The Richest NFL Quarterbacks of All Time
NFL teams don't like to spend big bucks on players — unless it's a quarterback. As the league has become a passing league, quarterback salaries have skyrocketed, resulting in a nine-figure net worth for some of the NFL's best signal callers.
Over time, a mix of talent, longevity, and business ventures have made these quarterbacks incredibly wealthy men. Check out the wealthiest NFL quarterbacks in history here!
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints, $160 Million
Not bad for a guy who wasn't wanted in San Diego. Brees left the Chargers after the 2005 season and signed with New Orleans, turning a historically moribund franchise into one of the NFL's best and winning a Super Bowl in 2009. Brees retired in 2021 and moved to NBC, setting him up to keep the money rolling in for the next few decades.
Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers, $200 Million
Young's first contract supposedly set him up for life, paying him $40 million for four years in 1984. Unfortunately, it was a USFL contract and an annuity, and when that league collapsed, Young had to cash out with just $5 million. Fortunately, Young did plenty in both his NFL career and as a broadcaster to more than make up for it, earning more than five times his original deal. Young also founded an equity firm in 2007, so he should be in great shape moving forward.
Tom Brady, New England Patriots, $250 Million
Taking team-friendly deals didn't hurt Brady, who collected over a quarter of a billion dollars during his 22-year career. Founding his TB12 brand proved another savvy business decision, as he should easily keep earning high salaries during his newfound retirement from football. Winning seven Super Bowl titles apparently comes with quite a nice paycheck.
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts, $250 Million
Younger brother Eli might have been paid more when they were players, but Peyton's many endorsements mean he's the leader in his family. During the end of his career, Manning's talent and personality made him an ideal pitchman for several companies, and even after the end of his career, he's still appearing in commercials, such as a recent one for Pepsi. Eli isn't doing too bad himself; the younger Manning brother has a net worth of $150 million.
Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys, $600 Million
If you invest your money well, it doesn't matter what salaries were like when you played. Staubach never earned more than $160,000 a year with the Cowboys, but that low salary proved a blessing in disguise. Because he didn't earn millions as a player, he started a real estate company in the 1970s. He played off his good name in Dallas to earn wealth after retirement and eventually sold his company for $613 million in 2008. That might be the most lucrative pass of his life.