[Svartalfiar]

We see these big $$$ contracts in sports, all sports, from an outsider’s point of view.
...
They don’t get that $$$ in total.

Not quite. It's the same for most everyone else: you get paid $60M at your job. You still give Uncle Sugar his cut, pay your local taxes, and give some to the people that perform services for you, like cutting your yard. The only difference is most people don't have to deal with travel jurisdictions trying to take a chunk. Oh, and he's working with $17MM instead of your $60M.

He's still taking home quite a lot more than you are, and is still somehow broke enough to be robbing gas stations.

[Red Badger]

Athletes have extra taxes to pay we don’t have.

They have to pay taxes in every jurisdiction they play in. Some even have special ‘fees’ just for the privilege of playing a sport in their town................