So, I was watching a game the other night, you know, just kicking back. And I saw the waterboys running out onto the field during a timeout. Always see ’em, never really thought much about it beyond, well, they give out water.
But then it hit me, like, what’s the deal with that job? Is it just some internship thing? Do they even get paid properly? My first guess was maybe minimum wage, plus getting to be close to the action. Seemed like a gig for a college kid trying to get a foot in the door.
Digging into the Details
Curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to do a little searching. Wasn’t as straightforward as I thought. Lots of different numbers floating around, some sites saying one thing, others something else. You know how the internet is.
I spent a bit of time clicking around, trying different search terms. Stuff like “NFL waterboy pay,” “sideline staff salary,” that kind of thing. Filtered through some junk articles too.
What I Found Out
After some digging, I started piecing together a clearer picture. Turns out, it’s not just pocket money. From what I could gather, these guys are often pulling in somewhere around $50,000 to $60,000 a year. Honestly, that surprised me quite a bit. Definitely more than I initially figured.
And it’s not just the base pay either. They seem to get treated like actual employees, which makes sense I guess. Here’s some of the stuff that comes with the job:
- Health insurance
- Dental coverage
- Even mental health support
- Paid time off, including parental leave and family leave
That’s pretty decent, right? A proper benefits package. It’s not just handing out towels and water bottles; seems like it’s a legit role within the team staff.
Perks and Other Bits
Oh, and get this – depending on the team and how they do things, waterboys might even get a Super Bowl ring if the team wins it all. Imagine that! Pretty cool perk.
So yeah, it was interesting looking into it. Went from thinking it was some low-paid gig to finding out it’s a real job with a decent salary and benefits. Definitely more involved than just being the ‘waterboy’. They’re part of the team operations, hustling just like everyone else behind the scenes.
