25 Richest Quarterbacks in NFL History

The National Football League (NFL) is the epitome of a high-growth industry, with each new year presenting a new crop of eye-popping contracts. Quarterbacks are the highest-paid athletes in the NFL, and the savviest signal callers supplement their annual salaries with off-field endorsement deals and entrepreneurial ventures. These well-paid quarterbacks have paired hard work, natural talent, and business acumen to become generationally wealthy.

1. Roger Staubach

Former NFL players look at the league's financial explosion and wish they could have played in the lucrative modern era. However, Dallas Cowboys legend Roger Staubach does not have to wonder, “What if I could have gotten rich as a quarterback playing in the 2020s?” Though Roger the Dodger made only $25,000 in salary as a 27-year-old rookie in 1969, he is worth a reported $600 million thanks to his commercial real estate empire, The Staubach Company.

2. Tom Brady

Being the most recognizable, winningest quarterback in the most popular American athletic league pays. Though Tom Brady has a reported net worth of $300 million, we should continue to see that figure grow without limit. In addition to $450 million in earnings over a 23-year playing career, Brady has signed a ten-year, $375 million broadcasting contract with Fox Sports (he'll be on your TV in 2024 whether you like it or not) in addition to advertising deals and his TB12 fitness brand.

3. Fran Tarkenton

Diminutive signal caller Fran Tarkenton made the Pro Bowl nine times while earning one Most Valuable Player award. Frantic Fran's post-NFL career has been just as busy as he has amassed a net worth of $300 million after starting a computer software company at 25. Tarkenton was also a diligent speaker, earning nearly $1 million per year in the 1990s, giving talks on the corporate sales circuit. 

Tarkenton also values his shares of Apple at about $100 million. Undoubtedly, The Mad Scrambler is one of the most entrepreneurial men ever to play quarterback in the NFL. 

4. Peyton Manning

The wealthiest of the Manning family, Peyton has a reported net worth of $250 million. Always one of the highest-paid quarterbacks of his era, Peyton supplemented his salary by purchasing Papa John's franchises, signing an endless slew of endorsement deals, and becoming an on-air talent for ESPN after retiring. 

There was one deal Peyton never delivered on, though. Omaha Steaks reportedly considered offering Manning an agreement to change his famous “Omaha” audible to “Omaha Steaks,” though the pact never materialized. Let's chalk it up to a raw deal.

5. Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers has a reported net worth of $200 million, and his playing days appear far from over. Earning over $37 million annually, Rodgers has taken a pay cut that allows his team to spend money on teammates while remaining below the salary cap. In addition to endorsements with State Farm, Rodgers co-founded RX3 Growth Partners, an investment fund that pairs with athletes and celebrities as advisors and business partners.

Don't be surprised if Rodgers reaches the higher echelons of this list during his golden years.

6. Steve Young

Steve Young was always considered a brainiac by NFL standards, having earned his law degree in 1994. Only $50 million of Young's career earnings factor into his net worth, as Young's trade in finance has accounted for much of his wealth. Young serves as Partner, Chairman, and Co-founder of Huntsman Gay Global Capital, a private equity firm managing nearly $7 billion in capital. 

7. Russell Wilson

Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who will at some point be a former Denver Broncos quarterback, has signed contracts of $87.6 million, $140 million, and more than $242 million (with some overlap between the latter two). Wilson has also been one of the most marketable quarterbacks of his era, earning about $13 million per year from endorsement deals.

Wilson's wife Ciara brings an estimated $30-$40 million net worth to the union. Caviar for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is a feasible possibility in the Wilson household. 

8. Drew Brees

During his highest-earning years in the NFL, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees earned just shy of $50 million annually. One of the most cerebral athletes of his generation, Brees parlayed his salary into ownership of Dunkin', Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux, and Jimmy John's franchises. Brees has prioritized authenticity as he expands his franchise empire. Ever a team player, Brees has leaned on fellow franchise owners as he develops more and more relationships with new brands. 

9. Eli Manning

The Manning name carries weight with NFL franchises and endorsement partners alike. Though Eli has not earned quite as much as his big brother Peyton, little bro, he has a reported net worth of $160 million. In addition to considerable career earnings, the younger Manning joined a venture capital firm in 2022 and earns between $12 million and $18 million per season to cover about one game per week for ESPN.

10. Joe Montana

Joe Montana's net worth could be mistaken for the net worth of the state of Montana. While Montana is a member of the NFL Quarterback Mount Rushmore, his post-playing financial decisions have earned him a nine-figure net worth. Montana has co-founded multiple investment funds, and one of those funds invested heavily in a company that earned a $10 billion valuation in 2021. Hence, the nine-figure net worth. 

11. John Elway

NFL Hall of Famer John Elway became a legend by leading the Denver Broncos to two Super Bowl victories. However, his role as the Elway Capital asset management owner has garnered significant income after his playing days. Additionally, Elway has earned several million dollars annually in an executive role with the Broncos.

12. Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger was no stranger to off-field controversy, so he was never the most marketable quarterback of his generation. However, Big Ben's later career turn as a family man did net him endorsement deals with Nike and Sprint. Being a top-tier performer occupying one of the highest-paid positions in sports, Roethlisberger racked up over $267 million in career earnings. By excelling in the modern era, where large contracts for quarterbacks were the norm, he landed a spot on this list with a net worth of $100 million.

13. Brett Favre

Another quarterback who has been embroiled in controversy several times throughout his career, Brett Favre nevertheless earned more than $141 million over 20 seasons in the NFL. Favre's net worth might be even higher than an estimated $100 million if it weren't for several questionable investment decisions.

14. Carson Palmer

Former Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders, and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer had a fringe Hall of Fame-worthy career, which amounts to a net worth of $90 million. Never the most recognizable quarterback among the general public, Palmer nevertheless has earned more than $174 million over 15 NFL seasons.

15. Joe Flacco

The Baltimore Ravens' Joe Flacco was long a polarizing quarterback, with fans split on whether he was genuinely elite or just above average. Winning Super Bowl MVP in 2013 ensured Flacco would receive a massive contract extension and take home more than $174 million in career earnings. An improbable late-career resurgence with the Cleveland Browns indicates that Flacco will continue to build his estimated $85 million net worth into the nine-figure range.

16. Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford, the number one overall draft pick in the 2009 NFL Draft out of the University of Georgia, has amassed 15 stellar seasons (and counting) as of 2023. After signing a four-year, $160 million contract extension in 2022, Stafford's career earnings are set to top $422 million once the pact expires.

We are not sure how various sites are calculating his net worth of $85 million, but we suspect that Stafford will rank higher on this list in the future.

17. Philip Rivers

Longevity and stellar play are to thank for Philip Rivers' net worth of about $100 million. The side-armed gunslinger earned shy of $244 million across 16 seasons with the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers and the Indianapolis Colts. If you're seeking any reasons why the likely Hall of Famer's net worth is not higher, you can look to his ten kids, whom the devoutly Catholic Philip loves dearly and will gladly pay to raise.

18. Alex Smith

Former number one overall pick Alex Smith had a respectable (but not spectacular) career with the San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Washington Redskins. A gruesome lower-leg injury forced Smith into premature retirement, but not before he amassed a reported net worth of $95 million. Smith's fledgling TV career seems promising, so expect his net worth to grow. 

19. Cam Newton

The quarterback who branded himself Superman (always one for humility), Cam Newton, parlayed otherworldly natural talent into a reported $75 million net worth. A former MVP who imposed a reign of terror on defensive coordinators with a rare combination of arm and leg talent, Newton earned more than $68 million across ten NFL seasons.

Now retired, Newton is a fledgling (but increasingly popular) entertainer who hosts the Funky Friday podcast. 

20. Sam Bradford

If you're looking for the outlier on this list, you've found him. Neither a superstar on the field nor a recognizable media personality off it, Sam Bradford was the beneficiary of a few general managers' questionable financial decisions. The first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft (when top-ten draft picks still received CEO-level salaries), the injury-prone Bradford would sign several more lucrative contracts before retiring with an estimated net worth of $70 million.

A little-known fact is that Bradford is a member of the Cherokee Nation and has been inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame.

21. Tony Romo

With a reported net worth of $70 million, Tony Romo is another candidate to move up this list (unless the modern crop of quarterbacks leapfrogs him). Romo made more than $127 million as the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, and he receives an additional $17 million per year to call football games for CBS.

Though Romo has proven polarizing as a color commentator, there's debate over whether he's rich.

22. Matt Ryan

Another quarterback who was drafted high and had a long, lucrative career, Matt Ryan, made more than $306 million in career earnings. Though sites peg his net worth at $70 million, we suspect Ryan (a Boston College graduate) has handled his money well and may be worth far more than that figure. Additionally, Ryan is now working for CBS, and several sources report he's making substantially more than $10 million per year (Tony Romo money) in his television role.

23. Kirk Cousins

With $231 million in career earnings and counting, Kirk Cousins has completed a masterclass in monetizing slight-above-average quarterbacking abilities. Cousins has also become a more engaged pitchman in his later years, perhaps accumulating name recognition after over a decade in the league. Captain Kirk will be a prime candidate for a post-career role in television, as articulate, fresh-faced former quarterbacks often are.

With a reported net worth of $70 million, that figure will only rise when Cousins signs his next high-dollar contract.

24. Troy Aikman

If you want to know how NFL contracts have inflated in the modern era, just know that multi-Super Bowl-winning superstar Troy Aikman's net worth is reportedly $65 million. Compare that to the higher net worths of modern-day quarterbacks like Sam Bradford and Kirk Cousins, and it's easy to see why NFL athletes who played in the 80s, 90s, and previous eras might be bitter.

25. Dan Marino

The man who made Isotoner gloves a must-have winter accessory never won a Super Bowl, but he did compile a first-ballot Hall of Fame career. Marino is considered to be the best quarterback to never get a ring, but he has a reported net worth of $50 million with which to dry his tears.