When it comes to professional athletes, their compensation is almost never clear-cut like it is with other jobs.
With sponsorships, performance-based bonuses, and deferred contracts that delay payments for years or even decades, there are some almost strange sports contracts out there; these are the nine of the most interesting.
Bobby Bonilla – New York Mets
First on the list is Bobby Bonilla, who signed a contract with the New York Mets in 2001 that stipulated the player would get paid $1.19 million every July 1st from 2011 to 2035.
Long after he hung up his glove, Bonilla was still making the big bucks from the Mets’ mistake, and to this day, July 1st is known as Bobby Bonilla Day because of it.
Kevin Garnett – Boston Celtics
One of the most famous basketballers of all time, Kevin Garnett, signed a contract with the Boston Celtics for $51 million in 2007.
The contract promised that Garnett would be paid long after he retired from the sport, as long as he agreed to wait until that time to receive $35 million of the payout, which is exactly what he did.
Manny Ramirez – Boston Red Sox
Professional baseball player Manny Ramirez signed a $160 million contract with the Boston Red Sox in 2001. The contract technically lasted until 2010, but it included a $20 million option for the next two years.
And even though the Red Sox traded Ramirez to the Dodgers in 2008, they still had to pay him the rest of what he was owed. In fact, Ramirez stopped playing altogether in 2011, but he has and will continue to make $2 million a year until 2026.
Josh Smith – Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons offered Josh Smith a $54 million contract in 2013, which he happily signed. However, just a year and a half later, the Pistons let Smith go due to poor performance.
But instead of paying Smith the remainder of his salary, they offered him $5.3 million over five years to not play at all.
Shane Doan – Phoenix Coyotes
When Shane Doan was nearing retirement, he decided to sign a one-year contract with the Phoenix Coyotes in 2016 for only $1 million.
Technically, $1 million wasn’t enough for the hockey star, but at the time, the Coyotes had already reached their salary cap. So they decided to offer him an extra $2.5 million that he could collect once he finally retired.
Alex Rodriguez – Texas Rangers/New York Yankees
Alex Rodriquez is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in baseball, and his salary reflects it.
The star signed a 10-year contract in 2001 with the Texas Rangers for a whopping $252 million, deferring $45 million until the end of the decade. But when A-Rod was traded to the New York Yankees in 2004, technically, the Rangers still owed him $30 million. Luckily, the Yankees agreed to help pay it out.
Rick DiPietro – New York Islanders
One of the best goalies in the NHL, Rick DiPietro, signed a contract with the New York Islanders that made headlines.
The Islanders offered him a 15-year, $67.5 million contract, but since DiPietro got injured and couldn’t perform as they wanted, they let him go early. But because of the contract, DiPietro is still being paid $1.5 million a year and will be until 2029.
Steve Young – Los Angeles Express
From 1983 to 1985, a new football league started and ended, called the USFL or the United States Football League.
But before the USFL went under, the Los Angeles Express team had Steve Young sign a $40 million deferred contract to be paid out over 43 years. Sadly, in this case, Young didn’t make his promised money as the USFL didn’t have any to give. Steve Young only got paid $4.8 million of the $40 million he was promised.
Wayne Gretzky – Phoenix Coyotes
Last but certainly not least, one of the most interesting deferred contracts belongs to the one and only Wayne Gretsky.
But while Wayne Gretzky is considered one of the best hockey players of all time, his strange deferred contract actually came from a coaching position. He was offered millions from the Phoenix Coyotes over the course of several years, but when they went bankrupt, Gretsky had to wait four years before the NHL paid him the small settlement of $8 million.
