On the back of a tremendous NFL season that saw the Philadelphia Eagles clinch the NFC top seed and end the season as runners-up to the Chiefs, Jalen Hurts has received a massive windfall. The 24-year-old has earned himself a massive contract extension with the franchise, making him the highest-paid athlete in NFL history. However,  Hurts is set to lose a massive chunk of that big money, and the reason behind it has nothing to do with football. 

Believe it or not, NBA legend Michael Jordan is at the center of the storm, and his legacy is casting a shadow on Hurts’ fortune.

The Michael Jordan tax is impacting NFL stars

During his era of dominance, Michael Jordan irked a state so much that a new tax was slapped on him. Well, it wasn’t actually new, but it became a regular thing because of the Chicago Bulls legend.

The story began in 1991, during the NBA Finals. Michael Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, earning his first championship ring. However, his accountant was hit with an unexpected $10,000 tax bill from the state of California for the games ‘His Airness’ had played in Los Angeles. In response, the state of Illinois, home to the Bulls, retaliated by imposing the same tax on athletes from California who played in Illinois.

Thus started the domino effect and now most states tax the athletes from other parts of the country coming out to play in their territory. All the states have implemented the tax, except Florida, Nevada, Texas, Washington, and Tennessee. Every time a team crosses the state lines to play, they lose a part of their money as the ‘Jock Tax’ or the ‘Michael Jordan Tax’.

So Jordan not only left a legacy on the sports world, but he also helped the states fill their tax coffers. 32 years later, the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts will pay the same price for the Bulls dominating the Lakers.

Jalen Hurts has surpassed two Super Bowl winning QBs’ annual earnings

Jalen Hurts might have to pay the Jock Tax, but he will probably not complain. After all, his new contract makes him the highest-paid player in NFL history. He has signed a five-year extension with the Eagles worth a whopping $255 million. Out of the total money, almost $180 million comes in the form of guaranteed money.

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The yearly payment of up to $51 million will result in Hurts surpassing the likes of Aaron Rodgers ($150.8 million – three years) and Russell Wilson ($245 million- 5 years). In terms of guaranteed money, though, Cleveland Browns‘ Deshaun Watson still has the cake with his $230 million guaranteed contract. Eagles fans will hope that the NFL’s new highest-paid player will continue his form and go one step further in the 2023 season, thereby bringing the Lombardi trophy to the City of Brotherly Love. 

Will Jalen Hurts lead the Eagles to glory in the years to come? Only time can provide that answer.

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