[Mac4Lyfe]

He's getting his degree in architectural design. Stanford student athletes are very bright and he will graduate next spring 2012. He'll get an insurance policy in case he's injured and will get his big payday in 2012.

I keep hearing the argument that a guy is smart by staying in school and getting a degree in case something happens. Well financially this is a stupid move. First of all, he's not a 3rd or 4th round draft pick. He's considered to be the #1 pick. That means, not only guaranteed money but at least $10mill per year salary. What degree does Stanford give out that would pay this? An architect coming out at Stanford makes about $100k/yr. It would take him working 100 years to make the amount of money he would make in just 1 year of football. Do I have to repeat myself... 100 years x $100k = $10Mill in 1 year.

Now I understand if he loves the college life (I know I did) and he just wants to enjoy himself another year. I get that because money isn't everything and you can't put a price on memories. BUT if your talking financially... getting a degree is not the best choice, especially when he can always get the degree in the offseason or once he's out of football. Do you really think the degree is going to make the player? How much is Peyton Manning or Tom Brady's degree worth? Nothing because those guys are made men.

The window of opportunity for football is short. There's a finite time to make money. He's only going to play so many years. So he has to make in 10-15 years what others will make in 40 years. 1 year w/o income, especially at a high income is equivalent of an ordinary person not working for 5 or 6 years. He really is giving up a lot of money by staying.

That said, money's not real important to folks who have it. So only he can determine what's best for him. I think he will change his mind but it's refreshing to see him not go after the money, while guys like Mallet and Pryor seem to be money motivated.

[Fleeben]

I don't know where you're from, but in America once you get above a few mill you are set for life. The society is set up to protect wealth and those that have it, often at the expense of the less-fortunate. That being said I don't know why people care that much about his decision, he's going to be wealthy beyond comprehension no matter what he does.

[MUHerd37]

Rooting for injuries...

Always a classy move

Is risking maybe $40 or $50 million smart? Hell no it isn't. U risk that much and u deserve to get hurt.

[dherd]

wealthy family, huge insurance policy against injury, going for the heisman and a national title. can still change his mind though if harbaugh leaves look for it.

[BookiesBernanke]

Luck is an idiot -- his comment that the "NFL will always be there" is insane - maybe they dont notice in palto Alto, but everyone else is broke and all these professional leagues have given out insane contracts over the last year - all these leagues are going to lock-outs and then they are finished because the US is broke - he could have taken the guaranteed money and then gone back to school during the lock-out

Good luck with that degree during hyperinflation and food riots

[Harry N. Lloyd]

Boyz,

Don't get in the habit of thinking ESPN's word is the gospel truth. Bet your last donut that this kid will enter the draft. To be the first pick in the draft is a windfall that cannot be passed up. Bradford was never gonna go #1 when he decided to return for his senior year. Last year, Kiper and McShay and those other snake-oil salesmen were touting Locker as the best talent in the draft. A year later, he'll be lucky to go in the third round. An injury or a couple of bad bounces and the same fate could befall Luck. My money says he declares.

[WileOut]

Imagine being the man. Stanford is a school with tons of classy, awesome women. Once you get to the pros they are just after you for money. College is much more laid back too.

I agree though he is playing with his future. I hope he doesn't get hurt.

[goochalooch]

Bad move....turning down sooooo much money.

[MinnesotaFats]

I keep seeing the term "insurance policy" coming up. Can someone elaborate on this. First of all...he has no professional contract to insure against, second of all it's purely speculation & it's a pysical contact sport and third of all I'm not sure that the NCAA would even allow a player to benefit from a policy against his performance. Does anyone have actual evidence of NCAA players being able to benefit from insurance policies that protect future earnings?

[Albert Pujols]

I hate the NFL and think college football is one of the greatest things in life. But I don't know how he is turning down being the number one pick. Just seems crazy.

[mdemps9190]

I keep seeing the term "insurance policy" coming up. Can someone elaborate on this. First of all...he has no professional contract to insure against, second of all it's purely speculation & it's a pysical contact sport and third of all I'm not sure that the NCAA would even allow a player to benefit from a policy against his performance. Does anyone have actual evidence of NCAA players being able to benefit from insurance policies that protect future earnings?

Sam Bradford did the same thing when he came back. It's a new trend. You take out an insurance policy on your body (shoulder,arm,whatever) and if it gets hurt so that you can never pay football again, then you get a nice 10 million dollar check.

[Wade Dwayne]

Good decision. Why be a above average QB playing on a below average team in the NFL and having minimum 3-4 years before even a chance to become relevent in a title race. Much better option is staying in college and playing for a top 3 school with a great chance to win a trophy. All of this assuming money is not an issue for him.

[VTranX]

hope my WR steve smith gets a good QB next year. I miss seeing his big plays.

[SBR_John]

Is risking maybe $40 or $50 million smart? Hell no it isn't. U risk that much and u deserve to get hurt.

He can insure himself for around $15 million plus with a degree, big name and show of class he can land a job with a huge salary. First thing I thought of was think of all the babes!

[BiffTFinancial]

I keep seeing the term "insurance policy" coming up. Can someone elaborate on this. First of all...he has no professional contract to insure against, second of all it's purely speculation & it's a pysical contact sport and third of all I'm not sure that the NCAA would even allow a player to benefit from a policy against his performance. Does anyone have actual evidence of NCAA players being able to benefit from insurance policies that protect future earnings?

this is done all the time, and i have first-hand knowledge of a number of players buying them (both college and pro). of course, i cannot give you names, as i'd be breaching a confidence, so you'll have to take my word for it. the bottomline is that insurance companies will insure almost anything if they perceive the premium to exceed the risk that they're taking on. i have a friend who played in the NFL in the 90's, and during a contract year (final year of his contract, coming off pro bowl, and he was due a $13M roster bonus the following march if they did not cut him) he bought such a policy from Lloyd's of London. he paid a little under 100 grand as a premium for a $5 million insurance policy against a career-ending injury during that limited period of time. unfortunately, he suffered a career-ending injury early in the season and collected the entire $5 million. the upside is that it enabled him to start a couple of successful businesses that now provide for his family.

NCAA rules to not prohibit it. while you are correct that receiving the benefit from the policy would kill his NCAA eligibility, if he gets a benefit from it, it will be once he can no longer play football anyway because of the injury (NCAA rules don't prohibit life insurance either). you are correct that he has no pro contract to "insure against" but the insurance that he's getting is on his body, not his contract. this happens all the time, but it's not really discussed (think about it - people don't really discuss such matters - do you know how much life insurance your friends have?; and the information is not publicly available unless the player discloses it, and why would he?). the only reason that we know that Sam Bradford did it is because he talked about it a little. from the insurance company's perspective, they sell a significant number of these things, and so long as less than 2% pay off, they're making money. while there is a risk of a career-ending injury in the next year, do you think that it's greater than a 2% chance? Lloyd's of London and their risk analysts and actuaries don't think so. also, my 2% number is from the 90's. LoL may now be asking 3-4% for one of these policies.

[dukeblue888]

theres supposed to be a lock out. why do you think nfl coaches arent being fired left and right. Manning and bradford told him to stay. He'll make more money next year and the pac 10 will be terrible next year

[k13]

Two years ago the Panthers were 13-3 hosting a playoff game with a bye.

people have short memories that's why they lose at this game

[Glitch]

dodgin the panthers.

[utmoody10]

people have short memories that's why they lose at this game

This^. The Panthers are a good franchise and Fox was a victim of a front office that is extremely worried about a possible lockout. I am a fan and dont agree with how cheap they were this year. There is a lot of talent on that team that will be back. Thomas Davis was set for a breakout year at LB and Jeff Otah being out extremely hurt their ground game. Luck wouldve came into a place to start from day 1 with a decent defense and good running game with Stew and DeAngelo. The team picking first will always be in bad shape but the Panthers have some positives to go along with their lists of negatives. This is a huge blow and more than likely caused Panthers fans to suffer through another year of Jimmy Clausen.

Also there is so much love for Jeff Fisher around the league and I always have thought he was a good coach but for some perspective, John Fox since his hire in 2002 has a record of 78-74 including playoff games while Fisher is 79-71 during that same stretch.

[Don Giovanni]

Considering what half the degenerates on this forum would do for $1MM I have to say this is a bad decision by Luck to pass up on upwards of $50MM in guarantied money. Once the rookie scale is in place he may not hit double digits in guarantied money beginning in 2012. Take the money...noone gives a shit about your archetuel design degree, noone has any money to build anyway you dumbass. His father says "the NFL isn't going anywhere"....is Stanford going somewhere? Can't he get his degree when he is 30, 40, 50 or in the offseason? Hey, I got this winning Mega Millions lotto ticket but I'm not going to collect yet....let me leave the ticket in my car for a year and if it's still there next January I'll cash it in.

The class of characters on this forum cease to amaze...

[smitch124]

There was a hit in the USC game this season that is thought to have short curcuited the money management portion of his brain, a mallady my dad has long accused my mom of having.

[Betting Guru]

I got no clue what he is doing. College is not that great. Heck with all the money that he is passing up this draft, he could live the college life every night of his life!

[WorkHorse]

How did Manning staying at Tennessee for his senior year work out?

Looks to me he turned out OK.

[Don Giovanni]

two words: Matt Leinart

Four words: Peyton Manning, Sam Bradford

[durito]

Bad decision, there will be a rookie wage scale in two years

There will be a rookie wage scale this year.

[BiffTFinancial]

There will be a rookie wage scale this year.

this^

[Don Giovanni]

There will be a rookie wage scale this year.

If there is no wage scale in place by the time the draft rolls around, this would mean there is a lock out, but the draft will still occur on schedule. That means any player drafted during the 2011 NFL Draft will not be subject to the assumed wage scale that the owners are looking to implement. Bottom line is Luck left upwards of $50 million on the table in guaranteed money if the league and the NFLPA can't negotiate a new CBA and the Draft is held during a lock out.

[Mac4Lyfe]

I have a feeling this will turn out bad for Luck. There's no where for him to go but down from #1. Go get your degree in the off season but you need to go get your money now. Don't live off the back of mommy and daddy. Make your own.

Plus whoever said that Stanford had hot chicks must have never been there. Did you see the girls in the crowd at the bowl game? Stanford woman look like Stanford men. We're not talking about USC or Arizona here. He'll find much better tail all over the country in the NFL.

[RITZ]

Supposed to go to college to get educated to be able to work hard in school to get a great job that pays well! No Luck here. I give the guy credit to walk away from it/not saying it's smart just lots of credit.

[The Madcap]

Luck's going to end up with the Panthers regardless.

The Panthers and the Broncos have the first two picks in the draft this year. The Panthers are owned by Jerry Richardson. The Broncos are owned by Pat Bowlen. Richardson/Bowlen are the co-chairs of the labor committee. Which means they are in the prime position with a perfect motive to force the lockout, keeping their draft picks for another season, when better players will become available.

[frostno98]

People that hate this move is probably the Panther and Broncos.

The broncos would probably give the Panthers their #2 pick this year and 1st rounder next year to get Luck.

[Mac4Lyfe]

People that hate this move is probably the Panther and Broncos.

The broncos would probably give the Panthers their #2 pick this year and 1st rounder next year to get Luck.

Bronco's have a lot more needs than a QB. First start with that horrible defense. Then work on the pathetic offensive line. Luck would get killed playing behind that porous line. Tebow is the real deal but he needs help. Mainly a defense with a pulse that can get a few stops.

[MortalLock]

Nothing beats college parties