San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith will need to pay to play football this season and will still owe the team next year.
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It’s been a rough few months for San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith who is in the final week of a nine-game NFL suspension.
Smith has proven to be a bit of a knucklehead off the field though was hoping that his suspension would be reduced allowing him to get back on the field this Sunday. That wasn’t the case as the Pro Bowl talent allegedly didn’t finish him counseling requirements mandated by the NFL.
Not only did the league opt not to reduce his suspension but the San Francisco 49ers defensive star will also have to pay to play this season according to ESPN‘s Adam Schefter.
49ers LB Aldon Smith might be first player to not only not be paid during season but to pay to play - $661,000. pic.twitter.com/tFMg1LWOBH
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 9, 2014
To break this down in the most simple of forms, Aldon Smith will make $1.099 million dollars for the remainder of the year. After taxes that is reduced to $525,000 bucks. Only problem? With Smith getting suspended he had to forfeit his signing bonus which means the San Francisco 49ers will either take that money out of his game check or Smith will owe his team $1.18 million dollars. Of course the linebacker is only pocketing the previously mentioned $525,000 dollars which means he’s still going to owe the 49ers $661,000 bucks once the season ends.
In short, Aldon Smith isn’t technically going to get paid to play football this season and will still have to cough up over a half million dollars next year to the 49ers.
As Shefter notes, it’s not only likely the first time a player didn’t get paid to play but it’s likely the first time a player has ever had to pay to play. Strange to say the least.
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