Ryan Clark has revealed that his son made more money from an NIL deal than his father did from his NFL rookie contract.
In the latest episode of Complex's Idea Generation, Clark gave his thoughts on NIL deals and how they're changing the mindset of athletes. According to Clark, NIL deals can have both positive and negative impacts on athletes, and he gained firsthand experience through his son Jordan, who plays for the New York Jets.
Clark said his son made more money on his NIL deal than he did on his 2-year, $525,000 NFL rookie contract with the New York Giants. It's tough for other athletes who earn that much money and balance everything that comes with it, and Clark believes athletes shouldn't dwell too much on NIL deals due to how easily they can lead to misguided choices.
"We're sitting down, and we're having the NIL meeting, and you know he's told that his baseline is going to be more money than I made my rookie year in the NFL," said Clark. "It's crazy, right, and so him, because he never had to make a decision based on money, it was like this cool deal that 'dang, pop like I don't have to call you for stuff now,' you know?"
He added, "But when you think about some of these kids who don't have the right people around them or don't have that foundation of having some wealth in their family, it means everything, but by meaning everything to them and their family, now you have the hangar ons who push you in different directions based on dollar signs not based on the best field, the best spot, the best place to grow and so I think players have to be extremely weary."
Clark's rookie salary was $262,500 per year with the Giants, which at the time was average for a player entering the league. However, Clark's son signed a three-year, $2.98 million contract with the New York Jets following the 2025 NFL Draft, which will yield an average annual salary of $995,000 —a sharp contrast from his father's yearly earnings.
Peep the full episode of Idea Generation with Complex's Chief Content Officer Noah Callahan-Bever up top.