New football leagues are popping up all over the place, including one founded by Don Yee, the agent for Tom Brady.
Yee’s league is called the Pacific Pro Football League, and it has its eyes on playing its first season in July. Yee thinks a player like Trevor Lawrence would be ideal for the league, which is for players who are not eligible for the NFL Draft.
In an interview with 104.5 The Zone in Nashville, Yee talked about his league and made an offer to the Clemson Tigers quarterback.
“Our player population, for example, will be players such as Trevor Lawrence at Clemson,” Yee said, via 247 Sports. “We would like to make him an employment offer, professionalize right away. Be our Joe Namath. Adidas is one of our founding sponsors, and I think they might want to make him an endorsement proposal. And he would be professional, and he would learn an NFL style of game with us before he declares for the draft.”
Players would be offered salary, benefits, and paid tuition and books at a community college.
This league sounds very similar to what LaVar Ball is trying to do in basketball. The issue is the university/college athletics system is so entrenched in our society, it would be hard to compete for athletes and draw fans — if that’s how they’re planning to finance the league. The existing system offers student-athletes college educations, stipends, coaching, tutoring, exposure, and football programs that will give them a taste of what to expect in the pros. They also attract the best players and therefore offer the best competition. It’s hard to beat all of that, which Yee and company will be trying to do.
