On the cumulative salary of $1.8m over three years he's looking at an effective rate of around 35%. But he definitely won't lose half of his pension to taxes. That's one of the main advantages is that is spread out over a number of years. The NFL, with all its faults in neglecting players health, was wise to set players up with pensions.

Um, what?

Doesn't the average NFL player have a life expectancy of 53-59, and you can only collect the pension after 55? They can move it foward starting at age 35.

Cynical me says it's a political nothing burger.

Does anybody know the history?

I would sort of expect that the NFL Players Association had something to do with establishing it.

I didn't even count the pension in there, just the $1.8m in salary.