5 wealthiest NFL owners heading into 2022 season ft. Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft and more

Owning an NFL team is one of the most valuable and profitable businesses in the entire world. The valuation price of each franchise consistently increases annually, and the rich owners of these teams continue to get richer.

The Denver Broncos are currently up for sale during the 2022 NFL offseason. They are reportedly expected to be purchased by Rob Walton, the heir to Walmart, for a massive $4.5 billion, the most expensive sports team sale of all time.

If the sale were to become finalized in the coming weeks or months, Walton would become the richest owner in the league by far. His estimated $59.6 billion net worth would be more than the top five current richest owners' net worth combined. Here are the five richest NFL owners, according to Forbes.

Richest NFL owners in 2022

#5 - Stephen Ross, Miami Dolphins - $8.2 billion

Stephen Ross purchased a 50 percent ownership stake in the Miami Dolphins in 2008, followed by an additional 45 percent a year later in 2009. This means that Ross owns 95 percent of the Dolphins franchise, including their Hard Rock Stadium.

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Ross generated the majority of his wealth through real estate development by founding his own company, The Related Companies. He also founded RSE Ventures, an investment firm, and Kangaroo Media, which produces Fan Vision.

#4 - Robert Kraft, New England Patriots - $8.3 billion

Robert Kraft earned his early wealth when he purchased the Rand-Whitney Group, a packaging company, and then founded International Forest Products, a paper-goods distributor. He combined the two businesses, a huge success, and started The Kraft Group to invest in many others.

Kraft is now the owner of the New England Patriots in the NFL, as well as other sports franchises in the Boston area. He founded the New England Revolution MLS team and the Boston Uprising Esports team.

5 richest NFL owners currently entering the upcoming 2022 season

#3 - Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys - $10.6 billion

Jerry Jones isn't just one of the richest owners in the NFL, he's also one of the most respected by the other owners around the league. This is mostly due to his progressive and innovative business mindset, which has directly helped the league reach the astronomical levels of profitability that it has today. In turn, this has made all of its owners richer over time, including through merchandise and media deals.

While Jerry Jones is one of the contributing pioneers on the business side of the NFL, he made his initial wealth in the oil and gas industry when he founded Jones Oil and Land Lease. He also owns Legends Hospitality, a servicer for many stadiums and arenas, while his Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable sports franchise in the world, according to Forbes.

#2 - Stan Kroenke, Los Angeles Rams - $10.7 billion

With the help of his wife Ann Walton, a Walmat heiress, Stan Kroenke founded the Kroenke Group, a real estate development firm for large commercial projects. He is one of the largest landowners in the entire country. His properties include wineries and working ranches.

Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, another company he founded, owns several sports teams, arenas and broadcasting networks. In addition to the Los Angeles Rams, he also owns the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rapids, Colorado Crush, Colorado Mammoth, Los Angeles Guerrillas, Los Angeles Gladiators, Arsenal FC, and Arsenal WFC.

#1 - David Tepper, Carolina Panthers - $16.7 billion

David Tepper is an extremely successful hedge fund manager. He has prior experience working with Goldman Sachs, but after being declined a partnership stake with the company, he left and started his own, Appaloosa Management.

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Prior to the Denver Broncos in 2022, the Carolina Panthers were the last NFL franchise to be sold when Tepper purchased the team in 2018. He also founded Charlotte FC, the most recent expansion team in the MLS.