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In the NFL, a college degree doesn't mean much. Unlike other post-college professions, it doesn't require the slip of paper or the completion of anything. While this isn't totally the case for the NFL, college sports are often just played by athletes to satisfy entry requirements. Even still, many NFL stars exited their schools and went into the draft long before they graduated.
Moreover, many of those stars don't ever graduate. Justin Fields just finished his coursework and received his degree, but a lot of his quarterback counterparts don't worry with it. Here are a few notable examples.
Five NFL stars who didn't finish college
5) Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson just signed the biggest contract in NFL history and he did it without an agent. If ever there was a player who clearly did not need a college degree, it's Jackson. The MVP winner went to Louisville but never finished after winning the Heisman and becoming a first-round selection in the Draft.
4) Geno Smith
Considering that Geno Smith was written off as a bust and many didn't believe he had a genuine future in the sport, it's surprising that he never went back to West Virginia and finished his degree. That seems to have paid off now as he's a highly-paid starting quarterback who just won Comeback Player of the Year.
3) Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers is the oldest starting quarterback in the league. He's almost 40 and he is so far removed from college that a degree completion seems totally unlikely. He's a four-time MVP and a future Hall of Famer who will be able to do whatever he pleases once he retires, so there's no reason at all for him to get a degree at this point.
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2) Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford is one of the oldest starting quarterbacks in the league, and even by now, he doesn't have a college degree. Well before he was a Detroit Lions legend and the Super Bowl winner for the Los Angeles Rams, he was quarterback at the University of Georgia. He never finished his degree, though, much like his new backup Stetson Bennett. Bennett hasn't graduated even after being in school since 2017.
1) Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes went to Texas Tech before getting drafted. It may be a bit surprising that he didn't consider finishing out his degree afterwards. At the time, he was considered a bit of a project and he sat for a full season behind Alex Smith. Looking back, it's clear there was no need for him to get a degree since he's a two-time MVP and two-time Super Bowl winner, but at the time, his career wasn't exactly guaranteed despite being a first-round selection.
