“Sometimes life deals you a dirty hand. So you just have to rearrange it.” Growing up in Plymouth, Florida, Warren Sapp faced the realities of life early on. With his huge family but a single-mother, money was not easy. So once he got into the NFL and signed his $4.4 M/ 4 year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he made sure his finances never dipped. One of the most respectable defensive tackles of his time, Warren was a nightmare for QBs. Standing at 6’2, the 312-pounder was still able to make a run at 4.69 speed with his beastly attitude. After four years in the league, he was once driving his bright blue Mercedes convertible. He blinked the lights and shouted at the big rig blocking him, “Why should I get stuck behind that truck?” That’s just how his mentality had been over his 13 years in the NFL. But in retrospect, he did get stuck at times when it came to money.

Defensive tackles may not be the attention seekers in the NFL positions when it comes to paychecks, but they make it count when it comes to the glory as they make strategies to turn down the opponents’ offense. After a month, he signed a $36 million/ 6-year contract with the Bucs and two years down the line, became the NFL’s top defensive player. He later went on to grab seven Pro Bowls, one Super Bowl ring, and a Hall of Famer nod. But the mint? Well, it never went higher than that $6 million like it did for his opponent from Minnesota John Randle, earning $32.5M/5 years, nor in contrast to today’s numbers.

Currently, the Kansas City Chiefs’ Chris Jones, showcases the top-paid player in the interior defensive line in the NFL with a total value of $158,750,000. Fabien Lovett from the KC, on the other hand, only makes $840,000. Of course, the former has made significant leaps for his numbers to land at that position. But it does put into focus the fact that shouldn’t Warren with all his accolades get something close to this number? Well, many would say he should’ve. He probably wouldn’t have to announce bankruptcy if he did. But the Hall of Famer himself? He has a different outlook completely which he revealed in his latest appearance with Howard Eskin on his namesake YouTube show.

Eskin began comparing the current paychecks from what Warren could have made: “Can you imagine how much money you would make today if you were in the NFL today. They paid a cornerback, a defensive back, $25 million. What was your highest number? What was the highest number you made in your career?”

Warren responded: “6.6 I think.” 

Eskin continued: “$6.6 million. Which is chump change nowadays. That’s a guy that rides the bench.”

Warren intercepted: “That’s a guy that’s not the league ’cause the giving $20 million to the dudes you can’t pick out of a lineup. It’s unreal.”

Eskin added: “I think the Eagles paid Devin White about that last year and he didn’t play a second for the team… It’s incredible. You would have made easily $25 million a year.”

Warren, shrugging off, explained: “Listen, I have a bust in Ohio, I have a statue in Tampa, and my name sits in three NFL stadiums, and one of them is on a Saturday afternoon, so I’m good. 

“People always say, ‘Well Aaron Donald wasn’t five times the player you were Sapp, he made $30M a year,’ I say, ‘Well, I wasn’t six times the player that Joe Greene was, and he only made a million dollars and I made six.’ So, it’s all relative, you know. So it’s just hold on to your hats and get your bet on and get your fantasy football along and enjoy the game that we love.”

One thing’s clear: he’s not at all bitter about it. It’s a rare combo of brutal honesty wrapped in humility. In his career, he racked up 438 tackles, 96.5 sacks, 19 FFs, 12 FRs, and four interceptions. And yeah, he made multi-million dollars over his football stint, but it’s not the fairytale ending that he would’ve loved. But as they say, the life continues. And so has Sapp.

Warren Sapp: From bankruptcy to a new start in Colorado

Warren Sapp earned $58 million over his NFL career but lost most of it, filing for bankruptcy in 2012 with $6.7 million in debts. The $6.45M assets are some wild stuff, including 240 pairs of Air Jordan sneakers, a watch worth $2,250, a painting, and a lion skin rug. However, his 2002 Super Bowl ring and the 1991 National Championship rings were reportedly lost, but he believes “They don’t make me the champion, the team does.” Despite the bankruptcy, he never disappeared, and he’s learned a golden life lesson.

Warren Sapp worked media gigs and even danced his way to second place on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars in 2008. But today, he’s all-in on coaching. He’s now an assistant coach on Deion Sanders’ team, specifically the pass rush coordinator for the Colorado Buffaloes.

Per USA TODAY Sports, he’s now earning $150K a year and loving every second of it. “For someone that never wanted to do this, I am really addicted to it right now,” he said. “The babies are really giving me a purpose in life, and I’m enjoying it.” And he’s the best in his role if you ask Pittsburgh Steelers legendary guard Alan Faneca. “People like to ask you who’s the toughest guy you ever went against? Or the hardest guy?” he said. “My first response – and I always give him credit because we had so many big battles – is Warren.”

That’s Warren Sapp. He may have missed out on today’s mega bags, but the respect on their field? You can’t put a price on that.