Millions earned, yet California's high taxes drastically shrink NFL paychecks. Discover the hidden financial reality for players on and off the field.
Welcome to the offseason, where we talk about what a player posts on their social media.
A year removed from the NFL, former San Francisco 49ers guard Jon Feliciano stared at the number on his screen: $23,890,652. Nearly $24 million in career earnings across ten NFL seasons. Most people would call that a fortune. But Feliciano called it something else entirely.
When an X user reposted his career earnings with the caption “sucks to be you,” Feliciano didn’t push back. He quote-posted it with a blunt response:
“Unfortunately California fucked me outta half 😢.”
Hyperbole? Sure. But not by much.
California carries the highest state income tax rate in the country at 13.3 percent. For professional athletes, that figure is only the starting point. Between federal taxes, agent fees, escrow, and state income taxes, the take-home number shrinks quickly. For Feliciano, who spent the final stretch of his career in San Francisco, millions of dollars were subject to the Golden State’s tax structure.
And it doesn’t just impact residents.
California’s “jock tax” applies to visiting players as well. The state calculates “duty days” which includes things like practices, meetings, media appearances, and games. It determines what percentage of a player’s annual income was earned while working in California. That percentage is then taxed at the state’s top rate. Whether you play for the 49ers, the Los Angeles Rams, or the Los Angeles Chargers, or you’re just visiting for a Sunday matchup, the bill comes due.
Feliciano’s tweet struck a nerve because it pulled back the curtain on a topic players rarely discuss publicly. Contracts are reported in headline numbers, $5 million here, $20 million there, but the net earnings tell a different story. For younger players negotiating deals, especially mid-tier free agents deciding between states like Texas, Florida, Tennessee, and California, those differences matter.
And sometimes, the math gets even harsher under the brightest lights.
Super Bowl week in California can trigger a massive tax reallocation for participating players. Because duty days during that week are calculated against a player’s annual salary, the tax burden can outweigh the actual championship payout. It’s a bizarre reality where winning on the field doesn’t always translate to winning financially.
States like Tennessee, Texas, and Florida impose no state income tax at all. That creates a quiet but real competitive edge when players evaluate offers. A slightly smaller contract in a no-tax state can rival, or even surpass, a larger deal in California once take home pay is calculated.
For Feliciano, now retired, the numbers are settled. But his social media post was a complaint but it was a warning. In today’s NFL, where every dollar and cap hit is scrutinized, the fine print matters.
Because sometimes, the biggest hit a player takes doesn’t happen between the hashmarks.