5/28 | Myron Rolle Skips NFL to Study at Oxford University
MA over NFL
Florida State Safety Myron Rolle faced a huge decision: a practically guaranteed spot in the NFL or a Rhodes scholarship to study at University of Oxford in England.
Myron Rolle was predicted a first-round NFL draft pick after his team, the Seminoles, finished a 9-4 season. Consensus states Myron Rolle would have been a shoo-in, but he chose Oxford instead.
Jack of all trades
Myron Rolle says he wants to become a neurosurgeon after he finishes his studies at Oxford. So, his football career is done? He won’t join the NFL, right? Wrong. Myron Rolle plans to enter in the 2010 NFL draft.
Furthermore, this summer he’ll be writing a children’s book and doing a wide array of charity work.
The one who came before
So, why would someone pass up the instant money that comes with playing for the NFL to keep hitting the books? I guess you’d have to ask Bill Bradley, who in 1965 skipped out on the NBA to study at Oxford.
The Rhodes scholarship will cover Myron Rolle’s tuition plus “a monthly maintenance stipend to cover accommodation and living expenses,” says Wikipedia. The average NFL starting salary is $3.5 million. Clearly, Myron Rolle isn’t after money.
More on Myron
Bradley, by the way, had a successful career with the New York Nicks, won two NBA title, and later became a longtime New Jersey Senator. Myron Rolle was raised in New Jersey and started playing football in the ninth grade. During his high school football career, Myron Rolle made 112 tackles (14 for a loss) while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Some things never change.
ESPN rated him the No. 1 high school pick in the country. During his impressive career with the Florida State Seminoles, Myron Rolle also “completed all necessary pre-medical requirements and was able to graduate in just 2.5 years with a 3.75 grade point average, earning a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science,” according to Wikipedia.
Soon to pay off
Myron Rolle may be postponing his $3.5-milllion-or-more-per-year salary, but that’s all it is, postponing. With his history, there’s no doubt he’ll still be able to have a career in the NFL.
After he’s done playing football, he’ll be able to live off the money he saved while playing in the NFL — while making six figures as a neurosurgeon. He’ll have more money than he knows what do do with.
Charity and books
Luckily, Myron Rolle is the kind of guy who you want to have extra money. He is writing a book that encourages young people to embrace academics as well as athletics. Good thing he can walk the walk. After all, the Rhodes scholarship is considered “the most prestigious honor in all of college academics.”
I couldn’t track down the “wide array of charity work” he’ll be doing this summer, which the Sun Sentinel referred to, but perhaps that’s because Myron Rolle wants his good deed to remain somewhat anonymous.