Why do people begrudge college football players so much? They're finding the best path forward with the skill set that God gave them. If they were good at computers, they'd have a 34 on their SAT, the school would give them a full scholarship, plus a few thousand extra, and if Google came calling after their junior year with a $500k offer, everyone would say "Awesome opportunity! Go take it! College won't help you anymore".
Football is no different. It's a career decision.
Because college was established for education, not vacation.
Now, that being said, I will only watch college football. When they go pro I couldn't care less. Haven't watched a NFL game, ever, and never will.