Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has never been one to shy away from speaking hard truths, and his latest comments on the state of college football might just be the most eye-opening yet.
"There are players taking pay cuts to go to the NFL," Smart revealed in a candid interview with CBS Sports' Josh Pate. "You know, we know what league minimum is in the National Football League."
For context, the NFL's rookie minimum salary for 2026 sits at $885,000. While that sounds like a life-changing sum to most, it pales in comparison to what top college athletes can earn through name, image and likeness (NIL) deals these days. And that's before you consider practice squad salaries, which can dip even lower.
No example illustrates this better than former Miami Hurricanes and Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck. After cashing in on over $4 million in NIL money during his lone season at Miami, Beck was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the No. 65 pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. His projected rookie contract? A four-year, $7.4 million deal that pays him just $1.34 million in year one. That's a staggering pay cut of nearly $2.7 million.
Smart isn't just pointing out the problem—he's working on a solution. Understanding that most NFL careers are brutally short for the average player, the Bulldogs' head coach is doubling down on financial education for his roster.
"I have convinced myself we have got to show them realistic ways to invest and make money," Smart explained. "We bring speakers in to do that. We all talk about tax education, financial education. We're so invested in that now than we ever were before because we see the pitfalls."
Smart's concern runs deeper than just numbers on a contract. He's watching young athletes burn through their earnings without a long-term plan. "We see what they're, some of these kids, are spending that money on. That's the part I'm like, man, I'm failing these guys if they don't invest in real estate with that money they make."
The coach believes his program has done right by its players if they can steer them toward sustainable investments. But he also points a finger at the transfer portal era, which he says creates a revolving door that prevents players from forming the kind of lasting connections needed for sound financial guidance.
"So many of the kids move so quickly that they don't have an attachment to a university," Smart added. "Where are you going?"
It's a sobering reality check for anyone who thinks the path from college stardom to NFL riches is a straight line. In today's game, the biggest payday might actually come before you ever sign a pro contract.