 His initial contract with the Lions was for a $2,000 bonus and $12,000 a year.While playing for the Lions, Flanagan supplemented his income in the off-season selling steel to the automobile companies, selling real estate, and working for a beer distributorship owned by former Detroit Tigers star Vic Wertz.Flanagan took over as the Lions' starting center as a rookie in 1965 and held the position for the next ten years.