Age of entry into the labor market and career success: The case of the NFL

Abstract

The consensus across labor market research in sports and non-sports literature has shown that there is a significant interaction between age, ability, and performance. While this relationship is at the foundation of all acts of production or utility creation, little econometric work exploring the role of precocity in career success can be found in the literature. This study therefore examines the role of precocity on labor market outcomes of elite-level National Football League (NFL) players and, indirectly, assesses the on-field efficacy of the NFL’s age rule. The findings indicate that precocity, as measured by the age of entry into the elite-level professional football labor pool, leads to better career success. That is, the younger a player is when he first enters the NFL labor market; the more successful he is likely to be.