The 10 Current And Former NFL Players With The Highest Net Worth

Most people who spend an extended amount of time in the NFL do pretty well for themselves on the financial front, and while there is no shortage of players who’ve managed to burn through all of the money they’ve made, the majority of guys don’t have to spend the rest of their lives stressing about their bank account balance.

There are plenty of NFL players who’ve made hundreds of millions of dollars over the course of their careers—just like there are plenty of others who’ve made some shrewd moves to maximize the return on the money they earned during their time in the league.

That group includes the quarterbacks who exclusively occupy the top spots on the list of current and former NFL players who’ve managed to amass the highest net worth.

Before we dive into things, I would like to acknowledge the estimation of net worth is a very inexact science, but I’m relying on the numbers the supposed experts at Celebrity Net Worth have compiled.

If you disagree with these assessments, yell at them, not at me.

Roger Staubach: $600 Million

Roger Staubach was a Hall of Fame QB who won two Super Bowls during the 11 seasons he spent with the Cowboys, but NFL players who played during his era were making a fraction of what they earn today.

Dallas collectively paid Staubach less than $500,000 for his services before he retired in 1980, but he’d already founded a real estate company a few years before he hung up his cleats.

That firm, The Staubach Company, was involved in the construction of dozens of apartment buildings and consulted with major corporations while growing its footprint over the decades before it was sold for a whopping $613 million in  2008.

Not too shabby, Roger.

Fran Tarkenton: $300 Million

Fran Tarkenton is another guy who can’t credit the NFL for the bulk of his fortune, as the QB only made around $1.2 million during the 18 seasons he played between the Vikings and the Giants.

However, he pivoted in retirement by founding Tarkenton Software, a programming company that ended up being a very profitable venture (he was also an early investor in a little tech company called “Apple”).

Tarkenton eventually transformed into a serial entrepreneur, and as you can see, that decision has seemingly worked out pretty well for him.

Tom Brady: $300 Million

You probably knew Tom Brady was going to show up on this list eventually, and he’s occupying the third spot on the podium as things currently stand.

Brady accrued over $330 million in contract money alone during the 23 seasons he spent in New England and Tampa Bay (as is the case with every salary on this list, a chunk of that sum went to his agent), and he had a 10-year, $375 million broadcasting gig waiting for him at Fox when he retired.

He also had plenty of endorsement deals including sponsorships with Under Armor, UGG, and Tag Heuer, and started his own wellness brand in the form of TB12.

There’s little doubt the man who also owns a minority stake in the Raiders will see this number grow in the coming years, and it wouldn’t be crazy to suggest he could end up on the top of this list at some point.

 

Peyton Manning: $250 Million

Peyton Manning was overshadowed by Tom Brady over the course of his nonetheless legendary career, and he’s also fallen to his longtime rival on the net worth front.

Manning made close to $250 million while playing for the Colts and the Broncos during a career that spanned 18 seasons and had notable sponsorships with Nationwide, Nike, and Papa Johns (he once had a stake in 31 of those pizza places in the Denver area).

As is the case with Brady, he’s pivoted to broadcasting while covering Monday Night Football games along with his brother Eli on the “Manningcast.” That show is produced by Omaha Productions, the creative agency he owns that currently boasts a $400 million valuation.

As a result, he could be working his way up this list in the near future.

Aaron Rodgers: $200 Million

Aaron Rodgers is the first active NFL player to make an appearance on this list, although it’s unclear if the 41-year-old QB will maintain that status for much longer in the wake of what transpired with the Jets last season.

Rodgers has wracked up over $380 million in contract earnings alone over the course of a career that’s spanned 20 seasons and also cashed in from endorsement deals with companies including State Farm, Adidas, and Zenith.

You might think his net worth would be higher than $200 million based on those figures, but I can only assume his affinity for ayahuasca pilgrimages and darkness retreats has put a dent in that figure.

Steve Young: $200 Million

Steve Young lasted 15 years in the NFL and spent the bulk of the time with the 49ers, who were responsible for paying him the bulk of the approximately $50 million he made as a QB.

He probably could have coasted on those earnings after he retired, but he opted to return to BYU to earn a law degree and eventually co-founded a private equity fund where he’s currently a managing partner who oversees a sizeable investment portfolio while taking home an undoubtedly hefty salary.

Russell Wilson: $165 Million

We’ve got our second active QB on the list courtesy of Russell Wilson, who recently wrapped up his 13th NFL season (his first with the Steelers) and has made over $300 million on the salary front.

Wilson has capitalized on endorsements thanks to deals with Subway, Bose, Nike, and (appropriately), Wilson. This number is also boosted a fair amount if you account for the money his wife Ciara has made, as she has an estimated net worth of $20 million thanks to her music career.

Drew Brees: $160 Million

Drew Brees spent two decades in the NFL during a career that began with the Chargers and ended with the Saints while making $270 million along the way. He also had plenty of endorsement deals, including Pepsi, Microsoft, and Wrangler.

Brees briefly worked for NBC Sports after retiring following the conclusion of the 2020 season but has been opting to take it pretty easy since stepping away in 2022.

The QB hasn’t been shy about using his money for charitable causes, as he and his wife (as well as the foundation they run) have donated millions of dollars to build houses, feed hungry families, and support hospitals.

Eli Manning: $160 Million

Much like Peyton Manning was overshadowed by Brady, Eli Manning has always played second fiddle to his older brother, and that’s once again the case when it comes to the money they’ve made.

The former Giant earned a little over $250 million during the 16 seasons he spent in New York and was a brand ambassador for Visa, Gatorade, and DirecTV.

As I mentioned above, he and Peyton have stayed busy in retirement with the Manningcast, which seems to be a pretty solid gig for both of them.

Kirk Cousins: $160 Million

We’ll wrap things up with the third and final active player on this list: Kirk Cousins, whose first season with the Vikings marked the 13th of his NFL career.

The QB has earned close to $300 million in contract money and has landed sponsorships with Adidas, Mercedes-Benz, and Frito-Lay. There’s no telling how many years he has left in the NFL, but he definitely won’t be hurting for money when he retires.