*My* main problem about the term "grossly overpaid" is that their profession is short lived: from late teens to early thirties, let's say 15 years to build your pension pot. Then there's the Agent fees, the tax they pay etc.. Sports sponsorship or a great advertising USP is what you need to get into the "big league" of money earners (think Beckham, Rooney, Gazza..any others??)
I've quite a few Premier League (or old First Division) friends who are/were Newsagents / Decorators / Electricians / Stationery Salesman / Fork Lift Truck Hire / Insurance salesmen => normal jobs once they retired from footy... Five of them played for their country at World Cup level but not all get jobs on the BBC or Sky as commentators or analysts.