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I’m a first-round draft pick who took job at a shoe shop during my NFL career to prepare for life after retirement
Matt Elam knew he needed to prepare for life after the NFL. Back in 2014, the former Baltimore Ravens safety spent his offseason selling shoes at shoe store Finish Line. Matt Elam hasn’t played in the NFL since 2018Getty Elam’s NFL journey began in 2013 when he was selected with the final pick in the first round of the draft by the defending champion Ravens, who had beaten the San Francisco 49ers to win Super Bowl XLVII just a couple of months earlier. He hailed from the University of Florida and stood at 5ft 10in and weighed 208 lbs. Elam’s brother Abram was also a former NFL player and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Miami Dolphins after the 2005 draft. Abram later enjoyed stints with the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs, but an injury would effectively end his career in 2012. Younger brother Matt followed Abram, and the former was tipped to be an NFL star and signed a rookie contract for $400,000 with the $3.7 million signing fee that comes with being a first-round selection. However, the money didn’t stop his financial insecurities, so after a strong rookie season, he took a summer job. After the 2013 campaign, in which he played 16 games, completed 77 tackles and snagged one interception, he began working in retail at a Finish Line in a mall in Gainesville, Florida. When asked about why he took the role, Elam was clear: he was preparing for retirement. “I just need to get retail knowledge,” he said in 2014. “That’s basically what I’m doing. I’m getting that knowledge for when it’s time [to retire]. Elam spent four years with the RavensGetty Matt Elam was a highly rated safetyGetty “Everybody was surprised when I started. They were like, ‘Why? You got enough money.’ “But it’s not about the money. It’s just me building.” The safety worked 20 hours per week in the role and also told reporters he actually had dreams about working in a sporting goods store. “I know you can’t do football forever,” he added. “I take a lot of pride in that because I feel like a lot of kids are blind to this, and don’t have these opportunities, and don’t have the knowledge. “I hope I can open a lot of their eyes.” NFL's Greatest...... Ranking the top 10...... Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady? Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top? Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barrie Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmett Smith and more Tight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare? In the end, Elam’s NFL career didn’t pan out the way he would have wanted. Before the 2015 season, he suffered a torn bicep and was placed on injured reserve. Then in 2017, as further injuries and off-field issues continued to plague him, the Ravens released him, marking the end of his NFL journey. Those off-field issues included being arrested twice on drug, battery and theft-related charges. By 2018, Elam had bounced around multiple football teams in different leagues, from the Canadian Football League to the XFL and the Indoor Football League. He spent the 2018-2019 season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL, and then, after being released in May 2019, he was drafted by the DC Defenders in the XFL. In 2021, he signed with the Tucson Sugar Skulls of the IFL before returning to the Edmonton Elks of the CFL in 2022. Then, in 2023, he returned to the XFL when he was selected in the 11th round of the draft by the Orlando Guardians. The latest team he had signed for were the Massachusetts Pirates, whom he joined in February 2024. It’s unlikely we’ll see Elam working the cashier at a store anytime soon, as his career earnings at age 31 total $6.76 million.
Matt Elam knew he needed to prepare for life after the NFL.
Back in 2014, the former Baltimore Ravens safety spent his offseason selling shoes at shoe store Finish Line.
Elam’s NFL journey began in 2013 when he was selected with the final pick in the first round of the draft by the defending champion Ravens, who had beaten the San Francisco 49ers to win Super Bowl XLVII just a couple of months earlier.
He hailed from the University of Florida and stood at 5ft 10in and weighed 208 lbs.
Elam’s brother Abram was also a former NFL player and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Miami Dolphins after the 2005 draft.
Abram later enjoyed stints with the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs, but an injury would effectively end his career in 2012.
Younger brother Matt followed Abram, and the former was tipped to be an NFL star and signed a rookie contract for $400,000 with the $3.7 million signing fee that comes with being a first-round selection.
However, the money didn’t stop his financial insecurities, so after a strong rookie season, he took a summer job.
After the 2013 campaign, in which he played 16 games, completed 77 tackles and snagged one interception, he began working in retail at a Finish Line in a mall in Gainesville, Florida.
When asked about why he took the role, Elam was clear: he was preparing for retirement.
“I just need to get retail knowledge,” he said in 2014.
“That’s basically what I’m doing. I’m getting that knowledge for when it’s time [to retire].
“Everybody was surprised when I started. They were like, ‘Why? You got enough money.’
“But it’s not about the money. It’s just me building.”
The safety worked 20 hours per week in the role and also told reporters he actually had dreams about working in a sporting goods store.
“I know you can’t do football forever,” he added.
“I take a lot of pride in that because I feel like a lot of kids are blind to this, and don’t have these opportunities, and don’t have the knowledge.
“I hope I can open a lot of their eyes.”
NFL's Greatest......
Ranking the top 10......
Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady?
Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top?
Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barrie Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmett Smith and more
Tight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare?
In the end, Elam’s NFL career didn’t pan out the way he would have wanted. Before the 2015 season, he suffered a torn bicep and was placed on injured reserve.
Then in 2017, as further injuries and off-field issues continued to plague him, the Ravens released him, marking the end of his NFL journey.
Those off-field issues included being arrested twice on drug, battery and theft-related charges.
By 2018, Elam had bounced around multiple football teams in different leagues, from the Canadian Football League to the XFL and the Indoor Football League.
He spent the 2018-2019 season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL, and then, after being released in May 2019, he was drafted by the DC Defenders in the XFL.
In 2021, he signed with the Tucson Sugar Skulls of the IFL before returning to the Edmonton Elks of the CFL in 2022.
Then, in 2023, he returned to the XFL when he was selected in the 11th round of the draft by the Orlando Guardians.
The latest team he had signed for were the Massachusetts Pirates, whom he joined in February 2024.
It’s unlikely we’ll see Elam working the cashier at a store anytime soon, as his career earnings at age 31 total $6.76 million.
