Players from all 32 NFL teams are getting offers of credit cards and other cards from credit card issuers, and they are getting good advice from a former NFL player, the league’s senior vice president of player engagement told reporters Thursday.
The offer is so good that players are asking for it in the first place, league spokesman Brian McCarthy said.
That includes players who are active on social media and other online accounts.
And while some players are accepting, McCarthy said, the majority of players are still waiting for a response.
“There’s no question that it is a major part of the game,” McCarthy said of the offer.
“And it’s one of the most important things to do.
And we’re looking for them to be proactive in getting it.
We’re going to make sure they are doing everything they can to make it work for them.”
The NFLPA issued a statement Thursday saying that the offer of credit card cards “will be in line with our players’ privacy preferences.”
The offer comes after the NFL Players Association announced that players who accept it will receive an initial $250 bonus on top of the initial $5,000 they earned for the season.
Players who don’t accept the offer will have to pay a $25 penalty per year.
The NFL’s offer is a direct response to a letter sent to players earlier this month from former player Paul Kruger, who was also a defensive back with the Packers in the 1980s.
The letter from Kruger warned that players should take a few days to decide whether to accept the credit card offer or not.
“The offer from the NFL is nothing short of an offer that’s completely inappropriate and that would be a clear violation of their privacy,” the letter reads.
“Players are being told that they can use the money they earn for the year as they please, including signing a new contract with a new team, which would put them at risk of future financial ruin.”
In a statement released Thursday, the NFLPA said that Kruger’s letter was sent in the context of players being asked to “take advantage of a financial benefit that was not offered to them.”
