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There are certain NFL players who make top-tier money compared to most of the league. In 2022, it's not uncommon to see players clearing over $100 million with their salaries alone. This doesn't include their endorsements, sponsors, incentives, investments or other business endeavors.
Athletes are often criticized for handling their large contracts poorly and ending up broke after their careers are over. It's true that there are always those who will spend money unwisely and not prepare for life after football, but players these days have more advice and help when it comes to money management than those playing in the 90s.
Most NFL players tend to have some sort of investment outside of football, whether it is real estate, business, or having a second career in music or art.
The quarterbacks are the highest-paid players in the NFL in the 21st century, and it's no surprise that the five players with the highest current net worth are all quarterbacks.
Here are five current NFL players with the highest estimated net worth as of the start of 2022. To put this list in retrospect, many may think Patrick Mahomes is on the list, but he's ranked outside the top-20 with $30 million.
NFL players with highest 2022 net worth: #5 & #4
#5 - QB Joe Flacco, New York Jets
Joe Flacco might just be the one NFL player no one expected to make the list.
Flacco played 11 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, winning Super Bowl XLVII against the San Francisco 49ers. After winning the Super Bowl, he earned himself a six-year deal worth a then-record $120.6 million. He has since played with the Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets twice. Flacco is currently buried on the Jets' depth chart.
As an NFL rookie, Flacco landed a deal with Reebok and later with Pizza Hut. Throughout his career, he's been endorsed by Nike, 1st Mariner Bank, Haribo, McDonalds, Zynga and Spirit Football Jersey.
Joe Flacco's net worth is estimated at $85 million with an average salary of $20 million. He's earned more than $164 million from his NFL salaries.
#4 - QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger has played 18 seasons in the NFL and has quietly accumulated a nice net worth over the years.
Roethlisberger entered the league in 2004 as part of one of the best quarterback draft classes in NFL history. He's won two Super Bowls, winning his first as the youngest quarterback to do so. Although the Steelers haven't been a consistent powerhouse in the AFC, he has remained one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the NFL.
Despite legal trouble early in his career, Ben Roethlisberger has had a fruitful career. He's earned over $230 million from his NFL contracts and happens to have a net worth of $100 million. One thing you may not know about Ben is his background in real estate. He purchased several homes and flipped them years later and either broke even or made a profit. In addition, he has his own line of barbeque sauce called Big Ben's BBQ.
NFL players with highest 2022 net worth: #3 & #2
#3 - QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
You would expect a three-time NFL MVP winner like Aaron Rodgers to make the list.
Rodgers has been with the Green Bay Packers since 2005 and won a Super Bowl and went to 10 Pro Bowls. He's established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, ranking third on the NFL's all-time regular-season career passing rating list and 10th in career passing yards. While Rodgers has been a top quarterback for several decades, he's also created a good niche for himself as a television personality.
One of Aaron Rodgers' most well-known endorsements is with State Farm Insurance. He's heavily featured in their commercials, even naming his celebration dance the "Discount Double Check." He's been a spokesperson for Pizza Hut, several local businesses in Wisconsin, and has made cameos in shows like "The Office" and "Game of Thrones". He's also been featured as a guest host for "Jeopardy."
Overall, Aaron Rodgers has a net worth of around $125 million. He will have earned $315 million in the NFL if he finishes out his current contract, which ends in 2023. On top of his more famous endeavors, Rodgers has had deals with Adidas, Sharpie, IZOD, and Bergstrom Automotive. Since 2018, he's also been a minority owner of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks.
#2 - QB Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson hasn't been in the NFL nearly as long as these other players but has earned himself a nice nest egg.
He's only been in the NFL since 2012 but has already won a Super Bowl, played in two total, been to eight Pro Bowls, and owns 23 Seattle Seahawks franchise records. 2021 was his first season since 2012 with a losing season, but has never missed a single game in his career and has 102 wins in 156 games.
Wilson was drafted into the NFL once, but drafted into the MLB twice. The Baltimore Orioles drafted him out of high school in the 41st pick and the Colorado Rockies drafted him in the fourth round in 2010. After playing minor league baseball prior to the NFL, Wilson was traded to the New York Yankees from the Texas Rangers and made his first MLB appearance in 2018 as a pinch-hitter for Aaron Judge.
Off the field, Russell Wilson keeps cooking. He has had a slew of advertising deals, ranging from Levi's, Pepsi, Nike, Duracell, United Way, and Microsoft. He's a part-owner of a European bread company called Eat the Ball, co-founded a clothing line called Good Man Brand, and opened the first Juice Press franchise in Seattle.
Wilson became a partner in an investment group that helped bring along the NHL's Seattle Krakken. He is also working on bringing an MLB team to Portland, Oregon. If that wasn't enough, he is also part of an ownership group for the MLS;s Seattle Sounders FC.
From the NFL alone, Russell Wilson has earned over $180 million and has many years ahead of him. His net worth is estimated at $140 million, including having the richest contract in the NFL.
The NFL player with the highest 2022 net worth
#1 QB Tom Brady - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
No one should be surprised that Tom Brady has the highest net worth among active players, especially since he's been playing the longest.
Seven Super Bowl wins, ten Super Bowl appearances, three NFL MVPs, 15 Pro Bowls, and zero losing seasons in 21 years as a starter. Tom Brady has done everything there is to do in the NFL and then some, except when he eventually becomes a first-ballot Hall of Fame player.
Tom Brady holds almost every passing record in the NFL and has over 100 total records to his name. He's earned over $280 million in the NFL, which is surprisingly low for Brady. However, he has a net worth of more than $250 million. He bought a $30 million mansion that he eventually sold for $50 million to Dr. Dre himself.
Brady has earned over $150 million from all of his endorsements over the years: Stetson cologne, Uggs, Under Armour, Movado, Aston Martin, and his own company, TB12.
A net worth of $250 million is nice, until you realize his wife Gisele Bundchen has a $400 million fortune.
