It's not every day that you hear about a pro athlete turning down big dollars in order to go back to school.
But that's exactly what
Ty Warren, a defensive lineman with the New England Patriots, is planning to do.
He'll be skipping off-season workouts so he can focus on going back to Texas A&M to get his degree. In the process, Warren will be losing out on $250,000. But the reason behind his choice is as simple as is it admirable: Warren wants to set a good example for his three kids -- and for children everywhere.
He told a reporter that he really wanted to finish what he started.
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It's so great to hear about a pro athlete who recognizes that he is a role model and is conscious of the choices he makes.
Too often, athletes, entertainers and celebrities selfishly think that what they do is their business -- and theirs alone. They fail to grasp the consequences of their decisions and they think little or nothing about how it might impact others -- or merely influence others, one way or another.
We all know that young people are so impressionable. With millions of youngsters hoping for their shot at NFL glory, I hope that many of those tween, teen and 20-somethings will follow in Warren's footsteps and recognize that getting a college degree is a major accomplishment that no one can ever take away from you.
It's also part of necessary fallback plan in this era, where
nearly 80% of all NFL players have gone bankrupt or are in serious financial trouble just two years after ending their pro careers, according to Sports Illustrated.
Warren seems to really have his head on straight. So I hope when he's done playing ball, he won't become just another NFL statistic. So far, by making smart choices like earning his degree, I'd say the odds are definitely in Warren's favor.
Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, an award-winning financial news journalist and former Wall Street Journal reporter for CNBC, has also been featured in top newspapers including the Washington Post, USA Today, and the New York Times, as well as magazines ranging from Essence and Redbook to Black Enterprise and Smart Money. Check out her New York Times bestseller,
'Zero Debt: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Freedom.'
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