How much money is Joe Burrow worth to LSU? Approximately $3.9 million

If college athletes were paid similar to players in the NFL, LSU stud quarterback Joe Burrow would be valued at almost $3.9 million. As a top Heisman Trophy finalist and likely No. 1 draft pick, should he sit out the college football playoffs?

LSU quarterback Joe Burrow won the Heisman on Saturday, becoming the first LSU winner since Billy Cannon in 1959. In a year when LSU delivered several of the most-watched games of the season and a playoff appearance, Burrow has delivered millions for the program all while risking his NFL fortune.

Burrow will lead the top-seeded Tigers (13-0) in the College Football Playoff semifinals against Oklahoma (12-1) at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Dec. 28. This coming off LSU’s commanding 37-10 win over Georgia to capture the SEC championship.

Burrow has been sensational for the Tigers this year, and with the devastating hip injury to Tua Tagovailoa, Burrow’s stock in the NFL Draft has risen significantly. While he’s earned high praise and legend status in Baton Rouge, he still has more college football to play in spite of his chance to go No. 1 overall in the draft. If LSU beats Oklahoma, the Tigers will face the winner of Ohio State v. Clemson in the National Championship Game on Jan. 13 in New Orleans.

That is possibly two more games for Burrow to shine. It’s also two more games for Burrow to get injured and ruin his financial future. Sure, he’s receiving individual acclaim, television coverage, and the shot at a potential national championship. But he’s also sacrificing his physical and mental health to play in football games when he’s all but ensured himself as the top pick in the NFL.

David Berri, a sports economist at Southern Utah University, told FanSided that Burrow’s current worth at LSU is $3,864,611.91.

LSU reported $86,579,944 in revenue in the most recent reporting year. When you factor in 114 players on the team and Burrow’s status as an elite quarterback, which in the NFL would earn him 10.18 times more than the average player, Berri concludes Burrow’s current value to LSU in a revenue share system similar to the NFL is insanely high. While LSU generates millions in revenue, Burrow cannot profit from any of it.

Last year’s No. 1 pick, Kyler Murray, signed a fully guaranteed $35,158,645 million contract over four years, with a signing bonus of over $23 million. Burrow’s current stock value with one, and quite possibly two games left in the season, is far too high to risk playing those games.

Coaches and fans may not be thrilled if someone as talented and highly touted as Burrow were to sit out for a Bowl game. But why should he risk his financial future so that the school he attends can continue to generate millions while paying him nothing?

Nick Saban discussed the idea of players not playing in bowl games. In a phone call to reporters discussing Alabama’s appearance in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1, Saban gave his thoughts on the notion that some of his players may sit out. He stated:

"“I’m sure that guys are going to make individual decisions based on their circumstance and their situation, and what we want to focus on is the guys who want to look to the future and look to trying to improve themselves as players and improve our team in getting back to the standard that we want to play to. This has been something that has been a bit of an issue in the past with other programs and other teams. We haven’t experienced it for a while, but we’ll see what happens with this group.”"

It’s quite hard to take seriously any criticism for players sitting out bowl games to ensure their physical health stays intact for future financial earnings from a coach who signed an eight-year, $74 million deal in 2018. Especially when you consider Saban made the decision to keep Tagovailoa in the game Alabama was winning 35-7 in the final minutes of the first half. It was in those final first-half minutes that Tagovailoa injured his hip, keeping him out for the rest of the season and facing an unsure future in football. Saban’s decision likely cost Tagovailoa millions of dollars.

While there have been no talks or anticipation that Burrow will sit out during the college football playoffs, that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t. He’s got millions to lose and millions to gain.

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