| Clue | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Start getting paid to play | Newsday | 19 Dec 2024 |
| Join the NFL, for example (2 wds.) | ||
| Start to play for money | The Telegraph Cross Atlantic | 06 Aug 2024 |
| Go into the majors, say | New York Times | 24 Nov 2023 |
| Start playing for pay | Eugene Sheffer | 30 Jul 2022 |
| Declare for the draft, say | New York Times | 16 Feb 2020 |
| Declare for the draft, say | ||
| Sign with a team, perhaps | Thomas Joseph | 16 Jul 2019 |
| Start to make a living from something | ||
| Start playing for pay | ||
| Make a hobby a job | ||
| Start playing for a living |