Quarterback Steve Young was a college star at BYU, who then signed with the Los Angeles Express of the USFL in 1984. After the team went bankrupt, he was drafted and signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he was deemed a bust. He was then traded to the San Francisco 49ers, where he would put together a Hall of Fame career from 1987-1999.

When Young first signed with the Express for $40 million over ten years, he agreed to help the financially-floundering team by taking his money in the form of an annuity.  The contract was guaranteed in case the Express or USFL folded. 

The Express was turned over to the USFL, which ceased operations in 1986, after losing its antitrust claims against the NFL. Remarkably, Young continues to receive his annuity, which began at $200,000 annually in 1990 and increases every year. Young, who is now 50-years-old, will be paid through 2027.