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when did they NFL start paying players milions? (1 Viewer)

Broadway Joe......or at least he had a million dollar smile. I do remember Joe Namath's name was mentioned in the move "Last Boy Scout" (Bruce Willis & Damon Wayans) when escalating NFL salaries was mentioned.

 
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Broadway Joe...

...or at least he had a million dollar smile. I do remember Joe Namath's name was mentioned in the move "Last Boy Scout" (Bruce Willis & Damon Wayans) when escalating NFL salaries was mentioned.
Still trying to figure out who got the 1st NFL contract....but I know for sure it is not Namath. Only because the 1st ever contract was Nolan Ryan in 1980 and Joe retired in 1977.E

 
Still hunting.Randall Cunningham was the first at $3M in 1989.Joe Namath was the highest paid player in 1969, but not $1M.

 
Actually the first million dollar contract I know of was in hockey by the Winnipeg Jets', then in the WHA:"In February 1972, an ominous event in the form of the World Hockey Association General Player Draft took place. The Winnipeg Jets selected Hull and a few months later shocked the hockey world by signing him to the first $1 million contract in hockey history."

 
Actually the first million dollar contract I know of was in hockey by the Winnipeg Jets', then in the WHA:

"In February 1972, an ominous event in the form of the World Hockey Association General Player Draft took place. The Winnipeg Jets selected Hull and a few months later shocked the hockey world by signing him to the first $1 million contract in hockey history."
You are correct, but Hull got 1 million over 5 years......where Nolan Ryan got 3.5 over 3 years.Looking for first Million per year player!

 
Ryan was the first. Try looking at some of the guys that went into the USFL versus the NFL, such as H. Walker; Flutie; Young; White or Kelly. I do not have time to search but I think D. Trump gave Walker a HUGE contract to bypass the NFL.

 
I thought it was either Elway or Fouts sometime between 1982-1984, but it's just off the top of my head.
John Elway, who also starred in baseball at Stanford, was drafted by both the Baltimore Colts and the New York Yankees in 1983. The Colts made John Elway the first player picked in the 1983 NFL draft, but John stunned the football world by refusing to play for Baltimore. The Colts traded their rights to John to the Denver Broncos, who promptly signed him to a 6-year contract worth $12.7 million.
 
Ryan was the first. Try looking at some of the guys that went into the USFL versus the NFL, such as H. Walker; Flutie; Young; White or Kelly. I do not have time to search but I think D. Trump gave Walker a HUGE contract to bypass the NFL.
Yes I did.HUGE.

 
QUOTE(WhoDat @ Jan 31 2006, 04:28 PM)Ryan was the first. Try looking at some of the guys that went into the USFL versus the NFL, such as H. Walker; Flutie; Young; White or Kelly. I do not have time to search but I think D. Trump gave Walker a HUGE contract to bypass the NFL.Yes I did.HUGE.
Funny very. Ok, I had to look it up.2/23/1983 the Generals ink Walker to a 3 year/$5 million dollar contract.
 
QUOTE(WhoDat @ Jan 31 2006, 04:28 PM)

Ryan was the first. Try looking at some of the guys that went into the USFL versus the NFL, such as H. Walker; Flutie; Young; White or Kelly. I do not have time to search but I think D. Trump gave Walker a HUGE contract to bypass the NFL.

Yes I did.

HUGE.
Funny very. Ok, I had to look it up.2/23/1983 the Generals ink Walker to a 3 year/$5 million dollar contract.
Marcus Dupree and Steve Young each signed contracts worth more than 1 million per year.... right before Walker!LINK

E

 
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Marcus Dupree
I wonder who read and signed the contract for M. Dupree? Easy, Sooner fan, I graduated and played for the program so I feel I have a little latitude to make that comment.
 
I thought the question read "when did the NFL start"?????
Guessing that the USFL contracts will lead us into the correct time frame.Did somebody say they found the answer yet? :boxing:

E

 
I thought the question read "when did the NFL start"?????
It did. The historical causality, though, rests with the introduction of the USFL. The NFL's hand was forced by the USFL, as the new league easily signed some of the biggest names in college football. At the time H. Walker was considered the best college football player of all time but was lured to the USFL. Elway had the promise of baseball and the ability to leverage the USFL contracts to up his asking price.
 
I cannot find anything on B. Sims initial contract in 1980.

George Rogers was the #1 pick in 1981. Details of his contract and bonus were not made public but I did locate an old NY Times article that mentioned the deal minus roster bonus was rumored to be 3 years @ $250K per.

 
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Marcus Dupree
I wonder who read and signed the contract for M. Dupree? Easy, Sooner fan, I graduated and played for the program so I feel I have a little latitude to make that comment.
I've always compared Marcus Dupree to Maurice Clarett. At least Dupree had the sense to sign a contract and wasn't holding anyone up at gunpoint.
 
It was Johnny 'Lam' Jones. If you want to see it, go to google and put in Lam Jones contractEDIT:Sorry, I didn't read the whole thing. It was the first million dollar contract, not the first million dollar a year contract.

 
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It was Johnny 'Lam' Jones.

If you want to see it, go to google and put in Lam Jones contract

EDIT:

Sorry, I didn't read the whole thing. It was the first million dollar contract, not the first million dollar a year contract.
:goodposting: nice job

 
Actually the first million dollar contract I know of was in hockey by the Winnipeg Jets', then in the WHA:

"In February 1972, an ominous event in the form of the World Hockey Association General Player Draft took place. The Winnipeg Jets selected Hull and a few months later shocked the hockey world by signing him to the first $1 million contract in hockey history."
You are correct, but Hull got 1 million over 5 years......where Nolan Ryan got 3.5 over 3 years.Looking for first Million per year player!
Wasn't Eddie Murray the 1st Million Dollar baseball player.
 
I've always compared Marcus Dupree to Maurice Clarett. At least Dupree had the sense to sign a contract and wasn't holding anyone up at gunpoint.
That might be up for debate, as Dupree could not read and rumor was he could barely write. Someone signed that but it was probably not Dupree. I miss Coach Switzer.
 
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