Highest Paid American Footballers!!!
American football evolved with references from soccer and rugby. The first game was played in 1869 based on the rules of soccer.
Currently, this is the most popular sport in the United States. Nearly 1.1 million high school athletes played American football in 2012.
In the 2019 season, the industry of American Football was estimated to be worth $15.26 billion, with $14.48 billion the year before.
National Football League (NFL) has the highest revenue among any league in the world.
Quick Overview
| Player | Net Worth |
| 25) Frank Gifford | $60 million |
| 24) Michael Strahan | $65 million |
| 23) Tony Romo | $70 million |
| 22) Sam Bradford | $70 million |
| 21) Matt Ryan | $70 million |
| 20) Kirk Cousins | $70 million |
| 19) Cam Newton | $75 million |
| 18) Philip Rivers | $80 million |
| 17) Joe Flacco | $85 million |
| 16) Carson Palmer | $90 million |
| 15) Joe Montana | $100 million |
| 14) Brett Favre | $100 million |
| 13) Ben Roethlisberger | $100 million |
| 12) Aaron Rodgers | $120 million |
| 11) Russell Wilson | $135 million |
| 10) John Elway | $145 million |
| 9) Eli Manning | $150 million |
| 8) Drew Brees | $160 million |
| 7) Steve Young | $200 million |
| 6) John Madden | $200 million |
| 5) Tom Brady | $250 million |
| 4) Peyton Manning | $250 million |
| 3) Fran Tarkenton | $300 million |
| 2) Roger Staubach | $600 million |
| 1) Jerry Richardson | $2 billion |
Highest Paid American Footballers
The details and information has been compiled from sites such as Forbes, NFL, and Wikipedia.
25) Frank Gifford
Francis Newton Gifford played as a halfback and wide receiver in the NFL.
In addition, he was an actor and sports commentator. He played for the New York Giants from 1952-1960 and 1962-1964.
Frank won the NFL championship in 1956. He played in 8 Pro-Bowls and was six times 1st team All-Pro.
In addition to that, Gifford was the NFL comeback player of the year in 1962 and NFL MVP in 1956.
He had a net worth of $60 million at the time of his *****.
He passed away on August 5, 2015, due to a natural cause.
Rest in Glory!
24) Michael Strahan
Michael T. Strahan played the defensive in the NFL with the New York Giants (1993-2007). Born on November 21, 1971, Strahan is also a TV personality, journalist, author, and film producer.
He won the Super Bowl Championship, NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2001, and NFL Sacks Leader twice.
Moreover, he was selected in seven Pro Bowls and was four times 1st team All-Pro and two times 2nd team All-Pro.
As of 2024, his net worth is $65 million. From his hosting jobs and brand endorsements, he earns about $17 million each year.
23) Tony Romo
Antonio Ramiro Romo is a former American football player and analyst. He played as a quarterback for Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2016.
Romo retired due to a back injury in 2016.
However, in his 13-year long career, Tony played in four Pro-Bowls and was the NFL Passer Rating Leader in 2014 and the NFL Completion Percentage Leader in 2015.
Even with a passer rating of 97.1 and 34,183, he didn’t appear in Super Bowl.
Moreover, he received the Walter Payton award in 2002.
Tony made about $127.4 million during his NFL career with earning an average of $9.1 million per season.
His net worth is $70 million.
22) Sam Bradford
Samuel Jacob Bradford (born on November 8, 1987) is a former American footballer who played in the NFL as a quarterback.
First, he played for St. Louis Rams from 2010-2014. After that, he played for Philadelphia Eagles in 2015, Minnesota Vikings from 2016-2017, and Arizona Cardinals in 2018.
In his eight-year career, he won NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2010, NFL Completion Percentage Leader in 2016, Heisman Trophy in 2008, and Big Offensive Player of the Year in 2008.
Moreover, he has a passer rating of 84.5 and 19,445 passing yards. Throughout his NFL career, Sam made just a little shy of $130 million.
His net worth is about $70 million.
21) Matt Ryan
Matthew Thomas Ryan, also commonly known as “Matty Ice,” was born on May 17, 1985. He plays for Atlanta Falcons as a quarterback.
Moreover, he has played in 5 Pro-Bowls and was selected in 1st team All-Pro in 2016.
Ryan has a passer rating of 94.5, along with 56,757 passing yards.
As of 2024, his net worth is $70 million.
20) Kirk Cousins
Kirk Daniel Cousins is a quarterback of the NFL born on August 19, 1988. He played for Washington Redksins from 2012 to 2017.
Currently, Kirk is playing for Minnesota Vikings starting from 2018.
He has remarkable statistics with a 98.4 passer rating and 31,141 passing yards.
Moreover, in his 10-year career, he has played in 2 Pro-Bowls games and was awarded NFL Completion Percentage Leader in 2015.
As of 2024, his net worth is $70 million.
19) Cam Newton
Born on May 11, 1989, Cameron Jerrell Newton is an American football player who plays as a quarterback.
First, he played for Carolina Panthers from 2011 to 2019. As of 2021, Cameron has been playing for New England Patriots.
Being one of the four African-American quarterbacks to become NFL MVP, Cam struggled with injuries in 2019.
However, he has no plans on retiring and will be back stronger than before.
He has won NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2015 and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2011.
Moreover, he has been to three Pro-Bowls.
In addition to that, he has a net worth of $75 million.
18) Philip Rivers
Philip Michael Rivers (born on December 8, 1981) played in the NFL as a quarterback for 17 seasons.
Rivers played for San Diego/ Los Angeles Chargers from 2004-2019 and is currently playing for Indiana Colts.
He has won many notable awards: NFL Comeback Player of the Year, NFL Passing Yards Leader, NFL Passing Touchdowns Co-leader, NFL Passer Rating Leader, and NFL Completion Percentage Leader.
Moreover, he has played in 9 Pro Bowl games.
In addition, he has a passer rating of 95.2 with 63,440 passing yards.
As of 2024, River’s net worth is $80 million.
17) Joe Flacco
Joe Vincent Flacco was born on January 16, 1985. He plays as a quarterback in the National Football League.
He played for Baltimore Ravens from 2008 to 2018, Denver Broncos in 2019, and New York Jets in 2020.
Flacco is currently paying for Philadelphia Eagles.
He has won Super Bowl Champion, Super Bowl MVP, Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year, and more.
Currently, Joe’s net worth is $85 million.
16) Carson Palmer
Carson Hilton Pamer was born on December 17, 1979, and is a former American football player in the NFL. He played the position of quarterback.
He played for Cincinnati Bengals from 2003-2010, Oakland Rivers from 2011 to 2012, and Arizona Cardinals from 2013-2017.
Palmer played in 4 Pro Bowls games and was selected in 2nd team All-Pro in 2015.
Additionally, he won NFL Passing Touchdowns Leader in 2005 and NFL Completion Percentage Leader in 2005.
Throughout his NFL career as quarterback Palmer earned more than $174.1 million.
As of 2024, his net worth is $90 Million.
15) Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford Montana Jr. is a former American football player who played the position of a quarterback. Born on June 11, 1956, he played in the NFL for a total of 16 seasons.
Montana played for San Fransisco 49ers from 1979-1992 and Kansas City Chiefs from 1993-1994.
He has been called by various nicknames, but the coolest of them all is Joe Cool and the Comeback Kid.
He was the Super Bowl Champion four times and Super Bowl MVP three times. Along with that, he was named NFL MVP twice and also won NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1989 and NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 1986.
During his NFL career, he earned more than $25.5 million in total salary.
Joe’s net worth is approximately $100 million.
14) Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre, born on October 10, 1969, played in the NFL as a quarterback.
He played for Atlanta Falcons in 1991, Green Bay Packers from 1992-2007, New York Jets in 2008, and Minnesota Vikings from 2009-2010.
In his 20 season career, he became the Super Bowl Champion and NFL MVP thrice. Moreover, he was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1995 and played in 11 Pro-Bowls.
During his NFL career, Favre earned more than $137 million.
As of 2024, his net worth is $100 million.
13) Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger, commonly known as “Big Ben,” is an American football player. He was drafted by Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round. He was the youngest to win Super Bowl in 2006.
Ben is considered one of the most efficient passers in NFL history.
In his 17 year career, Benjamin has been Super Bowl Champion twice, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2004, and NFL Passing Yards Leader twice. Moreover, he has been in seven Pro Bowls.
His statistics include a passer rating of 93.8 and a total passing attempt of 8,033. Ben has a net worth of $100 million.
12) Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Charles Rodgers was born on December 2, 1983. He has been playing for the Green Bay Packers starting from 2005.
Rodgers won a Super Bowl Championship, Super Bowl MVP, and three times NFL MVP. He has been to nine Pro Bowls.
Moreover, he was NFL Passer Rating Leader thrice and NFL Passing Touchdowns Leader twice.
With a net worth of $120 million, he is considered one of the best players in the NFL.
11) Russell Wilson
Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) started his career in 2012 from the Seattle Seahawks and is already one of the wealthiest American footballers.
He is one of four quarterbacks with a career passer rate exceeding 100. As of now, he has played for nine seasons, of which he has been named to eight Pro Bowls.
He won the Super Bowl Championship, Walter Payton, NFL Man of the Year in 2020, NFL Passer Rating Leader in 2015, and NFL Passing Touchdowns Leader in 2017.
In such a short time, he has made a remarkable difference, and we can say that he is on the road to becoming one of the most successful players in the NFL.
10) John Elway
John Albert Elway Jr.(born on June 28, 1960) is a former quarterback of the NFL. He played for 16 years for Denver Broncos from 1983-1998.
He worked for Denver Broncos from 2011-2020 as the general manager and executive vice president of football operations. From January 2021 to the present, he has been the president of football operations.
John was the co-owner and CEO of Colorado Crush from 2003-2008.
He has been awarded Super Bowl Champion twice, Super Bowl MVP, NFL MVP, and Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.
9) Eli Manning
Elisha Nelson Manning is a former American footballer who played as a quarterback in the NFL. Born on January 3, 1981, Eli is the youngest son of Archie Manning, a former NFL quarterback.
Peyton Manning is his younger brother.
In his career of 16 seasons, he played for the New York Giants from 2004-2019.
He has been awarded the Super Bowl Championship twice, Super Bowl MVP twice, and Walter Payton NFL Award in 2016. Furthermore, he has been a part of four Pro Bowls.
Eli holds the record for most passing yards in a single postseason and the longest touchdown pass of 99 yards.
Lastly, his net worth is $150 million.
8) Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees was born on January 15, 1979. He is one of the greatest quarterbacks the NFL has seen.
He played for 20 seasons, starting with San Diego Chargers from 2001-2005, followed by New Orleans Saints from 2006-2020.
Of course, like other players in this list, he has won many awards and titles; some of which are- Super Bowl Championship, Super Bowl MVP, NFL Offensive Player of the Year twice, Walter Payton NFL Award in 2006, NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2004, and more.
With 10,551 passing attempts, 7,142 passing completions, and a 98.7 passer rating, it is no surprise he ranks amongst the highest-paid American footballers.
Throughout his playing career, he made about $247 million in the NFL.
7) Steve Young
John Steven Young is a former American football player who was born on October 11, 1961. He played for 11 seasons.
He played for the Los Angeles Express from 1984-1985, Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1983-1986, and San Fransisco 49ers from 1987-1999.
Young was an efficient passer with a passer rating of 96.8 and passing yards of 33,124.
He has won the Super Bowl Championship twice, Super Bowl MVP one time, NFL MVP twice, and NFL Offensive Player.
Young was selected in 7 Pro-Bowl games and was 1st team All-Pro thrice and 2nd team All-Pro thrice.
Moreover, he has appeared in Frasier, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Dharma & Greg, and other TV shows.
His net worth is $200 million as of 2024.
6) John Madden
John Earl Madden is a former American football coach, player, sportscaster, and entrepreneur. Although Madden did not have a pleasant journey as a player, he had a successful career as the coach.
He was drafted by Philadelphia Eagles. However, in his first training camp, he got injured and could not play.
He coached for Allan Hancock from 1960-1961 as an assistant coach and head coach from 1962-1963.
He was the defensive coordinator for San Diego State from 1964-1966, linebackers coach for Oakland Raiders from 1967-1968, and head coach for Oakland Raiders from 1969-1978.
From 1979 to 2008, he was an analyst of NFL games in major American TV networks.
As of 2024, his net worth is $200 million.
5) Tom Brady
Born on August 3, 1977, Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. is an American football player who plays a quarterback.
He is a proficient and extraordinary player.
He played for New England Patriots from 2000-2019 and Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2020. Brady has been awarded the Super Bowl Champion seven times and Super Bowl MVP 5 times.
Furthermore, he was NFL MVP three times, NFL Comeback Player, NFL Offensive Player twice, and many more to go.
Tom’s career has the record of most wins, most touchdown passes, passing yards passing attempts, and longest touchdown passes of 99 yards.
Obviously, with these statistics, he is regarded to be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
His net worth is $270 million as of 2024.
Read About Tom Brady’s Net Worth, Career, Lifestyle & Career Earnings
4) Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is a former American football player who played the position of quarterback.
Born on March 24, 1976, he is considered one of the greatest quarterbacks the NFL has seen.
He played for Indianapolis Colts from 1998-2011 and Denver Broncos from 2012-2015.
Manning has been awarded the NFL MVP five times, NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2012, and NFL Offensive Player of the Year twice.
Additionally, he is two times Super Bowl Champion and Super Bowl MVP.
As of 2024, his net worth is $250 million.
3) Fran Tarkenton
Francis Tarkenton was born on February 3, 1940. He played for Minnesota Vikings from 1961-1966, New York Giants from 1967-1971, and Minnesota Vikings from 1972-1978 as a quarterback. In total, he played for 18 seasons.
He worked as a commentator in Monday Night Football, and That’s Incredible. Furthermore, he has founded more than 20 successful companies such as Tarkenton Financial, Tarkenton Companies, and KnowledgeWare.
He was not just good in business; he won NFL MVP in 1975, NFL Offensive Player in 1975, and Pro Bowl 9 times.
Moreover, he was NFL Passing Yards Leader in 1978 and NFL Passing Touchdowns Leader in 1975.
Tarkenton has a net worth of $300 million as of 2024.
2) Roger Staubach
Born on February 5, 1942, Roger Thomas Staubach is commonly known as “Captain America,” “Rodger the Dodger,” and “Captain Comeback.”
Roger played the position of quarterback for 11 seasons for the Dallas Cowboys. Obviously, he is one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.
He has won the Super Bowl Championship twice, Super Bowl MVP, NFL Man of the Year in 1978, and many more.
Additionally, he was awarded the NFL Passer Rating Leader four times.
With a passer rating of 83.4, passing yards 22,700, and 153 touchdowns, it is no wonder that he is one of the highest-paid American footballers.
His net worth is estimated to be $600 million.
1) Jerry Richardson
Jerome Johnson Richardson Sr. is a former NFL player and former owner in NFL. He played for Baltimore Colts from 1959-1960 and worked as an executive in Carolina Panthers from 1995-2017.
Even though he played for a short period, he won the NFL Championship in 1959 with 15 receptions, four touchdowns, and 171 receiving yards.
Richardson took his part from winning that game and started a series of businesses.
His wealth mostly comes from Hardee’s. It is now located in more than 2000 places and has over $1.48 billion in assets.
As of 2024, Richardson’s net worth is $2 billion.
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