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How Rich Are Tom Brady and These Other Big-Name Athletes?



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As Tom Brady turns the clock on another year – the seemingly ageless quarterback turns 45 on Aug. 3 – he continues to add more to his bank account, too.
After ending his retirement to return the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers for another season, Brady added to his burgeoning wealth as well.
But how rich is he really? And how does he compare to other legends, such as Serena Williams and Michael Jordan?
LeBron James
LeBron James entered the NBA straight out of high school, the No. 1 pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003. The 6-foot-8-inch power forward, nicknamed King James, was the most-hyped rookie to enter the NBA in years.
In 19 seasons with the Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, James has won four NBA championships in six NBA Finals appearances. He’s on the shortlist of greatest NBA players of all time, and he’s still going at age 37.
James’ current contract with the Lakers is a two-year deal worth $85,655,532.
Drew Brees
Picked out of Purdue in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers, Drew Brees developed into one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
Considered undersized at just 6 feet tall, Brees left the Chargers after five seasons and signed with the New Orleans Saints, eventually leading them to a Super Bowl championship.
Brees, 43, retired after the 2020 season (his 15th) and joined NBC Sports, serving as a commentator for Notre Dame football and as a studio analyst for “Sunday Night Football.”
Tom Brady
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is considered the greatest NFL quarterback of all time, with a record seven Super Bowl championships in 10 appearances with the New England Patriots and Bucs.
The 44-year-old left the Patriots for the Buccaneers in 2020 after 20 seasons with New England, winning another title with Tampa Bay. He retired after the 2021-2022 season, but promptly unretired to return to the Bucs. Brady is playing on a one-year, $15 million deal.
Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal has almost as many nicknames as he does scoring titles and championships in his amazing NBA career.
The 50-year-old former star was known as the Big Diesel, Big Aristotle or just Shaq in his 19-year NBA career. At 7-foot-1-inch and 325 pounds, O’Neal was one of the most dominant big men of all time, winning four NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat.
O’Neal’s biggest paycheck for a single season was $27,696,430 for the Lakers in 2004-05.
Now a broadcaster on TNT, O’Neal continues to add to his net worth, which you can find out here.
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers has come a long way since the 2005 NFL draft, when he was projected as a top pick but famously slipped to No. 24 to the Green Bay Packers.
The 38-year-old quarterback has built a Hall of Fame NFL career, with a Super Bowl title and two NFL MVP awards. And Rodgers has been paid quite well for it, as he’s currently playing on a three-year, $150 million deal for the Packers, including a $48.5 million signing bonus.
Plus he’s a valued pitchman off the field, with a huge endorsement contract with State Farm.
Michael Jordan
During the height of his stellar NBA career, Michael Jordan starred in a Gatorade commercial with the jingle “I Want To Be Like Mike.”
That’s what basketball fans worldwide wanted, because Jordan was hands-down the best NBA player of his generation (and perhaps all time), and also one of the biggest celebrities of his time.
Jordan compiled six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls, and he was the best player on the 1992 Olympic men’s basketball team, considered the greatest basketball team of all time. Jordan was also a sought-after pitchman, with huge deals with Nike, Gatorade and others.
The NBA star is now an owner of the Charlotte Hornets.
Wayne Gretzky
Known as “The Great One,” Wayne Gretzky is hands-down the greatest NHL player of all time.
The 59-year-old holds every imaginable NHL record, with most career regular-season goals (894), assists (1,963) and points (2,857).
Gretzky led the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cups, and he famously took the Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup final. He also played for the St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers.
See how much the Hockey Hall of Famer is worth now.
Stephen Curry
At 34 years old, Stephen Curry is the youngest player on this list. The Golden State Warriors point guard has won four NBA championships and two NBA MVP awards in his career, and he’s known for his willingness to shoot from seemingly anywhere on the court.
The slender, 6-foot-3-inch guard has a fat wallet — he’s currently playing on a four-year, $215,353,664 contract.
Joe Montana
Before Tom Brady, Joe Montana was the gold standard for NFL quarterbacks.
Montana, known as “Joe Cool,” led the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl championships, building a reputation for clutch plays when he threw “The Catch,” a game-winning touchdown pass to Dwight Clark in the NFC Championship against the Dallas Cowboys, and a 92-yard touchdown drive to beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl.
Montana, 66, came out of Notre Dame and played for the 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs in his 16 NFL seasons.
Serena Williams
With 23 Grand Slam titles, Serena Williams is considered the greatest female tennis player of all time, and many consider her the best player of either gender.
Williams, 40, made her professional debut at age 14 and was originally best known for being the younger sister of fellow tennis star Venus Williams. The two dominated tennis in the late 1990s and 2000s.
Serena has won the “grand slam” — holding all four tennis titles at once — twice.
She ranks first all-time in WTA winnings with $93,634,967.
She how much she is worth when you add in her high-profile endorsements.
Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, and he’s almost as well-known for his deadpan sense of humor in commercials.
Manning, 46, played 18 seasons in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos, winning two Super Bowls and five NFL MVPs.
The quarterback is the best-known member of the Manning clan, which includes father Archie and brother Eli, both of whom also played in the NFL.
Manning is a ubiquitous endorser, appearing in commercials for Nike, Gatorade, Nationwide, Papa John’s and more. He also is part of the “ManningCast”, an alternative broadcast of “Monday Night Football.”
Eli Manning
Eli Manning, the younger brother to Peyton, put together a stellar NFL career in his own right. Eli led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl crowns, upsetting the New England Patriots each time.
Eli, 41, played 16 seasons for the Giants. After a rocky start when he and his father forced a trade from the San Diego Chargers to the Giants at the NFL draft, Eli became a fixture in New York, holding franchise records for most passing yards and passing touchdowns.
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