Seahawks’ K.J. Wright discusses NFL players going broke, his first paycheck
Apr 8, 2019, 3:56 PM
Seahawks LB K.J. Wright will return to Seattle in 2019. (AP)
(AP)
Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright joined KIRO Nights recently to discuss why and how NFL players go broke after retiring, and what he’s been up to during the off-season.
“When you come to the NFL, there’s a lot of stereotypes on what an athlete should have: the diamond chains, nice cars, multiple houses, all that stuff,” he said. “So you get caught up in this thing that you see on TV and what you see in the locker room, and you’re like, ‘I’ve got to do this,’ and what guys mess up is that they try to act like a 10-year vet, when they’re just a first or second year guy.”
“And the money doesn’t add up, so you see guys come in and just blowing it, blowing it, blowing it.”
Wright was drafted by the Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, and recently signed a two-year, $15.5 million contract extension.
“When we first come into the league, we’re given a lot of money at young age. The thing that I guess most guys don’t understand is how to handle the money, because with the money comes a lot of responsibility,” he said.
Listen to the rest of the interview here.
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