Total Pro Sports
A viral claim recently suggested that New York Giants rookie Cam Skattebo is taking home just $250,000 after taxes, sparking widespread debate about NFL rookie pay. The number sounds shocking, especially for a professional football player, but is it actually true?
Skattebo entered the NFL as a late-round rookie, signing with the New York Giants on a standard rookie contract. Unlike first-round picks who sign multi-million-dollar guaranteed deals, late-round rookies earn close to the NFL minimum salary, making post-tax income a much more relevant conversation.
The $250,000 figure gained traction after an X user called Dov Kleiman (username: @NFL_DovKleiman) claimed that Skattebo revealed receiving only $250,000 rookie salary after federal, state, and professional deductions.
Awful: Giants rookie star RB Cam Skattebo revealed that he will only make $250,000 this year after taxes and agency fees.
Skattebo even started streaming to make extra money.
The NFL needs to start paying rookies fairly 🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/TUhwUIOHy9
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 18, 2025
The user even claimed that Skattebo started streaming online to “make extra money”. He also urged the NFL to “start paying rookies fairly”.
After cross-checking multiple sources, including X’s own Grok AI, there’s no solid evidence that Skattebo stated about his rookie pay on any live stream. However, the possibility of the Giants’ rookie receiving merely $250,000 can not be ruled out.
Importantly, the multiple reports did not claim Skattebo earns only $250,000; they stated that his take-home pay after taxes and deductions could be near that number, depending on the circumstances.
As a late-round pick, Skattebo’s deal closely aligns with the NFL rookie minimum salary, which is $5.27 million for four years, with just around $840,000 per year for first-year players.
However, gross salary is not what players take home.
From that amount, players must account for:
Once those deductions apply, the net number drops sharply.
NFL players face a unique financial burden known as the “jock tax.” Players are taxed in every state where they play road games, not just their home state.
For rookies earning near the league minimum, this means:
According to financial analysts cited in the report, these factors can reduce a rookie’s take-home pay by 40–50% or more.
It’s possible, but misleading without context.
Skattebo’s gross salary is far higher than $250,000. However, after all taxes and required deductions, his net take-home pay could realistically fall in the $250K–$300K range for the...
