more than my training camp salary.”
A Hierarchical Structure Among Wives
The contracts of players can also influence the relationships among their spouses.
“There’s definitely a hierarchy among wives. It varies from team to team, but if you think about a group of 53 women in one room, not everyone will get along,” Kuch remarked on “The Viall Files” podcast in August 2024. “In some teams, girls won’t even give you the time of day unless your husband has a certain level of contract or experience.”
Rochell added that a similar hierarchy exists within the locker room, but “it’s not as pronounced.”
“Generally, the guys are pretty laid-back,” he commented. “But there’s a significant difference in earnings, so it’s difficult not to notice. A teammate might be making ten times what you do. If there’s a guy pulling in $4 million per game while I was earning $7,000 every two weeks, it’s evident that he isn’t concerned about me. If he’s genuinely focused on winning, he’s not worrying about Isaac on [the] practice squad during his rookie year.”
