Alex Rodriguez
Well, he might not be creating noises for his home runs these past years, but he’s been making the headlines after scoring one of the most beautiful ladies in the world — Jennifer Lopez. In case you’re out of the loop and A-Rod is quite unfamiliar, he is a former professional baseball player, specifically for the New York Yankees, where he played from 2004 until 2017, his retirement year.According to Celebrity Net Worth, during his active years in the league, he had earned nearly $475 million from endorsement deals and bonuses.
Since he stopped pitching, Rodriguez turned into a media personality, appearing on Fox Sports 1, became a member of ABC News, and participated in Shark Tank. However, his investments in real estate management and development companies have been the reasons why he’s still raking millions of dollars nowadays. Yes, we will not forget the $1 million engagement ring he gave to JLo. As of 2020, his net worth has stood firm at $350 million.
Allen Iverson
It’s quite a career for the former NBA player, Allen Iverson. After a brief time at Georgetown University, he was immediately drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996. Due to his innate talents and undeniable skills, he was greatly considered by many as one of the best point guards in history and also became an 11-time NBA all-star. For more than a decade of playing, Iverson earned more than $200 million.
Since his retirement in 2013, it’s been a rough ride for the legend. With his unlawful spending, like treating his friends and families and paying his lawyer for his legal battles, his 2020 net worth plummeted to just a mere million dollars. Aside from separating from his wife and possession of illegal substances, he’s also called after the court for his $860,000 jewelry debt. Thankfully, he’s able to crack a deal with Reebok in 2001, wherein it will pay him $800,000 annually for life, apart from the trust fund amounting to $32 million that he could only access in 2030 when he’s 55 years old.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Aside from being an American driver at the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is also an author, media personality, and analyst for the coverage of NBC. Racing runs in the blood, as his senior was also a legend in the field, winning a record of seven wins, the most in the history of the NASCAR Cup Series.In 2017, Earnhardt Jr. announced his retirement with total earnings of $410 million but eventually returned to race for another season in 2019.
As of 2020, he had a whopping net worth of $300 million, which he accumulated from racing and endorsement deals with numerous brands, including Kraft, EA Sports, and Wrangler. It looks like he wouldn’t be applying for bankruptcy during this lifetime. Apart from maneuvering the steering wheel, he entered media production and founded Hammerhead Entertainment. He also has a car dealership, eyeglass frames line, and made investments in putting up a chain of restaurants.
David Beckham
As we all probably know, David Beckham was a soccer player who was born in London. He’s been married to Spice Girls member Victoria and shares four children together. At 17, he already played professionally for Manchester United, then he was traded several times and won numerous championships from different teams he played with. Beckham broke the news of his retirement from the sports in 2013.After the inevitable announcement, his endorsement partners, including Adidas, Coty, and H&M, still continue to work with him.Although it might not be obvious, Beckham has a soft spot for philanthropic works. He’s been a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF since 2005 and has done commendable jobs. Since he had a lighter schedule, he used his free time to establish Beckham Holdings, which includes a TV production company, a franchise of soccer in Miami, and his wife’s fashion brand. With a combined net worth amounting to $450 million, it’s no surprise that David and Victoria usually purchase properties without loans or mortgages.
Deion Sanders
Sanders has his ways to bring in the millions into his bank accounts even after his retirement in 2004. Just in case you don’t fancy sports, specifically football and baseball, Sanders is the only athlete in history to play in both the NFL’s Super Bowl, winning twice and the Major League Baseball’s World Series. By playing in two separate sports, he earned a little to $60 million, which is equivalent to $93 million if adjusted for inflation.Since retiring, he worked in different media networks and found fame in pop culture. ESPN reported that Deion earned $1 million per season for his appearance on NFL Today and his stint lasted for two seasons. He and his family also starred in Oxygen’s reality show, Deion & Pilar: Prime Time Love, while he competed against Justin Bieber on Lip Sync Battle. Sanders was also commended for breaking toxic masculinity barriers as he made investments for his facial features by undergoing Botox. Well, it paid off as he still has an impressive $45 million net worth.
Derek Jeter
He is a former professional baseball player who was born in Pequannock Township, New Jersey. Derek Jeter’s two-decade career was spent playing for the New York Yankees. Among his stats are five World Series championships and 14 All-Star selections, which is why we aren’t surprised that he immediately became a part of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Derek earned $265 million in baseball alone, while another $150 million from endorsement deals. He retired in 2014, but he’s been making the banks after becoming the Chief Executive Officer of the Miami Marlins. Of course, with his whopping net worth of $200 million, he didn’t forget to share a portion of his fortune to various causes such as donating $3.2 million to the Kalamazoo Public School District and giving out household items and furniture to the victims of Hurricane Irma in 2018. He also had TV credits after he appeared on SNL and the hit sitcom Seinfeld.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson
Millennials and Generation Z might recognize Dwayne as the actor in Fast and Furious and the voice of Maui in the Disney animated film Moana, but before The Rock became the highest-paid actor, he was a full-time wrestler in the World Wrestling Federation.
Back in 2012, Johnson and ex-wife Dany Garcia established Seven Bucks Productions, a company responsible for his various endeavors like movie marketing, script screening, and even the one that manages his social media platforms, including YouTube and Instagram.
In addition, Seven Buck produced Shazam! and has earned production credits for The Rock’s films like Baywatch, Jumanji, and Skyscraper. In his interview on Live With Kelly & Ryan, he mentioned that he is “quietly retired” from wrestling. Who would blame him? In 2018 and 2019, Forbes named him as the highest-paid actor in the world, earning $124 million and $89.4 million. Apart from working on the big screen, he’s proud to have a gear and T-shirt line with Under Armour. This year 2020, Johnson’s fortune is $400 million.
Dwyane Wade
Even if you are not a fan of basketball, you certainly know who Dwyane Wade is. He had three NBA championships, 13-time NBA All-Star, and spent most of his career with Miami Heat. Although he retired his jersey number 3, his legacy still lives, and he has been scoring millions of dollars even if he’s not dribbling the ball.
In 2012, Wade signed a lifetime deal with apparel company Li-Ning, which reportedly will give him millions of dollars annually. Aside from this, he made a partnership with Spades Royale, an online game, while he has a line of activewear with the company Mission. He knows how to assist, so he applied it in business by adding a new investment — pizza restaurant, named 800° Woodfired Kitchen, which now has multiple locations in the US, Dubai, and Japan, to enumerate a few. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Wade has a fortune of $170 million.
George Foreman
He is a retired boxer who found success in an unusual product, a fat-reducing grill. Before that, George Foreman earned a gold medal in the 1968 Summer Olympics for the heavyweight division. The next year he made an unbelievable record after defeating thirteen opponents, with 11 of them being a knockout win. In 1977, he announced his retirement from boxing but came back after 20 years.
Salton Inc. approached George in 1994, to be its spokesperson and it turned out amazing as the George Foreman Grill sold more than 100 million units by 2009. It’s uncertain how much he was able to earn from endorsing the grill, but according to Celebrity Net Worth, the company gave Foreman a check in 1999 for $138 million just to use his name. In “a conversation” he had with AARP, the former boxer boasts that there were months where he received $8 million for his venture. As of 2020, he might not need cash loans as his net worth is amounting to $300 million.
Grant Hill
He is a retired NBA player and considered one of the highest-paid in history. Scoring a basket alone gave him $140 million and another $120 million from his chain of endorsements. Currently, his reported net worth is $250 million, and it looks like he’s not done making the banks.After his retirement in 2013, Hill entered sports broadcasting by hosting in NBA TV’s NBA Inside Stuff, while he landed a sportscasting job at CBS.
In 2015, in joint coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, he became an announcer for the aforementioned channel and Turner Sports. The same year, he and the group led by Tony Ressler made investments in purchasing the Atlanta Hawks for $850 million. Aside from his seven-year contract, he also inked a lifetime deal with Fila in 2018 just to endorse the brand, which in turn, will give him more than $10 million annually.
Jim Brown
Among the greatest NFL players in history is Jim Brown. The Sporting News named him the greatest professional football player ever. Brown won the AP NFL Most Valuable Player thrice in his career, an NFL Championship, shattered rushing records, and is widely considered as one of the greatest running backs of all time. He played for Syracuse University, where he was an all-around player for the Syracuse University Orangemen football team. While playing for the university, he earned unanimous All-America honors. Apart from football, Brown also excelled in track and field, lacrosse, and basketball.
During the 1957 NFL Draft, Brown was picked by the Cleveland Browns, being the sixth overall selection. With the 237-yard dash he had in his ninth game with the team, Brown set an NFL single-game record which was unsurpassed for 14 years, and later set a rookie record unrivaled for 40 years. With the extraordinary feats in his career, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of professional and college football in 1971 and 1995, respectively. The football legend went on to have a successful career as an actor. Brown had achieved a degree of exceptional accomplishment in his professional basketball career.
Joe Montana
The first football player to have ever been named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player thrice, Joe Montana was inducted in 2000 into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He won the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award in 1986. He was also named by the Sports Illustrated magazine as the Sportsman of the Year in 1990 and NFL Most Valuable Player by the Associated Press twice in 1989 and 1990. His nicknames were “the Comeback Kid” and “Joe Cool.”
Montana’s football career started when he was playing for Notre Dame in college. After he graduated with a degree in business administration and marketing, Montana was chosen by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1979 NFL Draft and was the fourth quarterback drafted to the team. Since then, Montana’s football career soared to greater heights. Though in 1995, Montana retired from the sport. Years after, he joined a venture capital fund firm founded by a former San Francisco 49ers teammate.
Junior Bridgeman
Former NBA player Junior Bridgeman played for Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers during his basketball career. He won the MVC Player of the Year Award twice and Coach Wooden “Keys to Life” Award. During his high school years, Bridgeman played for the Washington High School Senators Basketball Team, which was undefeated, eventually winning the Indiana State High School Championship. After graduating, he attended the University of Louisville and played under coach Denny Crum. He led the Louisville Cardinals to the 1974 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament in his Junior and Senior years.
In the 1975 NBA Draft, Bridgeman was traded in the first-round pick by the Los Angeles Lakers. Eventually, he got traded to the Milwaukee Bucks along with three other players for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Walt Wesley. After playing for nine seasons with the team, Bridgeman was traded to the Clippers with two other players in exchange for three new players. He played for two years for the team and subsequently returned to Milwaukee Bucks for one season before retiring in 1987. With the investment money he got from his basketball career, Bridgeman went on to own several Wendy’s franchises and continues to grow his current net worth of $600 million!
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Among the 50 greatest players in the NBA’s history, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had an exceptional career in sports. In his playing years as a Center, Kareem won six NBA Most Valuable Player Awards and NBA Championships, among many others. When he was playing for a high school team in New York City and winning 71 consecutive basketball games, he was recruited by Jerry Norman, assistant coach of UCLA. Since then, he played for coach John Wooden on three consecutive national championship teams and became a three-time Most Valuable Player of the NCAA.
Kareem began his NBA career in 1969 with the Milwaukee Bucks, leading the team to their first championship game in 1971. He played for six seasons with the team before he got traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975. From then on, he had established a successful career, full of accolades and recognitions—credit to his outstanding basketball prowess. After his retirement in 1989, worked with the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks. He also served as an assistant coach for the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation basketball team in Arizona.
Magic Johnson
Widely acclaimed as one of the best point guards of all time, Magic Johnson is among the 50 greatest players in NBA history as he won the Most Valuable Player Award thrice. He was also a member of the 1992 Olympic’s basketball team of the United States, famously referred to as “The Dream Team,” along with other skilled NBA players. Two years after playing for Michigan State and winning the national championship, defeating Larry Bird’s Indiana State, Johnson joined the 1979 NBA Draft and was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers.
During his rookie years with the Los Angeles Lakers, he led the team to championships and Finals Most Valuable Player Award in the 1980s. In 1996, after playing for many years and accomplishing substantial feats in the league, he retired. In 2002, Johnson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame for his individual career, and another in 2010 as a member of the “Dream Team. Years after his retirement, Johnson became an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, philanthropist, and broadcaster— credit to his exceptional career.
Michael Jordan
Famously known for his number 23 in his Chicago Bulls jersey, Michael Jordan is widely regarded by many as the greatest player of all time. He managed to win 6 NBA championships and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, 5 NBA Most Valuable Player, 3 NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, and named Defensive Player of the Year—among many other awards and recognitions. In his sophomore year, Jordan was deemed too short to play for the team in his school, Emsley A. Laney High School in Wilmington, Delaware. Devastated by the feedback of the coach, he went on to put in the work, training hard during the summer that year.
Eventually, he grew taller and better. Eventually, he got into the varsity roster and went on to average 25 points per game.In the 1982 NCAA Championship game against Georgetown, Jordan made the iconic game-winning jump shot. Later on, the GOAT described it as the major turning point in his basketball career. Since then, Jordan made a historic career in the NBA—credit to his gravity-defying acrobatic shots. After his retirement, “His Airness” ventured into business deals and continues to reap enormous financial gains.
Michael Strahan
In the National Football League, Michael Strahan played for the New York Giants in his 15-year career, helping the team win the 2007 Super Bowl XLVII over New England Patriots. After almost a decade since his first professional game, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Strahan started playing football in his high school years in Westbury High School for one season.
He was then offered a scholarship at Texas Southern University. While attending Texas Southern University in his senior season, he began to turn himself into an NFL prospect. He was then drafted by the New York Giants in the 1993 NFL Draft and went on to establish himself in the NFL as one of the best in the defensive end—credit to his gigantic size and skills. After he retired from the NFL, Strahan became a television personality and journalist.
Pele
Labeled by FIFA as “the greatest,” Pele is among the most successful and influential figures of all time. He was voted by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) as the World Player of the Century. Additionally, he was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee and was included in Time magazine’s 100 most important people of the 20th-century list.Pele learned the sport through the teachings of his father.
Since the status of their livelihood was hard at the time, he only got to play with a sock stuffed with a newspaper that would serve as a ball. In his youth, Pele played for several amateur teams. He led Bauru Athletic Club juniors into two Sao Paulo state youth championships. Pele also played futsal (indoor football) which he gave credit to for his fast reflexes. In 1956, he began his professional career in football, signing a contract with Santos FC. After he retired, he became a worldwide ambassador for football and made several commercials and acting ventures.
Peyton Manning
Recognized as among the greatest quarterbacks of all time, Peyton Manning helped the Indianapolis Colts win a championship title in Super Bowl XL, the franchise’s first in over three decades, for which he was named Super Bowl MVP.In his high school years, Manning attended the Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, Louisiana. While playing for the school, he led the Greenies football team to a 34-5 record during his three seasons as the starter. In 1993, he was awarded the Gatorade Circle of Champions National Player of the Year and Columbus (Ohio) Touchdown Club National Offensive Player of the Year.
After graduating, he attended the University of Tennessee Volunteers and played under Coach Philip Fulmer. In the 1998 NFL Draft, Manning was the first overall pick of the Indianapolis Colts—credit to his astonishing talent. Since then, Manning had established a phenomenal career in American football, winning championships, awards, and recognitions. Manning officially retired in 2016. Following his retirement from the sport, he went on to make commercials and stayed active in sports, just not football.
Rob Gronkowski
The former Patriots Tight End Rob Gronkowski, or Gronk, had hung his cleats and called it quits last March 2019. After sustaining many physical and mental football-related injuries, it was a wise decision for him to make. It gave him a much needed time to rest and spend his time with his family. During this time, Gronk and his brothers have started various businesses like the Gronk Nation clothing line, fitness products, and the famous Ice Shaker brand that appeared in Shark Tank.
Coming from a family of athletes, Gronk couldn’t stay away from the thrill and joy that sports brings him. He had a short stint with WWE and even won the 24/7 Championship belt. His retirement didn’t last long though. When the 2020 football season started, he was recruited by his former quarterback, Tom Brady, and joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which led to him winning another Super Bowl. Gronk doing things that he’s interested in is a great insurance plan to continue raking in money.
Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal, or Shaq, is a sports analyst, DJ, and former professional basketball player. He moved from team to team within his 19-year career, but he has amassed many awards and accolades, including being a four-time NBA champion and a three-time NBA Finals MVP. Aside from his basketball career, he also valued education. He went back to college and finished with a B.A. in general studies. He also acquired an MBA degree and an education doctorate in Human Resource Development.
With the help of his educational background, Shaq made wise investment decisions and business deals. He invested in Google early on and had an equity stake in a home security system that was bought by Amazon for around $1 billion. He also tours around the world as DIESEL and produces electronic music. Shaq is also a full-time sports commentator in TNT’s Inside the NBA.
Tony Hawk
Flooring material doesn’t matter to Tony Hawk since he’s always riding his skateboard anyway. Even after two decades of retirement, you’d still be thinking of Tony when it comes to skateboarding. That’s how big and important he is to the sport. Before retiring, he founded his own brand of skateboards under Birdhouse Skateboards, which is still operating today. He’s also the president of Tony Hawk, Inc., the main managing body of his enterprises, including his Tony Hawk video games, merch, endorsements, events, and everything else in between.
Since his retirement, Tony has appeared and guest-starred in many events and shows. He has played as himself in cartoons, helped teach kids in Sesame Street, and even sang for the US version of the Masked Singer as the Elephant. According to a report by Forbes, his annual income from his businesses alone, excluding his media appearances, is around $12 million.
Vinnie Johnson
Vincent “Vinnie” Johnson didn’t need any cash loans when he retired. He was a prevalent name in the National Basketball Association throughout the time he was playing, especially when he was the sixth man for the Detroit Pistons. Vinnie was a critical factor that helped propel the Pistons to a back-to-back NBA championship in 1989 and 1990, especially when he made a buzzer-beater against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 5 in the latter year.
He was given the nickname “The Microwave” by a fellow player, Danny Ainge, for his ability to rack up points and “heat up” the team’s offense whenever he was on the court.When Vinnie retired from the league, he shifted his focus from basketball to cars and established the Piston Automotive, and eventually, the Piston Group of companies, paying homage to his previous team. The company found major success in supplying to major automotive companies like General Motors and the Ford Motor Company.