Former NFL quarterback Brady Quinn joined Fox Sports Radio’s “Two Pros and a Cup of Joe” and voiced his confusion on why football fans would take the teams’ side against their players, especially when the NFL makes $23 billion a year.
Brady Calls It Baffling That Fans Take the Teams’ Side Against the Players
Quinn called it “crazy” when fans side with owners instead of players—especially when bad owners still make so much money.
“It’s crazy to me, and I always say this, when people side with NFL owners as opposed to players. These organizations print money. We’ve talked about how, countless times, you can be a bad owner and you’ll still make money,” Quinn said.
Quinn is also concerned that the increase in revenue could outpace the players’ proportional share.
“It’s far surpassing where the players are in regards to the salary cap. That ratio is going to be off at some point in the future, especially as Roger Goodell keeps pushing the league to get to $25 billion by 2027.”
The last collective bargaining agreement was signed in 2020 and pegs the players’ revenue split at 48% of total league revenue. It is set to expire in 2030.
The 2007 first-round pick also offered a staggering stat to show just how massive the NFL’s earnings really are. Quinn compared the $23 billion to the GDP of several countries.
“Do you know that’s more than like 60 countries’ GDP? Like Afghanistan, Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, Botswana… Actually, for that matter, pretty much every single country in Africa. Fiji, you can go on through the different ones,” said Quinn.
“Over 60 countries—it’s bigger than their GDP. Just the NFL alone, a year, and what they’re able to generate in revenue. It is ridiculous. If you were an owner, isn’t it the ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix it’ mentality? Like, if you’re an owner, why would you change the way you’re paying these players? Just keep doing what you’re doing. And if we can get that 18th game, it’s just going to add more revenue.”
NFL Expanding International Games Next Season
The NFL’s revenue will likely continue to grow—especially if the rumored 18th regular-season game gets approved. Another driver of growth is the league’s expanding international presence.
There will be seven international games in the 2025 season. The NFL will continue regular games in Brazil, England, and Germany, but is also adding Dublin, Ireland, and Madrid, Spain, to the calendar. The league is eyeing Australia and Mexico for future international matchups.
The continued expansion of the international series is expected to help the league grow its global fan base and boost revenue across new markets.