Part 6/8:
A critical aspect of NFL salaries that few understand is the taxation imposed on players. Athletes are subject to different state taxes depending on where they play. States like California impose hefty state taxes, while states such as Florida enjoy a no-state income tax policy. This leads to complex financial situations for players who may be taxed at a higher rate for a game they played only briefly in a different state.
As such, a player practicing in Florida but competing in California will find that their entire week of pay might be taxed at California’s rate regardless of their actual time spent working there. This overwhelming tax burden can result in significant financial losses—potentially thousands of dollars—in some cases.