Adrian Peterson's Financial Troubles: How the NFL Star Fell into Credi (2024)

By Fan Arch August 27, 2024 12:06

Photo by Jim Mone/Associated Press

The tale of how NFL superstar Adrian Peterson went from shiny-tossed riches to a rich boy in the fifteen fashion signals a cautionary story about dollars and cents for professional athletes. Peterson made nearly $100 million through 15 years in the NFL but was deep into debt and legal problems.

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The Vikings made him the No. 7 overall pick in 2007, and he soon became one of the top NFL runners. Throughout his career, Peterson has racked up seven Pro Bowl selections, four First-Team All-Pro nods, and the 2012 NFL Most Valuable Player award. Thanks to his on-field prowess, those contracts and endorsem*nts became major paydays, contributing significant chunks of wealth many people can only dream about.

That income, though impressive by most measures, left Peterson financially in a very bad way. Reports trickled out that Peterson faced several lawsuits seeking to recover debts by 2019, including a $5.2 million loan that had been leveraged with interest and legal fees into $6.6 million due.

The Descent into Debt

Peterson's money issues seem to result from factors typical of professional athletes who lament bad investments. These include:

Excessive spending: He is said to enjoy a lavish lifestyle, with reports of 30th birthday parties alluding to ice sculptures and rented camels.

Bad financial advice: Peterson's attorney seemed to suggest that the athlete was not responsible for what had happened as he had been "lied about and did it all on his own, although those greedy people got him in debt.

Poor Budgeting: For many professional athletes, the sudden influx of wealth can create a misplaced sense of financial security that detracts from proactively managing expenditures for the near and far future.

Low-Rate Investments: Peterson has been very secretive about his investments; it is common for athletes to get involved in investment schemes that seem too good to be true.

Family obligations: Peterson is reported to have had as many as seven children, so family-related expenses are likely to have been a key contributing factor in his financial hardship.

Difficulties with Wealth Management Among Professional Athletes

Unfortunately, this is far from the first time we've heard this story in professional sports. NFL players have by far the highest bankruptcy rate of any athlete, with 78% filing for bankruptcy within five years of retirement, according to ESPN. This outstanding figure highlights the reality of being a sportsman and having to control your wealth.

There are several reasons for this:

1. Financial illiteracy: Many athletes are young, with little to no experience handling large sums of money.
2. The pressure to live a certain way: Unfortunately, professional sports have a culture that can promote opulent spending habits and image flashes of wealth.
3. Trust problems: Generation of athletes have outsourced money management, sometimes to disastrous results.
4. Forced to face injury: The sport takes an undeniable physical toll on its players, and for many of them, that can lead to serious health problems down the line.

Effects on Personal and Professional Life

The ramifications of Peterson's financial woes have been extensive.

• Legal fights: Peterson has faced multiple lawsuits, with judgments and appeals taking up bandwidth.
• Media attention: His financial troubles have been widely reported to the public, which could be seen as humiliating and damage his reputation or future earning opportunities.
• Seized assets: Court-appointed receivers have taken after at least a half-dozen vehicles and personal property that Peterson owns.
• Issues in the family setting: The financial hardship weighs on his responsibilities to provide for his children, while another woman may distract him from those stresses.
• Career consequences: Though not a career-based connection, financial concerns could easily distract an athlete and detract from their on-field performance.

Lessons Learned and Recommendations

Lessons from Peterson's experience for professional athletes and high-income earners:

• Use a variety of advisors: Get advice from an array of professionals, such as financial advisers, lawyers, and CPAs, rather than just one person.
• Live frugally: Create a budget that permits saving/investing roughly 50% of income.
• Long-term planning: Sports career is short, so you must maintain your finances.
• Be careful with investments: choose familiar, diversified investment strategies over high-risk or esoteric ones.
• Occasional financial check-ups: Continue going through announcements considering monetary status, with the option to change strategies to benefit as much as possible from reserve funds.
• Know your contracts and loans: Be sure to understand the terms of any financial agreements you sign and what might happen if things don't go well.

It is an uncomfortable reminder of the consequences that can arise when even those making millions are not properly tended to through proper financial management. Peterson, whose athletic accomplishments are beyond reproach, has had financial problems that underscore the need for a sophisticated long-term approach to money management in professional sports. Ultimately, as the NFL and other leagues mint more young millionaires, Peterson's tale should be a cautionary one and a clarion call for better planning considering athletes' financial futures.

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