Peyton Manning is the rare NFL star that crosses over enough to make endorsement money comparable to the top stars in basketball, golf, and tennis.
That’s why it’s no surprise he finished first among NFL players in income last year and fourth among U.S. athletes, according to Sports Illustrated’s annual list released this week.
Manning made $38 million last year, including $15 million in endorsements. He trails Tiger Woods ($62.3 million), Phil Mickelson ($61.8 million), and LeBron James ($44.5 million.)
Despite football’s popularity, NFL players just don’t earn like the competition. 19 NBA players and 17 MLB players made the list, while only eight football stars were on it.
For NFL players in the top 50, Tom Brady was next in endorsement money behind Manning with $10 million. Eli Manning earned $7 million in endorsements, proving that last names can be quite valuable.