As the ‘Gronk’ reveals he’s been a savvy saver, here are other NFL stars who have been wise with their big-league salaries

Several high-profile NFL stars have turned to investing, cryptocurrency, and sound financial advisors to protect and grow their wealth

Though former New England Patriots tight end Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski may delight fans with his silly antics, he’s anything but when it comes to managing his money.

The former player recently revealed that he never spent a cent of his NFL salary, using income from off-the-field activities to pay his bills. But the “Gronk” isn’t the only NFL athlete to invest his money wisely and buck the trend of well-paid athletes who later fall on financial hard times despite their astronomical paychecks.

Gronkowski’s teammate Tom Brady, former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch, and current Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley are among those who have made educated financial decisions to ensure they can retire in financial comfort.

Brady’s burgeoning sports empire

Tom Brady retired from the NFL in 2023 after a storied career in which he won a record seven Super Bowls.

Former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski, pictured here in 2021 celebrating a Super Bowl LV win with teammate Tom Brady, is among several NFL players to earn headlines for their financial savvy (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The former sixth-round pick from the University of Michigan earned more than $330 million from his NFL paychecks, according to sports salary data site Spotrac.

Since his departure from the playing field, Brady has amassed a wide portfolio of assets, including ownership in the following sports franchises:

• Oakland Raiders
• Las Vegas Aces (WNBA)
• Birmingham City (EPL)
• Vegas Night Owls (Major League Pickleball).

Brady also owns his own nutrition company, TB12, and fashion firm, Brady Brand Clothing. Other investments include production company 199 Productions, digital collectibles firm, Autograph, and sports card company CardVault.

Lynch’s life-changing moments

An animated running back, who earned the nickname “Beast Mode” for his bone-crunching, bruise-inducing runs, Marshawn Lynch gave one of the most memorable pieces of financial advice in recent NFL history: “Take care of y’all bread, so when y’all done you can go ahead and take care of yourself…Start taking care of y’all mentals, y’all bodies, and y’all chicken for when y’all ready to walk away, we walk away, and you’ll be able to do what you want to do.”

Lynch’s quote was directed at younger players who may fall prey to spending their money instead of investing it.

‘I just want you to help me not become one of them players on the board,’ Marshawn Lynch, pictured here, told a financial advisor after reading a list the advisor wrote of NFL players who went bankrupt (GETTY IMAGES)

Lynch said his long-term view of his finances was formed early on through sobering experiences and help from older players. During a 2024 interview with former player Shannon Sharpe on Sharpe’s podcast Club Shay Shay, Lynch said he remembers a team meeting with a financial advisor early in his rookie season.

During the meeting, the advisor wrote a list of names of former players who were bankrupt. After the meeting, Lynch talked to the advisor.

“I just want you to help me not become one of them players on the board,” he said.

Over the course of his career, Lynch put his on-the-field earnings into an account with one financial advisor and his off-the-field earnings from endorsements into an account with a different financial advisor.

The strategy has worked out for him, Lynch said. Now that he’s retired, he’s launched his own line of products, including bikes, blenders, cleats, clothes, a mobile carrier, and a restaurant named Beastro. Also, he’s invested in professional sports teams and leagues.

Barkley goes bold with Bitcoin

Saquon Barkley, one of the best running backs of his generation, announced in 2021 that he was taking 100 percent of his endorsement money in Bitcoin from that point forward.

In an interview with entrepreneur and investor Anthony Pompliano, Barkley talked about why he made the decision.

“Obviously, you see inflation, you see how high it is right now, you learn that you can’t save yourself to wealth,” he said. “That’s why I’m going to be taking my marketing money in bitcoin.”

Barkley saw how inflation was outpacing savings accounts interest rates in 2021 and realized he needed other ways to make his money grow (AP)

At the time, Barkley was earning around $10 million from endorsements, investing platform WeBull noted. Since the football player announced his Bitcoin decision, the cryptocurrency’s value has exploded, tripling in value less than three years later and surpassing the $100,000 mark for the first time in its history.

In addition to his bitcoin holdings, WeBull noted that Barkely has invested in multiple companies, including fast-growing prediction market Polymarket, Anthropic, Anduril, Ramp, Cognition, Neuralink, and Strike. Barkley also serves as a partner in several financial firms, including Thrive Capital and Silver Point Capital.

“Many of Barkley's investments have gained significantly, including his early investment in Strike, which has increased more than 10 times in value,” WeBull noted. “A $500,000 investment in Ramp is now worth $1.5 million for Barkley, with the company's valuation tripling since his initial stake.”