STWF Sports | Dec. 04, 2025 – Odell Beckham Jr. has never been shy about speaking his mind—but his latest comments have sparked a full-on firestorm. During an appearance on The Pivot podcast, the three-time Pro Bowler claimed that living off a $100 million NFL contract isn’t as easy as the public thinks. His remarks—meant to highlight taxes, agent fees, and lifestyle pressures—quickly went viral for all the wrong reasons.

“I always explain this to people,” Beckham said. “You give somebody a five-year, $100 million contract—that’s five years for 60. We’re getting taxed. That’s 12 million a year you have to spend, use, save, invest, flaunt, whatever.”

The word “flaunt” jumped off the screen, and Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe zeroed in immediately.

Sharpe to OBJ: ‘Come back to planet earth’

On his podcast, Sharpe bluntly told Beckham what much of the public was already thinking.

“OBJ, I’m going to be honest with you, bro,” Sharpe said. “If you get 60 million dollars liquid and that can’t last you a lifetime, you’ve got a problem.”

Then came the hammer.

“Do you really need 10 houses? Do you really need 15 cars? You buy everybody in your family a million-dollar house—they can’t afford the upkeep. You buy them a Ferrari—if something breaks, who you think they’re calling?”

Sharpe accused Beckham of reckless spending and warned that without business revenue or financial discipline, even massive NFL contracts can evaporate.

“You out of your damn mind,” Sharpe added. “Spending four million a year with no plan? That’s not taxes. That’s you.”

OBJ fires back at criticism

As the backlash spread across social media, Beckham defended himself on X, saying his comments were taken wildly out of context.

“Boy u can’t say nothin in this world nowadays,” he wrote. “People love to take shxt completely outta context… what a world.”

Beckham insisted he wasn’t complaining about money, but rather explaining how fast lifestyle expenses—and expectations—can balloon for athletes who experience financial pressure from all directions.

But the response didn’t slow down. Former NFL safety Su’a Cravens delivered one of the sharpest rebuttals.

Cravens: ‘Ain’t no damn way’

Cravens, now an ESPN LA analyst, said Beckham’s problems have nothing to do with taxes—and everything to do with personal choices.

“Look, I was drafted in the 2nd round on a rookie deal of about 4 million before tax,” Cravens wrote on X. “Six years removed from the NFL, I can live the lifestyle I desire, save money, and set my kids up.”

He continued:

“These guys that touch over 10 million and blow through it—sounds like pure user error. AIN’T NO DAMN WAY! If I touched 100 million… Y’ALL WOULD NEVER SEE MY FACE AGAIN!”

Cravens admitted he made financial mistakes early in his short career—buying luxury cars like an S63 AMG and a GTR Black Edition—but learned quickly to adjust.

“I ain’t too proud to admit I had to make an adjustment to remain fiscally responsible,” he wrote. “I love my career now but it def ain’t what I was making in the league!”

A familiar NFL story

NFL careers can be brutally short. As Cravens noted, the league is dubbed “Not For Long” for a reason. For every star who builds generational wealth, countless others—many with far smaller contracts—burn through millions and struggle post-retirement.

Sharpe’s criticism reflects a growing conversation around financial literacy in professional sports. While Beckham’s contract numbers may shock the average person, so too do the rates at which athletes in all leagues lose their fortunes, often due to a combination of lifestyle creep, poor advice, and family pressure.

Beckham, still one of the NFL’s most recognizable stars, wasn’t trying to start a fight. But by using his own $100 million deal as the example, he unintentionally reignited a longstanding debate about athlete spending, responsibility, and perception in an era where every word is magnified.

Whether one sees Beckham as misunderstood, unrealistic, or simply candid, one thing is clear: the conversation around wealth in sports isn’t going away—and neither is the criticism when athletes decide to speak frankly about it.