Professional football players can earn quite a good amount of money even if they are second-string and chances are they earn more than most lawyers do. If they are a star player, they can definitely rake in cash. Still, a lot of NFL players end up losing everything and going bankrupt after they retire. It is either they spend all their money on mansions and fast cars or lose it in bad (and at times, illegal) business investments. Keep reading to learn about NFL players who had earned millions of dollars while they were still playing pro football, but ended up with nothing after they retired.
NFL Players Who Ended Up Totally Broke
Tiki Barber
Tiki Barber overcame a lot of obstacles in his life and eventually became a top Giants running back. He was really good at playing football, so he earned a significant amount of money when he played in the NFL. After he retired, he landed a job as a sports analyst at NBC, where he was definitely making a solid living. During that time, however, he left his wife and married an intern with whom he had an affair with. This move ended up costing him his job with NBC due to a morality clause that was in his contract.
Tiki Barber
Raghib Ismail
Another NFL player that lost it all is Raghib “Rocket” Ismail, who played for two years in the Canadian football league before going on to play for various teams in the NFL for another ten years. Throughout his career, he earned around $20 million according to estimates. When he retired, he decided he wanted to try his hand at business. Ismail made a lot of various investments after his career in the NFL, but most of them turned out to be poor investments and caused him to lose almost all of his earnings.
Raghib Ismail
Mark Brunell
Former quarterback Mark Brunell had a successful NFL career, and he reportedly made approximately $50 million from his salary and contracts alone. However, things would prove to be really difficult for Mark Brunell after his retirement from pro football. Burnell poured a large amount of his fortune into investments in real estate in Michigan and the fast-food chain “Whataburger.” Both were poor investments and he had to file for bankruptcy in 2010.
Mark Brunell
Luther Elliss
Luther Elliss was a defensive tackle for the Denver Broncos and Detroit and is another former NFL star who lost almost his entire fortune. After a long career in professional football, Ellis went on to become an investor in different businesses. However, after a string of bad investments, he lost all his money. In only six years after he retired, he went from having millions to filing for bankruptcy.
Luther Elliss
Travis Henry
It is pretty much an understatement to say that Travis Henry faced some problems. He enjoyed a successful NFL career playing for the Denver Broncos, the Tennessee Titans, and the Buffalo Bills and while he never really retired from the NFL, he was “released” because of him failing drug tests several times. Then, in 2008, Henry was caught trafficking cocaine. Also, it was reported that he has 11 kids with 10 different women, and he was briefly imprisoned after failing to pay child support.
Travis Henry
Archie Griffin
In the 1970s, one of college football’s best running backs was Archie Griffin. This would lead to the Cincinnati Bengals offering him a contract and him playing for the team from 1976 to 1982. However, unlike his performance in college football, Griffin’s showing in the NFL wasn’t that impressive, and he scored only seven touchdowns within seven seasons. He filed for bankruptcy in 1982 because of his failing shoe business.
Archie Griffin
Andre Rison
Back in the day, Andre Rison managed to receive an amazing $17 million contract from the Cleveland Browns. He was a successful and popular wide receiver and earned more money from different revenue streams. However, just like other players on this list, things became difficult for him outside of football. After his retirement, Rison spent a large amount of his money and was told to file for bankruptcy in 2007 after he failed to pay child support.
Andre Rison
Lawrence Taylor
Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor (considered one of the top linebackers of all time) was a part of the New York Giants. He had a football career that was comparable to those of other all-time greatest players … but his personal life was another story. It was reported that Taylor liked to do drugs, particularly cocaine, during his career. After frequent spending, partying too hard, failing drug tests, and having a few drug-related arrests, he lost everything when he got caught committing tax fraud by the IRS. In the 1990s, he eventually filed for bankruptcy.
Lawrence Taylor
Dan Marino
Prominent Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino broke a lot of records, earned several awards, and made a lot of money during his NFL career. After his retirement from pro football, he worked as an analyst and a sportscaster, but a bad business move caused him to almost go broke. In 2012, Tupac Shakur was resurrected as a hologram at the music festival Coachella. Impressed by this, Marino bought more than 1.5 million shares of Digital Domain, the company which produced the technology. However, that business eventually went bankrupt, which caused Marino to lose roughly $14 million.
Dan Marino
Chris McAlister
Former NFL cornerback Chris McAlister played for eleven seasons, mainly with the Baltimore Ravens. Since he was a great player, by the time his football career ended, he had earned around $45 million. In spite of his massive earnings, McAlister managed to blow most of it after his retirement from the NFL and even had difficulties paying child support (which was reportedly only $3,000).
Chris McAlister
Warren Sapp
Warren Sapp enjoyed a prominent and very successful career in the NFL playing for the Raiders and the Buccaneers. He was a great athlete and in 2013, he earned a spot on the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After his NFL career, however, he didn’t manage his money very well and blew it on clothes, mansions, and sports cars. In 2012, Sapp filed for bankruptcy and auctioned off most of his belongings to pay lawyers, the IRS, and the government.
Warren Sapp
Michael Vick
Michael Vick’s career with the Atlanta Falcons was pretty solid and he would have made a lot more dough than he did. As many of us know, however, in 2007 he was found guilty for having a dogfighting ring in his home and was imprisoned for his crimes. This effectively threw his $130 million contracts out the door, and Vick lost everything. However, he did return to the NFL and managed to make a comeback, so he’s no longer broke, but his name has been tarnished forever.
Michael Vick
Deuce McAllister
A former running back, Deuce McAllister played for the New Orlean Saints between the years 2001 and 2009. While he was an amazing football player, he was not that great as a businessman. When he retired from pro football, he purchased his own Nissan Dealership and set it up in Mississippi. Soon after, the car dealership needed to file for bankruptcy, which caused him to lose a lot. Also, Nissan sued him because apparently, he defaulted on payments, and Whitney National Bank also sued him for failing to pay roughly $1.8 million on his mortgage.
Deuce McAllister
Johnny Unitas
Prominent former NFL player Johnny Unitas was once the quarterback of the San Diego Chargers, the Baltimore Colts, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. For 53 years, he held the record for the highest number of consecutive games that had a touchdown pass. However, like the other players on this list, Unitas ran into some difficulties after his retirement. After poor investments and a business that he had a stake in failed, he filed for bankruptcy back in 1991.
Johnny Unitas
JaMarcus Russell
JaMarcus Russell played for the LSU Tigers during college and had an amazing career. Awarded the 2007 Sugar Bowl MVP, he was the Oakland Raiders’ first overall draft pick back in 2007. His career as a quarterback in college lead him to sign a contract with the team worth $61 million, but he was not that dependable and never actually made any plays in the NFL, which led the team to let him go after only two years. Since then, he has not played for any team, been arrested for codeine possession, and lost a lot of money. JaMarcus Russell has been considered the biggest draft bust in history.
JaMarcus Russell
Dermontti Dawson
Dermontti Dawson had a successful football career playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, serving as their center for more than a decade. He was even inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012, though his life outside of pro football was really difficult. His failed real estate business caused his multiple financial issues and after he spent a couple of years as a developer, Dawson filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy back in 2010. He had $69 million in debts and liabilities, but just $1.5 million in assets.
Dermontti Dawson
Dick Lane
After Dick Lane spent four years in the Army, he walked into the Los Angeles Rams offices in 1952 and asked whether he could have a job playing football. After making the team, Dick “Night Train” Lane went on to play as a defensive back and became one of the most prolific during the ‘50s and ‘60s, ultimately becoming an inductee on the Hall of Fame. After his long football career, he experienced some difficult times which involved drinking, illicit drugs, and bad business deals. This is the reason why he lost a large part of his fortune.
Dick Lane
Bernie Kosar
Bernie Kosar is a former Cleveland Browns quarterback who played for the team from 1985 to 1993 and had two short stints with the Dolphins and the Cowboys before retiring in 1996. After he retired, he went into various business ventures which never really panned out. He filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and had an $18.9 million debt, so the government seized some of his properties and some were foreclosed. He owed over $173,000 in taxes to the state of Ohio.
Bernie Kosar
Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is a great example of how you will fail if your attitude is terrible even though you are great at something. Eagles fans may remember the time when T.O. came to Philadelphia and how it seemed like things might start happening for the team as his average was a minimum of one touchdown per game. As everyone knows, T.O. was very outspoken, arrogant, cocky, and a terrible teammate. When he left the Eagles, he went on to play for different teams, but never stuck with anyone, probably because it was awful to work with him. After he retired, he quickly made poor investments, failed to pay child support and owed the IRS more than $400k.
Terrell Owens
Joe Namath
Former American football quarterback Joseph “Joe” Namath played with the New York Jets for the most of his 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL). While playing college football at Alabama, where he assisted the squad in winning the national championship, he was selected first overall by the Jets in the 1965 AFL Draft. Joe may not be completely bankrupt, but it has been speculated upon recently. Namath started making commercial appearances while battling alcoholism. Namath battled alcoholism throughout the early years of his marriage until his wife forewarned him that if he persisted, he might destroy his family. Namath was able to stop drinking by 1987, but he relapsed in 2000 after getting divorced.
Joe Namath
Ray Rice
Many people still remember the story of Ray Rice very well. He enjoyed a successful career playing for the Baltimore Ravens and became their second-leading rusher of all time when it comes to total yards. However, in 2014, he got arrested for committing aggravated assault on his fiancée at the time. A video surfaced of Ray Rice assaulting and knocking out his fiancée, which caused him to lose his spot with the Ravens. The majority of his money was used up in penalties and legal fees, and it is not expected that he would return to the NFL even though technically, he is a free agent.
Ray Rice
Vince Young
Young filed for bankruptcy back in January 2014, in a Houston federal bankruptcy court. After this incident, he received a job offer at the University of Texas, which he previously attended. Unfortunately, his luck hadn’t turned around completely because he received a DUI in Austin, Texas two years later, and the second one in 2019. Vince is involved in several community service projects but was fired from being a Longhorns QB coach in 2019.
Vince Young
Raghab Ismail
Ismail nicknamed “Rocket” decided on his career that was deemed historical when he chose the CFL over the NFL and signed a four-year partnership with the Toronto Argonauts for $18.2 million. While he made a hefty profit throughout his career, his decisions afterward weren’t the most well thought out. Some of the money he used for facial plastic surgery, also, he invested his money on business ventures that subsequently failed, which jumpstarted his financial failures. Today he mostly focuses on motivational speeches at churches and is a prominent Christian.
Raghab Ismail
Ryan Leaf
Right after Ryan Lead drafted, it was clear that something wasn’t right. He was a former party man and after three terrible seasons, he was let go. Ever since he retired he has suffered several legal problems and was even given a five-year sentence in prison after being charged with burglary, theft, and drugs.
Ryan Leaf
Charlie Batch
While he was in the NFL, Charlie Batch, the backup quarterback for the NFL was throwing around loads of money, attempting to get successful in the real estate business. This could have been extremely successful for him, but he didn’t look into it enough and h
Charlie Batch
William Perry
Nicknamed “The Refrigerator,” William Perry played for the Chicago Bears when they were at the top of their game in the 1980s and when they won the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots. He profited greatly with his endorsement deals, advertisements, and his defensive tackle. Unfortunately, he suffered many difficult times between being diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, weight problems alcoholism, diabetes and losing all his money. He even had to sell his Super Bowl ring and today lives off a $14,000 salary, from social security, and resides in an assisted living home.
William Perry
Mark Ingram Sr.
The father of Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram is known as Mark Ingram Sr., a former first-round draft pick from Michigan State by the NY Giants. He was best known for his successful touchdown that won the game between the Giants and the Bills in the 1991 Superbowl. After he retired in 1996, he had very little money saved and a low income so he moved towards a life of crime. Unfortunately for him, he was caught and sentenced to seven years in prison for defrauding the IRS. What’s more, he was fined over a quarter of a million dollars.
Mark Ingram Sr.
Deuce McAllister
After being at the top, this New Orleans Saints Running back lost it all when he suffered bad investments that made him lose all his money, less than a year after he retired in 2009. Through his eight-season career, he signed a deal with Nissan where he earned $70 million. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as successful as he hoped and he ended up with a pricey lawsuit and his home seized by officials. In 2009, his dealership filed for bankruptcy and today is a public speaker to get himself back on his feet.
Deuce McAllister
Muhsin Muhammad
Muhsin Muhammad is a former Panthers and Bears player but unfortunately, he had a high balance on his credit card that led him to be sued by the Wachovia bank and forced him to sell his home to handle the situation.
Muhsin Muhammad
OJ Simpson
Ever since the infamous murder of Nicole Brown, we all know the name OJ Simpson since he was in major trouble with the law. This incident resulted in $70 million debt, in addition to $33.5, million in damages post-trial.
OJ Simpson
Andre Rison
An amazing receiver in NFL history was Andre Rison who assembled 1,000 yards within five separate seasons throughout his career. Although his hands could handle a football, they couldn’t do the same for money. While he brought home a whopping $20 million while he played, he ended up in severe financial problems, one of which was being on probation for owing $3000,000 in child support.
Andre Rison
Clinton Portis
Back in 2004, Clinton Portis signed the biggest contract ever for a running back, totaling $50.5 million. Unfortunately, things took a turn when he retired in 2010 after he put his trust in a team of suspicious financial advisers, who he accused of lying and defrauding him. He admitted later on that he was intent on stalking and killing him, but didn’t because of his children. In total, he lost nearly $43.1 million of his total profits.
Clinton Portis
Luke Kuechly
The Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly was named the NFL Defensive Player of the year in 2013. After his final professional bowl campaign at 28, after playing eight seasons in Carolina. Unfortunately, he suffered many concussions throughout his career and subsequently announced his decision to retire.
Andrew Luck
Rob Gronkowski
After he won his third Super Bowl with New England, the 29-year-old Patriot player took a hiatus from the game. Today it is unclear if he will return but it seems like he has chosen a life of retirement instead. Fans would love to see the tight end return, but it looks like he has no such plans to.
Rob Gronkowski
Andrew Luck
We will always have the memory of Luck, being one of the most talented quarterbacks to play in the league. During his career, he suffered a lower-body injury, which leads to his desire to retire from the sport during the preseason. He played six years for the Colts but never returned.
Andrew Luck
Gale Sayers
The legendary player Gale Sayers had to end his career early, after suffering from knee injuries. He spent seven seasons with the Chicago Bears and was placed into the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he was 34.
Gale Sayers
Jim Brown
The best running back in history is the icon of the Cleveland Browns known as Jim Brown, who averaged 100 rushing yards per game in seven out of his total of nine NFL seasons. At 30 years old he retired as the NFL’s all-time leader with 12,312 rushing yards and 106 rushing touchdowns.
Jim Brown
Barry Sanders
In 1998, the Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders was in impeccable condition when he decided to retire. He was a 10-time Pro Bowler and earned himself an NFL MVP award in 1997 after he broke the 2,000-yard mark. Sanders announced his decision to retire to the local newspaper and stated that he has lost his interest to play the game.
Barry Sanders
Calvin Johnson
For his entire career, Calvin Johnson was known as the “Megatron,” an incredible wide receiver who decided to end his career in 2016. Johnson led the league two times in receiving yards but decided to retire after the game started to deteriorate his body.
Calvin Johnson
Earl Campbell
In the late ’70s, Earl Campbell was one of the most dominant players in the league and the 1979 NFL MVP. After two years with the Saints, he decided to retire. However, between 1978-1980 he led the NFL in rushing yards for three consecutive seasons.
Earl Campbell
Billy Sims
Billy Sims was another Lions player who retired at the height of his career. In his first four seasons, he earned three Pro Bowl selections but a terrible knee injury cut his career short and led to his subsequent retirement in 1986.
Billy Sims
Terrell Davis
Terrell Davis brought the Broncos to consecutive Super Bowl wins in 1998 and 1999, and won the Super Bowl MVP Honors with the Packers. After being named the NFL MVP in 1998, he suffered a severe knee injury that led him to be on the sidelines for his final two seasons, and ultimately to his retirement.
Terrell Davis
Chris Borland
in 2014, the 49ers picked Chris Borland in a third-round draft pick. He went on to play an incredible season in San Francisco but only one year later retired due to health concerns. He admitted that it was not worth the risk to continue playing.
Chris Borland
Lynn Swann
Swan was a four-time Super Bowl champion with the Steelers and had more successful endeavors than most football players do in their entire lives. However, despite still being at the height of his career, he chose to retire and work as a broadcaster.
Lynn Swann
Patrick Willis
In the 2007 NFL draft, Patrick Willis, the 49ears linebacker was the 11th overall pick. He went on to win seven consecutive selections in his first seven seasons but injured his toe that stopped his career in 2014. The spring afterward, he chose to retire from the game.
Patrick Willis
Hussain Abdullah
Husain Abdullah played for the Vikings and the Chiefs but after fears over his concussions, he decided to retire in 2016. He chose to retire because he felt like it was the responsible thing to do for his health, not because he was afraid.
Husain Abdullah
Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis was the 11th overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft and took a break from his career in 2015 to heal his body. After he suffered a second concussion he decided to retire once again and never returned to the game.
Anthony Davis
Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Mendenhall was a running back and Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After one season with the Cardinals, he decided to retire because of his health. He admitted that he was no longer willing to risk his own body for the sake of entertainment.
Rashard Mendenhall
D’Brickashaw Ferguson
In the 2006 NFL Draft, D’Brickashaw Ferguson was an offensive lineman who started for 10 seasons with the New York Jets. His fans were shocked to hear that he was retiring but he explained that he could not play at the level he wanted so he went in a different direction.
D’Brickashaw Ferguson
Christan Okoye
The Chiefs fullback and two-time Pro Bowler and first-team All-pro in 1989 lasted five seasons because he then required surgery on both knees in 1992. He also admits that he felt like Football started to become too much like a job.
Christan Okoye
Ickey Woods
Ickey Woods was the fullback on the Bengals and is remembered for incredible rookie season and signature “Ickey Shuffle.” He played four short but successful season and retired after too many knee injuries.
Ickey Woods