The XFL just had it's first draft, but there are already issues when it comes to how much the players will get paid to play in the league.
Corey Vereen, a former Tennessee Volunteers defensive end who was drafted by the Los Angeles Wildcats last week, is stepping away from the team after saying the XFL salary is not what he was expecting.
Vereen feels misled after the league reportedly said the average annual salary for a player was $55,000 per year when in reality what he was taking home was well below that mark.
Logan Brown Sports, which represents Vereen, released a statement saying the actual base salaries in the league are $27,040 per year.
After careful consideration, @meanvereen has decided to forgo his @xfl2020 opportunity. Corey has stayed in great shape for his next football opportunity. Unfortunately that opportunity will not be in the XFL with the current pay scale. We wish the @XFLWildcats the best of luck! pic.twitter.com/CVF1Ugcv0x
— Logan Brown Sports (@LBSAgent) October 23, 2019
The statement reads:
"After careful consideration, [Vereen] has decided to forgo his [XFL 2020] opportunity. Corey has stayed in great shape for his next football opportunity. Unfortunately that opportunity will not be in the XFL with the current pay scale. We wish the [XFL Wildcats] the best of luck!"
They did not rule out Vereen returning to the team, but would need the league to address the salary issue before that became a conversation.
The statement also says there are bonuses for being active on game days and wins, but with players often getting hurt and uncertainty about expected win totals for inexperienced teams, the bonuses are far from guaranteed.
An NFL rookie enters his first season with a minimum contract worth $495,000, so no where close to what players are receiving in the XFL.
The XFL season is expected to start in February of 2020.
