After losing $4 billion last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, the richest NFL owners are now enjoying record-setting revenue on a yearly basis. Unsurprisingly, franchise values and net worths for the richest owners in the NFL are skyrocketing.
The NFL has signed a series of media rights contracts within the past 18 months to send revenue skyrocketing. Amazon is paying $1 billion per year for Thursday Night Football and re-negotiated contracts with Fox, CBS, Disney and NBC will generate $100 billion over the next 10 years.
That’s just a portion of the record-setting NFL revenue coming in for all 32 teams. Partnerships with sportsbooks will be worth billions of dollars in the coming years. Meanwhile, the NFL International Series is expanding and the league is on the verge of selling NFL Sunday Ticket for a staggering cost.
In advance of the Washington Commanders sale, here are the richest NFL owners in 2023. Estimated net worths are provided by Forbes and Bloomberg.
10 richest NFL owners
- Rob Walton, Denver Broncos – $66.9 billion
- Jody Allen, Seattle Seahawks – $20.3 billion
- David Tepper, Carolina Panthers – $18.5 billion
- The Hunt Family, Kansas City Chiefs – $15.5 billion
- Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys – $13.3 billion
- Stan Kroenke, Los Angeles Rams – $12.9 billion
- Shahid Khan, Jacksonville Jaguars – $12.2 billion
- Stephen Ross, Miami Dolphins – $11.6 billion
- Robert Kraft, New England Patriots – $10.6 billion
- Josh Harris, Washington Commanders – $8.6 billion
Check out below for our breakdown of the richest NFL owners and the poorest NFL owners.
Richest NFL owners in 2023
1. Rob Walton, richest NFL owner – $66.9 billion (Bloomberg)
Rob Walton is the richest NFL owner in 2023. The Walmart heir bought the Denver Broncos in 2022 with a group includding Greg Penner, Walton’s daughter Carrie and Starbucks’ chairwoman Mellody Hobson. At the time, it was the most money ever spent on an American sports franchise at $4.65 billion
The eldest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton, Rob Walton still owns a significant share of stock in the company. Bloomberg estimates his networth at $66.9 billion billion, making him the 18th richest person in the world today and one of the wealthiest men in the United States.
Putting his net worth into perspective, he would have more after a potential sale than the next six NFL owners on our list and that includes Jerry Jones, David Tepper and Stan Kroenke.
On August 9, the NFL held a league meeting in Minneapolis to confirm the historic sale. With the deal now approved, Rob Walton becomes the richest NFL owner ever.
While Walton is the majority owner, he is also joined by Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Melody Hobson (chairwoman of Starbucks), along with Greg and Carrie Walton Penner (Rob Walton’s son-in-law and daughter).
2. Jody Allen, Seattle Seahawks – $20.3 billion (Forbes)
Following the death of Paul Allen, Jody Allen took over atop the Seattle Seahawks organization. The sister of the Microsoft co-founder, Jody Allen serves as Chair of the Seahawks. Her net worth is estimated to be around $20 billion, largely through the Paul Allen Trust which serves as the official owner of the Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers.
- Jody Allen net worth: $20.3 billion
However, the Seahawks won’t be guided by the Allen family for much longer. Paul Allen’s trust reportedly requires that all of his assets must be sold, with the money going diretly towards philanthropic causes that he cared about. A bidding war for the Seahawks and Trail Blazers isn’t imminent, but there is one early favorite when the team is put up for sale. However, that likely won’t happen until 2025.
3. David Tepper, Carolina Panthers – $18.5 billion (Forbes)
Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper easily led a majority of his fellow NFL owners before the COVID-19 pandemic. He had an estimated net worth of $13 billion in 2020, far more than the third-richest owner (Jerry Jones, $8.6 billion). Even more impressively, Tepper’s net worth was greater than that of Robert Kraft ($6.6 billion) and Arthur Blank ($6.1 million) combined.
Tepper stood on even higher ground in 2021. Forbes estimates his net worth at $14.5 billion, a stunning 21% increase. He wasn’t shy about donating some of his money this past year, either. He donated more than $20 million to COVID-19 relief, crated $567,000 in scholarships at the University of South Carolina, provided school supplies for 15,000 children.
Even after all those donations, Tepper still saw his net worth skyrocket in recent years. He invested tens of millions of dollars into the 2023 Carolina Panthers coaching staff then signed off on trading multiple assets to acquire the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Now that the Panthers have a franchise quarterback and are on the rise, the team”s franchise value and yearly revenue should keep climbing.
4. The Hunt Family, Kansas City Chiefs – $15.5 billion
Clark Hunt, son of Kansas City Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt, is CEO and part-owner of the Chiefs today. The Hunt family’s wealth comes from oil tycoon H.L. Hunt, a legend in the oil industry died in 1974, leaving an inheritance to 15 children. The Hunts are one of the richest families in the United States and the Chiefs’ ascending franchise value thanks to Patrick Mahomes is further accelarating the family’s net worth.
5. Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys – $13.3 billion (Forbes)
It should come as no surprise to see Jones list among the richest NFL owners. Before the 2021 season, the Dallas Cowboys sat atop Forbes’ list of most valuable NFL franchises at an astonishing $6.5 billion. It’s part of the reason why Jones created Jerry’s World and The Star in Frisco. With the Cowboys now back as a contender, expect that franchise value to skyrocket.
6. Stanley Kroenke, Los Angeles Rams – $12.9 billion (Forbes)
The decision to relocate the St. Louis Rams to Los Angeles is paying off for Stan Kroenke, but it’s going to come at a higher price tag than he initially expected. Years after the franchise abruptly left St. Louis, the city’s lawsuit against Kroenke cost him a $790 million settlement. Of course, that’s not much for an owner of an NFL team that just won the Super Bowl. The Rams will struggly to draw in fans during their upcoming rebuild in 2023, but Kroenke’s investment in Los Angeles has already paid off.
7. Shahid Khan, Jacksonville Jaguars – $12.2 billion (Forbes)
The Jacksonville Jaguars franchise value was estimated at $2.8 billion in 2021, 26th in the NFL. While it’s only a fraction of the wealth Shad Khan has built up over the years, he is using it to completely overhaul the team. A new $120 million practice facility is in development and with quarterback Trevor Lawrence leading Jacksonville to the playoffs, there is a new emerging power in the NFL. Behind Khan, Lawrence and Doug Pederson, the Jaguars’ franchise value now stands at nearly $3.5 billion and Khan’s net worth is climbing. It’s safe to say he’ll be one of the richest NFL owners for awhile.
8. Stephen Ross, Miami Dolphins – $11.6 billion
Even before the Miami Grand Prix, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross was among the wealthiest of his peers. Following the event right outside Hard Rock Stadium, there’s even more money in his pocket. The Miami GP reportedly generated as much money for Ross as he receives for the entire Dolphins’ home season. With Miami now boasting one of the best rosters in football, in part thanks to Ross’s willingness to spend his money, Miami finally has an NFL team to rally around.
9. Robert Kraft, New England Patriots – $10.6 billion net worth (Forbes)
After buying the New England Patriots for $172 million in 19994, Robert Kraft now oversees a franchise worth approximately $5 billion. Even after the departure of Tom Brady, the Patrios’ value soars and Kraft is enjoying the benefits from it all. Incredibly, his $10.6billion makes him one of the richest NFL owners but he’ll barely have a fraction of Rob Walton’s total earnings.
10. Josh Harris, Washington Commanders – $8.26 billion net worth (Bloomberg)
Following the NFL’s approval of the Washington Commanders sale in July, Josh Harris becomes one of the richest NFL owners in 2022. Harris bought the Commanders for $6 billion from Daniel Snyder, with a group that includes Magic Johnson and Mitchell Rales. With Harris serving as the majority owner of the Commanders, he’ll be the new face of the franchise and vote on league matters as an NFL owner. However, Harris’ winning bid involved one of the largest groups of minority partners in league history.
11. Arthur Blank, Atlanta Falcons – $7.6 billion net worth (Forbes)
Arthur Blank, the co-founder of Home Depot, bought the Atlanta Falcons for $545 million in 2002. Despite some of the team’s poor fortune on the field, the Falcons’ franchise value is soaring each year. He’s one of the most distinguished owners in the NFL and his team plays in a state-of-the-art stadium.
NFL owners net worth
- Stephen Bisciotti, Baltimore Ravens – $6.4 billion
- Terry Pegula, Buffalo Bills – $5.8 billion
- Janice McNair, Houston Texans – $6.7 billion
- Denise York, San Francisco 49ers – $5.1 billion
- Gayle Benson, New Orleans Saints – $4.7 billion
- Jimmy Haslam, Cleveland Browns – $4.8 billion
- Jim Irsay, Indianapolis Colts – $3.9 billion
Who is the wealthiest owner in the NFL?
Denver Broncos owner Rob Walton is the wealthiest owner in NFL history. After purchasing the team for $4.65 billion in June 2022, Walton became the richest owner in the history of American pro sports. For context, Walton’s net worth is higher than Jody Allen, David Tepper and Jerry Jones combined.
Who is the richest professional sports owner?
Mukesh Ambani is the richest owner in professional sports globally. A native of India, Ambani owns the Mumbai Indians of the Indian Premier League in cricket.
- Mukesh Ambani net worth: $83.4 billion
Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is the richest team owner in American sports, with an estimated net worth of $80.7 billion.
How many billionaire NFL owners are there?
There are 30 billionaire owners in the NFL in 2023. Currently, the only NFL owners who aren’t billionaires are Mike Brown of the Cincinnati Bengals and the publicly-owned Green Bay Packers.
Who is the poorest NFL owner?
The Green Bay Packers technically have the poorest NFL owner, entirely because they are the only American sports franchise without a traditional owner with fans holding stock in the team. However, Forbes estimates the Packers franchsie value at $4.25 billion and the organization revealed in 2020 that it has a $411 million “rainy-day fund” for emergencies.\
Truly, the poorest NFL owner is Mike Brown of the Cincinnati Bengals. Brown inerhited the team from his father, Paul Brown, in 1991. While there isn’t an estimated net worth for Brown, he is the only NFL owner with less than $1 billion. However, Forbes did an in-depth story on some of the financial forces backing the team privately.
