Welcome back to a new hour of The Jalen Ramsey Show, where every day is a new season! We’re here to discuss about your life and your money. We have open lines at 818-338-0011. Starting us off today is Andrew from Berea, Ohio. Hi Andrew, welcome to the Jalen Ramsey Show.

Hi Jalen. Thanks for taking my call. How are you doing?

Better than the Jaguars under Tom Coughlin. How are you?

Well, feeling a little flustered today Jalen and hoping you can give me a little player insight.

Well let’s see what we can do?

Well I guess it’s a money question but, just as much, what’s more than money? 

It’s a business, Andy. Can I call you Andy? You’re Andy. And, you know Andy, that’s a hard stop. Owners are making billions. Broadcasters are making hundreds of millions. Sponsors, fans, agents — they can all walk away from the sport, or even an individual player, whenever they want without recourse. Players don’t have that luxury so, you talk to anyone who isn’t in that eleven-man huddle with me and the answer is nothing. Nothing is more than money.

Cuz I’m wondering how, with finances being such a driving force for so many players, I can get through to some guys who already have made millions and, frankly, can go anywhere else and get a huge payday, regardless of their off-field issues. 

What do you mean, off-field issues? You mean like meetings? Or walk-throughs? Because, I gotta say man, if you’re talking about holding up cash for something non performance-related, I’m wondering what decade you’re from.

Well, I got this job to turn around a franchise and, as I bring in young talent, I think it’s important to establish a right way to do things. I’ve got my star player in trouble with the law — we’re talking about Johnny Law here, Jalen — and, while I agree it isn’t a problem now, we’re right up against that line. It’s not the environment to which I want to welcome young talent.

So trade your picks away for veteran players.

Well, we’re talking about a battery charge here.

Great. Trade away the trouble-maker and your picks for some established good boys.

My cap situation doesn’t really allow for us to load up on expensive veteran talent. We’re just —

Oh your cap situation doesn’t allow for you to have the exact thing you want? Well then, maybe you need to think about building a roster that is more budget-conscious. I mean, if these guys are getting in so much off-season trouble that The Shield is going to suspend them games then, absolutely, dock them every penny for those missed games and make sure any incentive bonuses that they don’t reach go unfunded.

Our concern then is that we look like a franchise that is out to take money from our guys. We don’t want to seem unfriendly to players.

You know what’s unfriendly? Inconsistency. You want young players to respect your organization? Stick to your word. There’s a reason we do contracts up-front, not as we go along. The contract is the rules that the player knows. You let guys hold out and then give them their training camp bonus? That shows all players — young and old — that your word is shit. Be a man of your word. If it’s in the contract, follow the contract. And if they perform, pay up.

Well, our organization is trying to set the bar a little bit higher. We want guys who want to wear the no-logo helmet for the right reasons. I’m wondering if, you know, if we let this behavior slide and look the other way, is that going to create more problems.

Trust me man, OBJ is the least of the Browns problems. Go get a tackle.

Alright next up on the lines we have Gardner in Florida. Oh, a stupid name from Florida, what a shocker. Gardner, welcome to the Jalen Ramsey Show.

I’m actually from Mississippi, Jalen.

Oh, so I guess your mother went ahead and named you after her cousin’s profession instead of giving you his name?

Haha, funny! So what’s up?

I’m sitting here answering questions about your life and your money. What’s up with you, Gardner?

Just hanging out and chillaxin’, thx 4 asking. Just doing how we fly boys do!

Uh…..huh. Screen here says you have a question about a side career. Is this some kind of sponsorship or investment?

Pshhhh….maybe I can do some consulting when they produce Top Gun 3. Nah, I’m thinking about expanding on my natural talents as a pilot.

Didn’t you go to Washington State? And studied communications?

Yeah but, since getting such high marks for my performance flying with the Thunderbirds, I thought this might be a nice way to supplement my income. Maybe see I can get on flying the team charters.

Uh…..huh. And you think you’re a pilot because you flew with the Thunderbirds.

Well, heh heh, not just flew but received quote, “high marks” from the squadron.

And that was because you didn’t pass out.

Among other accomplishments, yes.

But there were no other accomplishments.

Not so much in….like, I don’t have my pilots license or anything. But I think I can score it pretty quick and charter pilots can make like sixty to eighty grand a year. So I thought that would be a smart way to supplementmy income. But I wanted to see what you thought about that.

So what’s your current contract?

Entering the second year of a four-year, $2.7 million deal.

And you’re saying, after just one year, that your NFL career is about done.

Well no, not at all. I’m a lovable fan-favorite kind of guy. I live frugal. I uhhh, you know, I’m looking for side income sources like this flying thing, I started some games this year and might really be the value option for this franchise, as I’m going to be battling for the QB1 spot against a veteran on a big contract.

Yeah but you don’t want to spend your offseason preparing to battle for that spot. You want to spend it doing flight lessons.

Well I can do both.

Oh, and during the season when the team is flying out of town for a Thursday night game and everyone else is studying the last second playbook changes, you’ll be in the cockpit making five grand while everyone else is doing game prep.

Well, I think there will be times when I need to, you know, put flying in the back seat.

Yeah that time is now, idiot. You’ve got a unique opportunity here. Not only were not completely dismissed as a rookie, you’re actually competing for the starting job as a late-round pick. Think about it, how many teams have an actual quarterback race entering this season? Maybe five? But you want to spend this off season dicking around in your RV and taking flight lessons? You think Nick Foles is worrying about his second career this offseason? How about the cornerbacks you’re going to be challenging next year? Because I guarantee Dre Kirkpatrick is going to be using that time to watch video on your ass.

I mean, I’m going to be studying tape too. This is just another thing that I’d like to handle.

Yeah I get it. You’re just wrong. You’re a sixth round pick. Go play football. Put aside a few bucks if you want to get your license later in life — and pilot is a great career, more power to you. But your earnings potential now is by playing the game, getting a second contract, and snagging endorsement bucks. Besides all that, man, you don’t want to look back with regret that you didn’t give this NFL thing 100%. What you focus on is what you win at. So you do what you want but I think it’s a grave mistake to worry about any side job as if anything could be more lucrative than scamming a stupid franchise who is hyped up to convince themselves that they got the next Tom Brady value pick.

So that’s it for this hour. Once again, don’t be trash like Josh Allen. You all keep working and we’ll be back next time, right here, on The Jalen Ramsey Show.