Peria Jerry walked away from $890,000
When Falcons defensive tackle Peria Jerry decided to retire, he walked away from $890,000 that he could have earned during the 2014 season.
The airing of his retirement on HBO's Hard Knocks appeared to catch Falcons coach Mike Smith off guard. Jerry was the 24th overall pick of the 2009 NFL draft and was likely headed for a reserve role.
Jerry’s career path was altered in the second game of his career when he suffered a gruesome knee injury. He came back, but the Falcons would only play him in passing situations in 2010.
On the show, Jerry didn’t appear to have a retirement plan.
Jerry was set to make a base salary of $760,000. He also could have earned another $160,000, by receiving $10,000 per game that he was active.
Over his career, Jerry made $10.3 million and should be in good shape if he didn’t squander his money.
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
