Alabama Football: Mac’s NFL Draft slide costs him $18.5 million
By Dakota Cox
Alabama football’s Mac Jones lost a big chunk of change
Heading into the 2021 NFL Draft, many believed that Alabama football‘s Mac Jones would be drafted third overall to the San Francisco 49ers. Between the rumors and the scheme fit, it seemed to be a done deal. Instead, he fell to 15th overall and is now a New England Patriots.
At first glance, this doesn’t seem like a terrible thing. Jones will be with plenty of former Alabama football teammates, and he still went in the first half of the first round. The Patriots need a running back, and they have won more Super Bowls than any franchise in the NFL. San Francisco was a dream fit, but Jones makes sense in New England.
The only place it hurts is Mac’s bank account. The value between going third overall and 15th is over $18.5 million.
According to Spotrac, the total value of Trey Lance’s contract with the San Francisco 49ers will be just over $34.1 million. He has a signing bonus worth over $22 million, meaning he will get millions of dollars to immediately drop in his bank account.
To go 15th overall to the New England Patriots, Mac Jones’s contract will be worth over $15.5 million. He would’ve had more from his signing bonus than his entire rookie contract is worth if he went to San Francisco.
Now, that isn’t to say that Mac Jones is raking in pennies. $15.5 million is still a ridiculous amount of money to play the sport that you love, and Jones wasn’t even a lock to be drafted at this point last season. If he signs a second deal in the NFL, his earnings will multiply. He can also earn money from endorsements, so he has plenty of options.
Still, it hurts to see that much money up for grabs and have it go to someone else. At the end of the day, the real money comes in on the second contract. If Jones plays well in New England, he will make more in a season than his entire rookie deal is worth.
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Alabama football fans will be rooting for Jones as he tries to bring the Patriots back to the NFL Playoffs.