Richest NFL Players of All Time

Professional football players may not be paid quite as much as some of their professional sporting counterparts but they're still making tremendous money compared to the average American. Some players, of course, make much more than others. And then there are some who make a truly obscene amount of dough, the kind of generational wealth that they could never hope to spend in one lifetime.

It will not shock you to learn that many players take the money they made during their time in the NFL and turn it into even more money. The American dream, baby. What follows is a list of the richest NFL players of all time based on net worth. As any decent blogger knows, it's hard to get a handle on the exact net worth of any given person, but we gave it our best shot using Techopedia as a source.

Here are the richest NFL players of all time.

10. Russell Wilson (Net Worth: $165 Million)

Per Spotrac, Wilson has made about $266 million in contract earnings over the course of his 10-year career. And there's plenty of time to raise that number, and his net worth, before he hangs up the cleats. Being married to Ciara probably helps that net worth number too.

9. Eli Manning (Net Worth: $170 Million)

The first of two Manning brothers to appear on this list, Eli made less than Wilson over the course of his career (about $255 million) but has a higher net worth as a retired player featured on properties like the ManningCast. Which surely is worth a $10 million or so boost in the net worth department. Right?

8. Aaron Rodgers (Net Worth: $200 Million)

Everyone's favorite anti-traditional medicine quarterback is also the eighth-richest football player in history. How Rodgers chooses to spend his money after retirement will be fascinating in regards to this list and how quickly he will move up (or off) it.

7. Steve Young (Net Worth: $200 Million)

Young has one of the lowest career earnings mark of anybody on this list, checking in at a cool $50 million. Which was a lot for when he played but is now the annual salary of Joe Burrow. He made wise use of his money after his playing days, though. Young co-founded a private equity firm in 2007 and is currently the chairman of an insurtech company.

6. John Madden (Net Worth: $200 Million)

The man, the myth, the legend. Madden's post-playing career was so lucrative that it's easy to forget he was technically an NFL player for a hot second. Madden was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1959 but hurt his knee in training camp before he ever played a regular-season snap. Things worked out anyway for Madden, obviously.

5. Peyton Manning (Net Worth: $250 Million)

This Manning brother has the closest ratio of career earnings ($248 million) to net worth. Peyton made a bunch of money on and off the field and isn't planning on stopping soon. He has a partnership with ESPN through his company, Omaha Productions, and his star is only beginning to rise in the media realm. He should be rising up this list quickly in the coming years.

4. Fran Tarkenton (Net Worth: $300 Million)

Our first surprise name on the list! Tarkenton made "only" $8 million in his career (great money back in the 60s and 70s) but his off-field investments sent his net worth soaring. Advised by the founder of IMG, Tarkenton was huge in the computer software market before it was big and now owns his own marketing firm.

3. Tom Brady (Net Worth: $300 Million)

Here's a guy you were expecting to see. Brady is the best quarterback of all-time and was paid like one the last few years of his career. If he was paid at or above market value like he should've during his time with the New England Patriots he would be worth even more. As it stands he ranks only third on this list.

2. Roger Staubach (Net Worth: $600 Million)

Checking in at No. 2 is Super Bowl champion Roger Staubach, who is worth well over half a billion dollars. How can that be the case when Staubach's career NFL earnings totaled less than half a million dollars? Well, Staubach moonlighted as a real estate agent during his offseasons. He founded his own company and sold it for over $600 million in 2008. Talk about getting out at the right time.

Based on the list so far I'm sure you know there are some surprises here. But you'll never guess who tops it.

Who is the Richest NFL Player of All Time?

1. Jerry Richardson (Net Worth: $2 BillIon)

That's right. Jerry Richardson, former owner of the Carolina Panthers, was a professional football player early in his life and thus qualifies for this list. A fun fact that most non-Panthers fans are learning for the first time right now. Richardson played wide receiver for the Baltimore Colts and won Rookie of the Year in 1959. He used the money won from the team's championship victory that year to open the first Hardee's restaurant. The rest, as they say, was history. Hardee's became a national chain and Richardson re-entered the NFL sphere by buying the Panthers in 1995.

Thus, he earned the title of the richest NFL player ever and it will be a long time before anybody will be able to top him.