Blake Proehl, a former wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, saw his NFL dreams dashed when he suffered a torn ACL in his rookie season. Despite going undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft, Proehl signed with the Vikings with hopes of making an impact on the field. Unfortunately, his aspirations were cut short as he never got the chance to play a single game.
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During the 2021 season, Proehl spent his entire time on injured reserve. Despite making it to the practice squad in the following season, he was unable to secure a spot on the playing roster and was eventually waived by the Vikings on August 2023. Since then he has served as an NFL free agent.
Proehl, whose NFL dreams were cut short, is now pursuing a career in music. At 25 years old, he’s taking center stage as a contestant on American Idol. As he transitions from the football field to the music stage, fans are curious about his NFL career earnings and net worth.
In his two seasons spent with the Minnesota Vikings, he had a base salary totaling $867,000. Additionally, he received a prorated bonus of $5,000 and had a guaranteed salary of $100,000. However, Blake’s career earnings in the NFL amounted to $568,000 according to Over The Cap. As of 2024, he has a net worth of around $1-2 million, which mostly he amassed through playing in the NFL.
Former ECU WR, Blake Proehl, will be on American Idol this season.
(He’s gonna win the whole thing) pic.twitter.com/PxJbnBNZSs
— Barstool ECU (@barstoolecu) February 14, 2024
While Blake Proehl shared his father’s passion for football, he also had a deep love for music. Following in the footsteps of his father, Ricky Proehl, a seasoned NFL player with 17 seasons under his belt, Blake initially set his sights on making a name for himself in the football world.
Ricky’s illustrious career saw him playing as a wide receiver for several teams, including the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers, and Indianapolis Colts. Notably, he also participated in four Super Bowls, securing victory in two of them.
However, Blake’s trajectory took a turn when he suffered an injury, forcing him to chase a different dream. Despite the setback, this shift opened doors for his hidden musical talents to emerge, offering him the opportunity to bring back his recognition and success.
Blake Proehl Strikes Gold at American Idol
While he was still active in the NFL in 2021, Blake Proehl for the first time found recognition as a singer when a video of him singing “In Case You Didn’t Know” by Brett Young to his grandmother went viral on TikTok. That particular video amassed over 28 million views on the social media platform.
Recently, during his audition for American Idol, he chose to perform the same song, bringing his “Nana” along for support. Before singing, he shared his life story with the judges, detailing his NFL career and the challenges he faced after his injury. Proehl stated,
“I grew up in a football family. But I got a really bad injury. Doctors said, ‘It’ll be a success story if you’re able to run again.’”
Following came an emotional performance that earned him applause from judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan. Perry was so impressed that she believed with their guidance Blake could reach the top 10 in the show. Mesmerized by his talent, the judges unanimously voted to send him to Hollywood with a golden ticket.
Fans eager to follow Proehl’s musical journey on “American Idol” can tune in every Sunday as the show airs on ABC at 8 p.m. EST. Additionally, the show is available for streaming on FuboTV, which offers a free trial for new users.
