Larry Fitzgerald Net Worth: The Financial Story of an NFL Great

Larry Fitzgerald Net Worth stands at an impressive $75 million, making him one of the richest players in NFL history. But how did this former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver build such a huge fortune? Let’s look at the different parts of Larry Fitzgerald’s net worth and see how he became the highest-paid wide receiver ever in the NFL.

Career Earnings and Contracts

Larry Fitzgerald played for the Arizona Cardinals for 17 years, which is a long time in the NFL. During his career, he earned a whopping $182,490,000 just from his salary. That’s a lot of money! Let’s break down some of his biggest contracts:

1. First contract (2004): When Fitzgerald joined the NFL, he signed a 6-year deal worth $60 million. That was a lot for a rookie!
2. Big extension (2011): In 2011, Fitzgerald signed his biggest deal ever. It was for 8 years and $120 million. This contract made him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL at the time.
3. Later deals (2015-2017): As he got older, Fitzgerald signed shorter contracts. In 2015, he got a 2-year deal for $22 million. In 2016 and 2017, he signed one-year contracts, each worth $11 million.

Fitzgerald made the most money in a single year in 2011. That year, he earned $26.25 million, including a $15 million bonus just for signing the contract!

Why did Fitzgerald get such big contracts? Well, he was good at catching football! He caught 1,432 passes in his career, which is the second-most in NFL history. He also scored 121 touchdowns, which helped the Cardinals win a lot of games. The team wanted to keep him happy, so they paid him well.

But Fitzgerald didn’t just rely on his NFL salary to build his net worth. He did other things to make money too.

Endorsements and Business Ventures

While Fitzgerald made most of his money playing football, he also earned extra cash by working with big companies. This is called getting endorsements. Some of the famous brands Fitzgerald worked with include:

• Nike: The big sports company that makes shoes and clothes
• Lenovo: A company that makes computers and phones
• University of Phoenix: An online school
• Dick’s Sporting Goods: A store that sells sports equipment

In 2014, a magazine called Forbes said Fitzgerald made about $1.5 million from these endorsements. That might not seem like much compared to his NFL salary, but over the years, these deals probably added millions to his total net worth.

Fitzgerald also started thinking about making money outside of football. He created a company called Larry Fitzgerald Enterprises. We don’t know exactly what this company does, but it shows that Fitzgerald was thinking about his future after football.

He’s also put money into other businesses, but he doesn’t talk about them much. This is smart because it means he has money coming in from different places, not just from playing football.

Financial Management and Investments

One big reason why Larry Fitzgerald has so much money is that he’s good at managing it. Some football players spend all their money quickly and end up broke after they stop playing. But Fitzgerald has been smart with his cash. Here are some things he’s done:

1. He doesn’t spend too much: Fitzgerald once said, “I’m pretty frugal. I don’t need much.” This means he doesn’t waste money on things he doesn’t need.
2. He puts his money in different places: Instead of keeping all his money in one place, Fitzgerald invests in different things. This is safer because if one investment doesn’t do well, he still has others that might make money.
3. He asks for help: Fitzgerald talks to people who know a lot about money. This helps him make good choices about what to do with his cash.
4. He plans for the future: Even when he was still playing football, Fitzgerald was thinking about what he’d do after he retired.

We don’t know exactly where Fitzgerald puts his money, but we know he’s bought stocks (which means he owns small parts of big companies) and real estate (which means he’s bought buildings or land). In 2023, people found out that he owned more than 783 shares of Dick’s Sporting Goods stock. Those shares were worth at least $2.18 million!

Fitzgerald also seems to be interested in technology companies. He’s said before that he likes to invest in things that make people’s lives easier or better.

Tax Implications and Financial Challenges

Even though Fitzgerald has made a lot of money, he still faces some challenges. One big challenge is taxes. When you make as much money as Fitzgerald, the government takes a big chunk of it. NFL players have to pay taxes in every state where they play a game, which can get complicated.

Also, most football players only have short careers. Fitzgerald played for 17 years, which is much longer than most players. But even so, he had to think about how to make his money last for many years after he stopped playing.

Here are some challenges that Fitzgerald and other NFL players face:

1. High taxes: The more money you make, the more taxes you pay. Fitzgerald probably paid millions in taxes over his career.
2. Short time to make money: Most NFL players only play for a few years. They have to make enough money to last their whole lives.
3. Pressure to spend a lot: Some players feel like they need to buy expensive cars or houses to fit in. This can waste a lot of money.
4. Risk of getting hurt: Football players can get injured and have to stop playing suddenly. They need to be ready for this possibility.

Even with these challenges, Fitzgerald has done a great job of keeping and growing his money.

Giving Back to the Community

One thing that makes Larry Fitzgerald special is that he doesn’t just keep all his money for himself. He likes to help other people too. He started the Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund, which is a way for him to give money to good causes.

This fund helps kids and families in Arizona (where he played football) and Minnesota (where he grew up). It gives money to help kids study, play sports, and get health care. Fitzgerald has given more than $1 million to different charities over the years.

Fitzgerald also likes to travel and help people in other countries. He’s been to many places in Africa and Asia to help build schools and homes for people who need them.

By giving money to charity, Fitzgerald might pay less in taxes. But more importantly, he’s using his wealth to make the world a better place.

Life After Football

Now that Fitzgerald isn’t playing football anymore, what is he doing? He’s keeping busy with lots of different things:

1. TV work: Fitzgerald sometimes appears on TV shows to talk about football. This is a way for him to stay connected to the sport and probably make some extra money too.
2. Public speaking: Companies and groups often ask Fitzgerald to come and give speeches. He talks about things like working hard and being a leader.
3. Business investments: Remember those investments we talked about earlier? Fitzgerald is probably spending more time on these now that he’s not playing football.
4. Golf: Fitzgerald loves to play golf. He’s even played in some professional golf tournaments! While this is mostly for fun, it also helps him network with other successful people.
5. Continuing education: Fitzgerald went back to college and finished his degree after his NFL career. This shows he values learning and preparing for the future.

All these activities help Fitzgerald stay busy and probably add to his net worth too.

Lessons from Larry Fitzgerald’s Financial Success

We can learn a lot from how Larry Fitzgerald has handled his money. Here are some key lessons:

1. Save more than you spend: Even when he was making millions, Fitzgerald didn’t waste money on unnecessary things.
2. Think long-term: Fitzgerald knew his football career wouldn’t last forever, so he planned for the future.
3. Learn about money: Fitzgerald asked for help from financial experts to make smart choices with his money.
4. Have multiple income sources: By getting endorsements and investing in businesses, Fitzgerald made sure he had money coming in from different places.
5. Give back: Fitzgerald shows that you can be successful and help others at the same time.
6. Keep learning: Even after his football career, Fitzgerald keeps learning new things and trying new experiences.

Conclusion

Larry Fitzgerald Net Worth of $75 million is impressive. He made this money through his great football career, smart financial choices, and good business sense. From earning $182 million playing for the Arizona Cardinals to making smart investments and helping others, Fitzgerald has shown he’s just as skilled with money as he was at catching footballs.

His story can teach other athletes (and anyone, really) about how to handle money well. By not spending too much, investing wisely, and planning for the future, Fitzgerald has made sure he’ll have plenty of money long after his last touchdown.

When we look at Larry Fitzgerald’s success with money, it’s clear that he’s more than just a great football player. He’s also really good at managing money and running businesses. He shows that with hard work, smart choices, and a bit of help, you can turn talent into lasting wealth.