Odell Beckham Jr.’s temporary stint with the Los Angeles Rams is finest remembered for culminating in a Super Bowl ring for the vast receiver, though he tore his ACL within the first half of the win over the Cincinnati Bengals shortly after caught a landing move.
But Beckham continues to be reaping the advantages of his Rams tenure because of his resolution to take his wage from the staff in Bitcoin after signing with the staff in November 2021 following his launch from the Cleveland Browns. Bitcoin, essentially the most established and standard cryptocurrency in existence, elevated in worth following the re-election of former US President Donald Trump.
Trump has spoken an opening towards crypto-friendly policies throughout his marketing campaign to return to the White House, marking a departure from the hostile stance in direction of cryptocurrency taken by present President Joe Biden’s administration. (So was Trump himself once a harsh critic of cryptocurrency however seems to have revised its place lately.)
Bitcoin has risen about $30,000, from $62,000 to over $92,000 per share, over the previous month, with most of that enhance coming after Trump’s re-election. And Beckham, now with the Miami Dolphins, took discover, firing again at critics who derided him when Bitcoin’s worth plummeted amid cryptocurrency woes in 2022.
According to experiences on the time, Beckham earned $4.25 million throughout his time with the Rams, $3 million of which got here from incentives earned when the staff gained the Super Bowl.
It is unclear whether or not Beckham acquired half or all of his Rams wage in bitcoin, and subsequently how a lot his earlier wage is now price. Russell Okung, a former NFL offensive lineman who performed with the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina Panthers, is an early adopter and longtime vocal supporter of Bitcoin, and half of his $13 million wage {dollars} in his ultimate NFL season with the Panthers in 2020 have been paid in Bitcoin. That $6.5 million is now price greater than $20 million, Okung confirmed on social media.
It isn’t identified what number of different NFL gamers have tried related maneuvers with cryptocurrency. Free-agent quarterback and former USC Trojans star Matt Barkley has lengthy been a vocal supporter of Bitcoin, whereas NBA participant Spencer Dinwiddie tried to enterprise into the world of cryptocurrency and digital tokens with contracts signed with Brooklyn Nets and the Washington Wizards.
In current years a number of a lot increased profile athletes have additionally acquired a part of their staff wage and/or sponsorships through cryptocurrency, or have backed cryptocurrency themselves. This group contains soccer icon Lionel Messi, former Golden State Warriors teammates Klay Thompson and Andre Iguadola, MLB famous person Shohei Ohtani and NFL stars Aaron Rodgers and Trevor Lawrence.
Aside from Messi, the athletes on that record included Bitcoin part of their salary in 2021 — nonetheless, all of them besides Iguadola (who retired in 2023) have signed new contracts since then, and it’s unknown whether or not their present offers — notably Ohtani’s historic 10-year, $700 million pact with heavy deferrals with the Los Angeles Dodgers signed final yr – embody a portion of that cash in Bitcoin or one other cryptocurrency.
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