Lionel Messi’s deal with Inter Miami includes an ownership stake he’s expected to exercise after he’s done playing for the club. Mario Lemieux was an owner-player in the NHL from 2000 to 2005. George Halas not only owned the Chicago Bears, but coached and played for them during the 1920s. Pro baseball players owned their teams during the nineteenth century. Could Caleb Williams …
Overlooking any reason given here as to why this won’t happen, the simple answer is the only one that matters – it sets a terrible and costly precedent. If this ever did happen, every #1 pick would expect the same treatment. It’s like guaranteed contracts on steroids since they’d get paid for life, and there’s no real cap on the payout… especially considering teams keep going up in value.