The NFL is the richest sports league in the world, and anyone who’s played the game at the highest level—especially at quarterback—has done exceptionally well for themselves. Yet even the biggest stars who dominated the league for over a decade can’t match the fame or fortune of a global icon like Taylor Swift.
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Swift, who has captivated fans with her music since 2005, has built an empire. Today, she’s worth a staggering $1.5 billion, thanks to her unmatched global reach and influence.
To put that into perspective, Swift’s net worth exceeds the combined fortunes of NFL legends Peyton Manning, Roger Staubach, and even the league’s Commissioner, Roger Goodell. But it wasn’t always that way—Swift didn’t become a billionaire until the launch of her record-breaking Eras Tour in 2023.
When she began dating Travis Kelce that same year, her net worth sat at around $600 million. But the Eras Tour changed everything, grossing $2.1 billion worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing tour of all time. The financial windfall from that tour pushed her into billionaire status.
Meanwhile, NFL icons have also done extremely well, just not that well.
Peyton Manning, for example, boasts a net worth of $250 million. During his playing days, he earned $18 million annually from his NFL contracts and raked in another $25 million a year through endorsements. He remains one of the most respected and marketable faces in football.
Roger Staubach—nicknamed “Captain America”—didn’t earn much during his playing days. The NFL hadn’t yet hit the television money boom, and his highest salary was just $160,000. But what he lacked in on-field earnings, he more than made up for in business.
After retiring, Staubach co-founded The Staubach Company, a commercial real estate empire that worked with giants like McDonald’s, AT&T, and K-Mart. He sold the firm in 2008 for an eye-popping $613 million. Today, he’s worth roughly $600 million.
Then there’s Roger Goodell, who never played a single down in the NFL but still ranks among the league’s richest figures. He started as an intern in 1982 and eventually worked his way up to become commissioner in 2006. Under his leadership, the NFL has transformed into a $20 billion-per-year juggernaut.
When Goodell first took over, he earned $6 million annually. Today, according to Celebrity Net Worth, he earns more than any active quarterback—an astonishing $65 million per year in salary and bonuses. His current net worth is estimated at $300 million.
Despite Manning, Staubach, and Goodell being among the NFL’s wealthiest figures, none of them comes close to Taylor Swift. In fact, their combined net worth—around $1.15 billion—still falls short of Swift’s solo fortune of $1.5 billion.
It just goes to show the power of global fame and mainstream appeal. While Manning, Staubach, and Goodell are household names primarily in America, Blondie has captivated hearts across the globe.
