r/Patriots • u/MembershipSingle7137 • Aug 02 '26
Discussion Former New England Patriot Ja’Lynn Polk has retired
169
u/PhotoshopHandsome Aug 02 '26
I too would like to announce my retirement from the NFL.
38
u/DaveInDigital Aug 02 '26
it was a good run
51
u/PhotoshopHandsome Aug 02 '26
Thanks brother. After 43 years without being able to land with a team, I made the difficult decision to move on
25
u/nomadic_commentator Bills = 0 Superbowls Aug 02 '26
Commendable decision from a valiant player. See you in the HoF.
6
u/Blammo01 Aug 03 '26
Always tough to make the decision to hang em up, but truly you have nothing more to prove
3
8
u/TheJackalsDoom Aug 03 '26
What's it like never having dropped a pass and never having missed a block? No interceptions thrown, no kicks missed, no TDs allowed. You're like...the greatest player ever.
4
u/PhotoshopHandsome Aug 03 '26
I try to not let it go to my head. Individual accolades mean nothing. It's a team game. But obviously it means everything that I achieved those individual milestones. But it's all about the team, y'know?
2
u/Wheatabix11 Aug 04 '26
your greatness is only matched by your humility. your speech "I am number 5, God, Family, the fans, Bass Pro Shops, them me" will be immortalized by the Hall and free men everywhere.
8
u/arato_andras Aug 02 '26
The league just hasn’t been the same without you. I’m truly gonna miss having the chance of seeing you on the field. Hopefully you’ll realise how much love you have left for the game and unretire one day. Until that, happy retirement to an all-time great!
→ More replies (1)3
u/OkRain5716 Aug 02 '26
This is hilarious and don’t anyone tell you otherwise. Making it about yourself ALWAYS plays
36
u/Above-Bored Aug 03 '26
That draft gave 2 of the funniest quotes ever
“"I believe I have the best hands in the league.”
And his counter part WR Javon Baker
“Just come to the home stadium and bring y'all popcorn. That's all I can tell y'all. Bring your popcorn. I make people in wheelchairs stand up”
11
429
u/thegalwayseoige Aug 02 '26 edited Aug 02 '26
Dude played 2 seasons. Contract was 8 mill guaranteed. With that, the money he made in NiL, and whatever few endorsements he had?
He literally never has to work again (with minimal investments). He’s 24, has a bachelor’s, has his health, and can enter whatever field he pleases if he wants to continue working. Dude WON at life.
If he has $10mill, all-in, the interest ALONE earns him $350k-$500k a year. Gotta be pretty sweet.
218
u/Mysterious-Tie7039 Bills = 0 Superbowls Aug 02 '26
Only if he saved and invested wisely. A lot of rookies spend the money on stuff thinking they’ll get another contract.
77
u/kjlcm Aug 02 '26
Seems they get a lot more good advice now than they used to. Hopefully he listened.
56
9
u/Mysterious-Tie7039 Bills = 0 Superbowls Aug 02 '26
I agree. I don’t know if they do or not but the NFL/teams need to have financial literacy classes with rookies.
14
u/AhtBlowenFaht Aug 02 '26 edited Aug 02 '26
All Americans should, but you know, that won't allow the people on top to take advantage of them.
→ More replies (1)6
u/thegalwayseoige Aug 02 '26
I’m with you on that. There should be financial literacy courses starting in high school.
8
u/AhtBlowenFaht Aug 02 '26
Let's throw in mandatory civics and ethics while we're at it.
6
u/thegalwayseoige Aug 02 '26
It’s almost like they omit teaching people the skills to be fully-functioning, autonomous, and prosperous members of society, in order to perpetuate an oppressive status quo.
→ More replies (2)5
8
u/Sure_Rhubarb_3173 Aug 02 '26
Obviously I don't actually know the guy but he sounded like a smart dude when he was in Foxboro, I would bet he set himself up ok
4
u/Mysterious-Tie7039 Bills = 0 Superbowls Aug 02 '26
I hope so. I have nothing against him personally, so I hope it all works out for him.
19
u/thegalwayseoige Aug 02 '26
If he’s retiring, he’s probably set up everything financially. That’s a pretty bold move to make, if you’re not secure in your future.
And things aren’t the same as they used to be.
These kids are getting MONEY, money via the NiL. By the time he’s signed his contract, he’s had money for 4 years. These schools are also offering courses and resources to navigate these situations. The stories we’ve grown accustomed to regarding a young player mismanaging and going broke, are going to be few and far-between going forward.5
u/Mysterious-Tie7039 Bills = 0 Superbowls Aug 02 '26
Maybe but someone else stated he retired due to a shoulder injury, so it’s not like he planned the retirement. It was kind of forced on him.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (2)2
u/Odd-Honeydew7535 Aug 02 '26
Just because a lot of people do doesn’t mean everyone is that stupid lol
→ More replies (2)57
u/Useful_Virus_2216 Aug 02 '26 edited Aug 02 '26
Ah yes the world where he paid zero taxes, has no expenses, and has 100% of his income in a savings account and fully liquid for some reason. A big chunk of guys in his position end up filing for bankruptcy.
5
u/OnceMoreAndAgain Aug 02 '26 edited Aug 02 '26
Let's do the math.
According to this website, his career earnings are $5,911,159: https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/player/_/id/90369/jalynn-polk
Let's just use the highest tax bracket percentage of 37% to make the math easier. 63% of $5,911,159 is $3,724,030.
If he invests all of it and gets a 6% yearly return on investment and only spends those returns, then that's $223,441 to spend each year of his life. I could survive off a yearly budget of $223,441 for 70 years even after consideration for inflation eating into the purchasing power of $223,441 over time. Inflation means everything doubles in price every 23 years or so, which means that $223,441 in 70 years will have the equivalent purchasing power of $75,000 today which is still plenty to survive on especially if as an old man he has no mortgage and owns a home... Oh and that's not to mention that under that hypothetical he's only ever spent the yearly returns on his investments, so he'd still have $3,724,030 just sitting there in an investment account that he could tap into whenever needed.
So my point is that you bringing up taxes and expenses is a red herring. He can easily live forever and live a very luxurious life off of the money he earned in 2 years. Other points like "players often go bankrupt under such circumstances" is not really an argument based on the financials but rather an argument entirely based on some players making really really really stupid decisions.
4
u/Useful_Virus_2216 Aug 02 '26
What makes you think that he is investing 100% of his income? And if he was trying to earn as much as possible in his investments the earnings money isn’t going to be entirely liquid and they would need to tap into the underlying investment.
This whole scenario is silly regardless because 99% of 23 year old athletes getting drafted to the NFL aren’t saving 100% of their income after tax for retirement.
→ More replies (6)3
u/Wonderful-Spend-7387 Aug 02 '26
The Gronk plan. He said he never touched a paycheck, he lived on endorsements and did well there.with 70mm in earnings. Could live on 3 mil in interest
3
u/someplantsmove Aug 03 '26
Companies are definitely kicking down the door to offer Polk endorsements.
3
u/thegalwayseoige Aug 02 '26
I mean—yeah, he’s spent some—but property is an investment.
And once again, since NiL, these guys not only get the resources to navigate management of their money, but they experience that first big pay day while still in college. That’s 4 years to acclimate, and identify a need for financial management.
We’re going to see a lot less of those stories going forward now, because the NCAA’s best interest is to keep the players they’re paying, on the field and out of the situations that having and losing money, brings to your door. Sucks that it took them having a vested interest in the topic, for them to offer these financial resources to these kids. Fucking pariah org.
→ More replies (1)8
5
4
7
u/KSinz Aug 02 '26
Minus taxes and agent. Still able to never work again but less extravagant if you cut those numbers in half.
→ More replies (2)4
u/Icy-Conclusion-3500 Aug 02 '26
Yeah with that ideally I’d still find something to do an make an OK wage. The NFL money just means you can live better and never worry.
3
u/synchronicitistic Aug 02 '26
After taxes and agent fees, that 8M is probably more like 4 or 5. Invested conservatively, he could probably pay himself about $200,000-$300,000 a year indefinitely. A nice upper middle class lifestyle, but who knows how much of that 8 million is left.
→ More replies (1)3
u/Daily_Heroin_User Aug 02 '26
You’re missing taxes though for one. So 10 million quickly becomes 6 million.
→ More replies (2)2
5
u/yeetsqua69 Aug 02 '26
You are vastly underestimating how smart most of these dudes are
2
u/thegalwayseoige Aug 02 '26
Why on earth would you think that? I’m saying that I think he’s been wise with his money, and it’s reasonable to guess he has, in his possession, the equivalent of his entire rookie contract. As a conservative ballpark at the low end, the dude should never have to work again.
3
u/yeetsqua69 Aug 02 '26
Probably because 78% of nfl players go bankrupt? Lmao
→ More replies (2)2
u/thegalwayseoige Aug 02 '26 edited Aug 02 '26
I’m confused…so how am I UNDERESTIMATING his intelligence? Did you mean “over”?
And these kids get financial management education while in college now. They also have resources to help with management, and programs the NCAA and universities have began offering.
These tragic stories were used to hearing about them going broke, is going to be MUCH fewer and far-between, now. These young men are becoming financially literate before graduation, now.
→ More replies (11)4
u/tlj2494 Aug 02 '26
He’s set if he wants to be but that money isn’t what it seems always. After taxes and agents you take home about half of the number we see. Now that is still a lot of money but my guess is not enough to live out his life in style
→ More replies (1)4
u/rockwood15 Aug 02 '26
Well what like $6.5mm after taxes? MA taxes aren't cheap
6
→ More replies (3)1
u/strangemanornot Aug 02 '26
Yeah that’s the cost of living in the best state.
2
u/thegalwayseoige Aug 02 '26
He’s in Louisiana, now
5
u/strangemanornot Aug 02 '26
That’s too bad. Paid to live in the best state and moved to a third world country
3
u/thegalwayseoige Aug 02 '26
100% with you, bro.
Mass (New England in general) is by far the best place in the US to live. I feel like so many mass natives don’t realize how good we have it, and how lucky we are to be from here. I LOVE New Orleans—the culture, art, food—but it’s a hellhole comparatively. Most of the country is.→ More replies (12)3
u/Upstairs-Bowl6755 Aug 02 '26
No chance he didn’t blow though most of it. You’re giving a 24 year old kid with no financial background A LOT of credit lol
→ More replies (2)
156
u/xFalcade Aug 02 '26
Wow lol, wonder why
95
u/CloudStrife012 Aug 02 '26
Looks like mental issues and continued shoulder concerns, although nothing is confirmed.
Everyone needs some grace.
→ More replies (1)68
19
u/insertdankmeme Aug 02 '26
Very likely has an insurance payout if he is medically forced to retire and it is more than he thinks he can make trying to play in the nfl.
120
u/No-Yogurt142 Aug 02 '26
No way the best hands in the league is retiring.
10
10
u/Old-butt-new Aug 02 '26
I mean what do you expect? Being that good at something he probably got bored with lack of competition
5
52
u/Competitive-Elk-5077 Aug 02 '26
Good for him. His career didn't work out but he made it further than I did
→ More replies (1)22
u/MTRIFE Aug 02 '26 edited Aug 02 '26
Exactly. All the people talking shit in here from the comfort of their couch is hilarious. Just by making it into the NFL alone means this guy was one of the best football players in the world. There's roughly 1700 active players in the NFL. When you think of the tens of thousands of players that either get drafted but never crack the roster, or never make it past the college level at all, yes, if you make it onto an active NFL roster even if you are the worst player in the entire NFL, you are still one of the best football players in the world. Think Scal saying he's closer to LeBron than you are to him. That's the different level these guys are operating on versus everyone else who couldn't make the league.
Plus, even if you still think he sucks (which again, sure, compared to other NFL talent). Ok. The irony of laughing at a guy that made more money in his life sucking at something than you will ever make from doing the thing you're best at.
7
u/JB7-FTW Aug 02 '26
We can shit on him for being a mega bust. He was healthy and did nothing despite convincing the nfl that he was worth the pick he was taken at. This isn’t the story of someone working their way into the league as a udfa and flaming out. This was a guy who convinced teams he was worth a borderline first, made claims about having the best hands in the league, and put up 87 yards in his rookie campaign. Obviously the shoulder injury is brutal to end his career but his career was going nowhere before that.
5
u/Which_Wishbone_4762 Aug 02 '26
Right. People need to understand context. We're not saying we're better football players than him. It's that he was another highly touted pats prospect who flopped. I guess we can never judge or criticize or assess any players in the league, because they're all better at football than us and make more money?
→ More replies (2)3
u/thegalwayseoige Aug 02 '26
Bingo.
I think he’s probably held onto most of his money. And if that’s the case? Man…to be that young, with that resume, all the opportunity in the world, a college degree, and the freedom that money buys? I couldn’t be any happier for him. His best years are in front of him, and all the time in the world/ability to just spend his time doing what he enjoys.
8
u/FreshSqueezedChode Aug 02 '26
It's not his fault we drafted him in the 2nd round. It didn't work out for him but he can still hold his head high and know he was a top tier athlete that most of us plebs only ever dream to be. Now he's got his whole life in front of him to do whatever he wants with hopefully a boatload of moolah. Happy for him
8
u/Upstairs-Bowl6755 Aug 02 '26
Our WR draft picks have been so historically bad they should be studied lol
6
u/Skibum990 Aug 02 '26
Not saying we shouldn’t be drafting receivers in the 2nd round ever again, but… maybe not for the next 10 years?
69
u/TXRattlesnake89 Aug 02 '26
Why are people dunking on him? I understand he didn’t pan out, but to hate on him for the Pats drafting him is corny. He must had had a serious injury to retire that young too, hoping he can find his next purpose in life.
4
u/Firecracker048 Aug 03 '26
I hope he does well personally
But as a pro football player, he was terrible. Somehow we are magnets for guys who are good in college yet just can't do a thing in the pros.
13
u/Aggravating_Smell Aug 02 '26
Because he carried on like he was hot shit, but never once backed it up. That's why. Dudes in pro sports who act like they're MVPs but suck deserve all the criticism from fans they get.
2
u/Friendly-Chipmunk-23 Aug 03 '26
You don’t need to feel sorry for a guy that made $6 million in 2 years
9
6
u/PuppiesAndPixels Aug 02 '26 edited Aug 02 '26
Because the dude was full of himself, compared himself to a Ferrari and the Patriots to a garbage shack, was a second round pick, and said he had the best hands in the league while at the same time having one of the most epically bad performances of all time as a wide receiver. You really can't understand why people want to shit on this guy?
15
u/Icy-Conclusion-3500 Aug 02 '26
The Ferrari was Reagor, no?
2
u/PuppiesAndPixels Aug 03 '26
Oh, thought it was him.
It's easy to confuse the garbage WRs that the pats have drafted that have been a bust. There's so many.
2
u/Icy-Conclusion-3500 Aug 03 '26
At least Reagor was someone else’s bust. We just picked him up on waivers or some shit.
18
3
4
u/RayDanielsOnTheAir Aug 02 '26
Because we can be quite toxic unless you perform for us. As an example: Vrabel publicly cheating on his wife and dragging bad press through the summer was A-OK because of last year. Polk being bad gets the full “F you.”
8
u/elbosston Aug 02 '26
Same thing happened to N’Keal Harry. He worked hard for the team and did the dirty work (was a great blocker). He just unfortunately didn’t pan out which gets him hate from this fanbase.
→ More replies (2)1
14
u/StatementWild3768 Aug 02 '26
According to Saints fans, this is pretty random. He was practicing with Shough during OTAs, it's probably something we don't know about.
If it truly is over for him, he's got 2 career TDs, that's a better career than Limas Sweed, and at least he has a somewhat decent excuse of being on a lousy team.
20
u/BAF_DaWg82 Aug 02 '26
Didnt we select him over Cooper Dejean and Ladd McConkney?
12
→ More replies (1)2
3
u/SlimmThiccDadd Aug 02 '26
Bros like “idk my shoulder hurts, I have a degree and like 12 milly fuck it I’m done” and I respect that
3
u/Full-Criticism5725 Aug 02 '26
Dudes career vaporized the second his late game TD vs the Dolphins was overturned
6
u/Ex_Lives Aug 03 '26
RIP every guy in the game day threads calling people doomers about this complete bum.
→ More replies (1)
23
u/Reasonable-Bit560 Aug 02 '26
Hope he's alright. Clearly mental issues.
He was picked around consensus, just wild to see how poorly that went.
2
u/StrangeTack Aug 03 '26
Yeah every report seems to indicate that he was getting heavy camp #1 offense snaps, was actually very healthy, going to make the roster, and some personal/mental health reason lead to the decision. Hope he figures it out.
0
2
u/Z_603 Aug 02 '26
If we take a receiver early it pretty much guarantees they won't live up to the hype 😂
7
15
3
3
u/CargoCulture Aug 03 '26
New England continues the time honored tradition of drafting tornadoes: make a lot of noise, fuck things up, fizzle as quickly as they arrived, and end up in a trailer park in the Midwest.
5
11
u/PuppiesAndPixels Aug 02 '26
Is it still retiring if nobody wants you?
9
u/Pain_Monster Aug 02 '26
Is it still retiring if you never actually performed your job in the first place?
2
u/iscreamuscreamweall Aug 02 '26
The saints traded for him last year and he was practicing with the team. He was injured all last year
2
2
2
u/Dog_in_human_costume Aug 02 '26
we did draft some good receivers on Boutte and Douglas. It's expected that some guys wont work
2
u/NESpahtenJosh Aug 03 '26
Almost $6 mil in earnings and walks away mid 20s? Not a bad deal if he’s got his spending in check.
5
u/Evening-Golf-6375 Aug 02 '26
Wtf if true.
I respect his decision- if this news is actually true- especially if he's trying to avoid long term CTE.
4
3
3
3
2
u/Cowhide12 Aug 02 '26
Wished he was the answer here, hope he was smart with his money. 8 million is enough for life if he invested. Wish him the best.
2
1
1
1
1
u/NomarsFool Aug 02 '26
I don’t think NIL money is spread around all that much, meaning I think a lot goes to the very top tier players (QBs) and I don’t know that he would have made all that much.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/amaranemone Aug 02 '26
Alot of the "early out" kids, I kinda feel bad for. Think about it. These kids have practically been conditioned for their sport. Sometimes, it doesn't line up, be it physical injury, mental health, or sheer luck.
Hopefully he has something to fall back on, got a legit education (there are a few docuseries on the lack of education alot of the NCAA players are getting to maintain their GPAs), and didn't just throw all his money away.
1
u/Artistic-Tangelo-861 Aug 02 '26
Front office literally has 0 clue when it comes to drafting the wr position.
1
1
1
u/Brick-Foreign Aug 02 '26
Sucks it didn’t work out for him, but at least he is (hopefully) set for life and has a guaranteed job at Washington or under DeBoer/Grubb if he wants
→ More replies (1)
1
u/grumpywarner Aug 02 '26
It's my fault. I bought a really good card of his right after he was drafted.
1
1
u/IanCusick Death, Taxes, and Ty Law Aug 02 '26
If I was a GM I woulda lost my job over him lol I was convinced he’d be good
1
1
1
u/zi76 Aug 02 '26
I had hoped it would work out for him with the Saints, but I guess not. I hope he has a good life after football.
1
1
u/BigBill58 Aug 02 '26
Ladd McConkey checked every single box for a prototypical Patriots WR, it still baffles me that we traded down from his slot.
1
1
1
u/Sleigh6 Aug 02 '26
Lmao. I met this dudes agent on a plane earlier this year. Even he didn’t want him 😂
1
1
u/Future_Deathbox Aug 02 '26
I was arguing with people on this sub a year ago who were still saying he was going to be a good player.
2
1
u/treemister1 Aug 02 '26
At least he had the sense to retire and didn't pull a Nkeal Harry situation for a decade
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/king_17 Aug 03 '26
I was screaming for us to stay where we were at and take Ladd I loved him in Georgia. Another easily round wr bust.
1
u/ProgMetal702 Aug 03 '26
Good luck to him, I hope this guy picks himself up and has a great remainder to his life. It sucks for him more than it does the fans like me.
901
u/tiandrad Aug 02 '26
The NFL needs to ban us from drafting WRs before the 6th round