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Being a pro footballer is a dream shared by many a million youth. Everyone wants to become an athlete at some point in their childhood. Despite intense desire, very few people make it to the big league. Pro football is reserved for only the very best. In fact becoming a pro footballer is beating the odds and numbers stacked up against you. Many middle-class or non-elite kids dream of the money and lavish lifestyles NFL players have. However, NFL stars don’t always end up on the right track.

PHOTO: Danielmoyle | Flickr

Heroism, tense games, fans, five star hotels, and rich lifestyle it may not be for everyone who plays in the NFL. According to a study conducted by Sports Illustrated in 2009, more than 78% of pro NFL players end up having financial troubles. The most shocking part is that study was conducted on players within the two years of their retirement. Furthermore around 60% of NFL players go completely bankrupt within five years of retirement. This is insane. This is not the picture painted when you see them travelling with an entourage of fans, coaches and players at their glory time.

Here are 19 NFL stars who end up completely broke and took regular jobs. Some of these names, you will really find hard to believe.

19. Ray Rice

Ray Rice was a promising talent. But in 2014, a video of him hitting his wife in an Atlantic City casino went viral. The blow appeared to have knocked his fiancée Janay out. He later dragged the unconscious woman out of the casino. It caused NFL to change policies of how it handled domestic abuse cases.

PHOTO: Keith Allison | Flickr

The fallout that followed was deadly for Rice. He lost remaining $10million from his five-year $35million deal with Ravens. He lost his contracts with Nike and EA Sports. He has never received any endorsements since. The craziest part of the story is that Ray Rice and Janay got married a year later. At least there was some sort of happy ending for Ray, we cannot say that about Janay though.