Maurice Clarett: I Got Paid More In College Than NFL

Maurice Clarett has played in the NFL, he’s played in the UFL, but according to the former Ohio State running back he made the most money when he was playing in college.

Clarett’s luxurious college life was examined in Monte Burke’s new book, 4th And Goal: One Man’s Quest to Recapture His Dream.

According to Burke, Clarett had a pretty easy college life. School life was a breeze and his extra-curricular affairs included women, drugs, and driving around in nice cars that he had received as gifts from the school.

An excerpt from the book posted by Deadspin, reads:

“He was a hard worker in practice and in games. But off the field, he was living a completely different life. “I took golf, fishing, and softball as classes,” Clarett says. “Away from class, anything you can think of I did in my 13 months at Ohio State.” Drugs and women were two of the things. Cars were another—he owned three of them at a time, including a brand-new Cadillac and Lexus. “I was living the NFL life in college,” he says. “I got paid more in college than I do now in the UFL.”

According to ESPN, Burke was able to get an inside look at Clarett’s college life while he was researching Omaha Nighthawks coach Joe Moglia. Moglia had his players, including Clarett, share their life stories during team dinners. Clarett apparently had a lot to say about his life at Ohio State.

Clarett also talked about his suspension from OSU, his drug and alcohol abuse, and his 2006 arrest for allegedly robbing a man at gunpoint.

Clarett said:

“(In prison) I cleared my head, away from the drugs and drinking. Suffering causes you to mature … Contrary to popular belief, prison does not give you street cred. Anyone who glorifies it is an idiot. It only lets your dumb ass know that you got caught doing something wrong.”

Clarett is currently known as a player that never lived up to his potential. The former OSU running back may never live up to those expectations but he did say that he wants to be a role model for young football players.

Clarett said:

“I don’t want people to say, ‘Don’t be like Maurice Clarett.’ In fact, I want the opposite. I want people to see me now and say they want to be like me. And I’m working every day to earn that.”