As the Pro Football Hall of Fame prepares for induction of the class of 2023 this week, it is also time for induction into another Hall of Fame. Two years ago, I welcomed the inaugural class of the Business of Football Hall of Fame, officially naming a group I had informally recognized on social media through the years. It is now time for the second class to step forward.
The criteria for induction into the BOF HOF is admittedly subjective (just as with the Pro Football Hall of Fame). Some of these players are having or have had successful careers; some have not. Some have played at the top of their position for years; some have for a year, some have for a few games, some have for a single game, some have never done so. The underlying thread of all these players, however, is that their earnings jump off the page, for whatever reason, often exceeding or, in some cases, far exceeding their on-field performance (or lack thereof).
This list does not factor in endorsement and marketing income, and except for a few elite quarterbacks, that is not a big factor in NFL compensation. Nor does the list factor in entrepreneurial earnings and postcareer success; that is a column and list for another day.
