Back in 2020, Joe Rogan stated about the UFC fighter pay issue, “You should get paid an incredibly generous amount of money to step into a cage fight for millions of people to see.” The JRE (Joe Rogan Experience) podcast host has never been shy about calling things like he sees them. Now? He’s aiming his sights on another high-stakes arena, the Olympic Games.

On episode #2325 of the JRE, the UFC commentator sat down with NFL legend Aaron Rodgers. What started as a casual chat turned into a blistering takedown of the U.S. Olympic system. And together, they peeled back the gold-plated curtain and exposed a reality few want to talk about!

USOPC comes under fire from Joe Rogan and Aaron Rodgers with a brutal reality check

Joe Rogan started off by stating, “I think first of all, my position on the Olympics is that it’s a giant scam against the athletes. The athletes are generating insane wealth, and they get none of it, none of it.”

Rodgers agreed with him and added, “Like the top 1/10th of the 1% can make any type of money.” The numbers might seem like an exaggeration, but they aren’t too far from the truth. According to a 2024 report by the Commission on the State of the U.S. Olympics & Paralympics, more than a quarter of elite U.S. athletes earn less than $15,000 a year. That’s the poverty level.

Another 10% make just a bit more, between $15,000 and $25,000. Yet these are the same athletes who generate billions in ad revenue and television deals for the Olympics. That’s how Rogan put it as he further shared, “Meanwhile, the people that run it, the networks, everybody else… billions, billions of dollars. But the thing that people want to see, the athletes, get none of it.”

Aaron Rodgers even pointed out that if you’re in a niche sport, like shot put or decathlon, you’re basically invisible. The 4x NFL MVP stated, “You’re a shot putter, congrats on the gold medal, now get you’re a– back to work.”

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) doesn’t receive government funding. Instead, it relies on private donations and sponsors. While reports indicate that gold medalists do get a payout, $37,500 for gold, $22,500 for silver, $15,000 for bronze, that’s a drop in the bucket for most. Especially when they have spent tens of thousands on training, travel, equipment, and food.

Unlike the NBA or NFL, where players get contracts, salaries, and sponsorships, many Olympians go home with nothing but debt. As Rogan bluntly stated, “Some of these gymnasts, who are the best in the world, famous, are poor. Best in the world at what they do, spectacular performances, the whole world cheers, we’re watching them with bated breath on television, pull it off, they stick the landing, yes! They get nothing!”

According to a report from ‘The Los Angeles Times’, Olympic skater Emily Scott even had to survive on food stamps. Her USOPC monthly stipend was cut from $1,950 to $600 a month. She had to work a part-time job at a surgical supply factory and in a 2013 interview with USA Today confessed, “The last thing you want to be worried about in a year like this is being able to pay your rent and eat…”

As such, Joe Rogan and Aaron Rodgers aren’t just stirring the pot. They’re shining a spotlight on a broken system. One where the biggest stage in sports leaves its stars broke. And if you’re a Paralympian? The mountain is even steeper. But could there be a glimmer of hope on the horizon?

USOPC launches groundbreaking new project to provide financial security for Olympians

In March 2025, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) rolled out a new financial safety net. The promise? A $100,000 retirement benefit for every Olympic Games an athlete competes in. Sounds promising, right? But here’s the catch: it won’t kick in until 20 years after the Games or when the athlete turns 45.

Still, USOPC Chair Gene Sykes called it a “springboard that will propel these athletes to even greater heights beyond their Olympic and Paralympic careers.” A bold promise. But does it hold up? Only time will tell.

Behind the funding is a $100 million donation from Ross Stevens, a major Team USA backer. He stated, “I do not believe that financial insecurity should stop our nation’s elite athletes from breaking through to new frontiers of excellence.” His donation created the Stevens Financial Security Awards, adding $100K in retirement and $100K in life insurance per Olympic appearance.

It’s a first-of-its-kind package, and it starts with the 2026 Milano Cortina Games and runs through 2032, with hopes to become permanent. Yet the message is loud and clear: the pressure is mounting. With voices like Joe Rogan and Aaron Rodgers in the mix, the Olympic world can no longer ignore the cracks. So here’s the question now: will the system finally reward its heroes, not just parade them? Or will this be another case of too little, too late? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!