NFL stars may not make as much as NBA or MLB players, but let’s face it, they’re still making the big bucks. We’re constantly hearing of new blockbuster deals (yes, we’re talking about you Derek Carr, with your new five-year, $125 million contract with the Raiders) and, for the most part, they are players who are worth every penny a team is willing to pay for them.
But there seems to be a theme: many of the men on this list are current or former quarterbacks, and that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Let’s face it, as explosive as running backs, wide receivers and tight ends may be, and as dominant as players such as JPP are on the defensive line, the quarterback is still king.
They are usually the face of the franchise, the jersey that sells, the player who brings the crowd to the game, or even the bar. So it’s no surprise that they make a lot more money than other players on the field. And once they’re the face of the franchise, they become the face of countless of companies as part of endorsements. Just think about how many times you saw Peyton Manning on the TV screen any day of the week that wasn’t Sunday. The now-retired quarterback still has a number of endorsement deals, and they are likely to keep on coming.
But others on this list made their millions after their playing days, and not from endorsement deals. If we take a look back, the quarterbacks of the past, or any other player on the field, weren’t making the same sums as today. So players like Captain America, for example, became incredibly successful businessmen after they retired from the league, and made millions more. Some of these guys should probably give courses to the younger players.
So without further ado, here they are, the 49 richest NFL stars ever:
[post_page_title]Justin Houston – $30 million[/post_page_title]
The Kansas City Chiefs linebacker is estimated to be worth about $30 million after just six seasons in the league. Houston has spent his entire career so far in Kansas City, and has tallied 243 tackles and 60.0 sacks. He’s also earned more than $40 million in salary, incentives and bonuses, and still has four more years on his contract that could more than double his fortune. So don’t be surprised if he climbs up this list in the years to come.
