Former Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes says he ‘took a paycut’ going from Florida to NFL

Brandon Spikes, a former Florida Gators and New England Patriots linebacker, joked that he took a pay cut when he left college football for the NFL. His comments highlight how some players received money before name, image and likeness payments became legal, though he did not give a precise figure.

Spikes played for Florida from 2006 and won two national championships before the Patriots drafted him in the second round in 2010. He said he did not clear seven figures at Florida, but added that the university helped move his mother to Gainesville, where she continued making his home-cooked meals. He also noted that Massachusetts income taxes reduced the difference between his college and NFL earnings.