Pay cuts to go to the NFL? Kirby Smart exposes harsh reality
"There are players taking pay cuts to go to the NFL," Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart said in a recent interview.
Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart wants what's best for players and wants them to get their fair share, but that doesn't mean he's loving the current environment in college football. Smart is concerned for players. "There are players taking pay cuts to go to the NFL," Smart said in an interview with CBS Sports' Josh Pate .
"You know, we know what league minimum is in the National Football League. " The NFL's league minimum is $885,000 for rookies in 2026. Of course, some NFL rookies spend a lot of time on the practice squad, where they'd make less than the minimum.
One prime example that has to be brought up is former Miami Hurricanes and Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck. Beck made over $4 million in name, image and likeness money during his one season at Miami. Beck, who the Arizona Cardinals selected with the No.
65 pick in the third-round of the 2026 NFL draft, is expected to sign a four-year, $7. 4 million rookie deal that will pay him just $1. 34 million as a rookie.