After losing $4 billion 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 signed a series of media rights contracts within the past three years to send revenue skyrocketing. For example, re-negotiated contracts with Fox, CBS, Disney, and NBC are expected to generate $100 billion over the next 10 years. Individual documentary and streaming deals also drive revenue for specific teams and their owners. Not to mention, partnerships with sportsbooks will be worth billions of dollars in the coming years.
That’s just a portion of the record-setting NFL revenue coming in for all 32 teams, which is said to be over $5.11 billion and larger than any other professional sports league. Now that we’re in the thick of the football season, here are the richest NFL owners in 2023 and where their team value stands.
Estimated net worths are provided by Forbes and Bloomberg. All data is updated as of November, 2023.
15 Richest NFL Owners
- Rob Walton, Denver Broncos – $71.5 billion
- David Tepper, Carolina Panthers – $20.6 billion
- Jody Allen, Seattle Seahawks – $20.3 billion
- The Hunt Family, Kansas City Chiefs – $20 billion
- Stan Kroenke, Los Angeles Rams – $15.7 billion
- Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys – $14.5 billion
- Shahid Khan, Jacksonville Jaguars – $12.2 billion
- Robert Kraft, New England Patriots – $11.1 billion
- Stephen Ross, Miami Dolphins – $10.1 billion
- Jimmy Haslam, Cleveland Browns – $8.7 billion
- Josh Harris, Washington Commanders – $8.42 billion
- Arthur Blank, Atlanta Falcons – $7.4 billion
- Stephen Bisciotti, Baltimore Ravens – $7.2 billion
- Terry Pegula, Buffalo Bills – $6.8 billion
- Gayle Benson, New Orleans Saints – $6.1 billion
Keep reading for our breakdown of the richest NFL owners and how they came to inherit or buy their favorite NFL team.
Richest NFL Owners in 2023
15. Gayle Benson, New Orleans Saints – $6.1B (Forbes)
The first of two women on this list, Gayle Benson, is the CEO and owner of the Saints who took over for her late husband in 2018. He had been the owner since 1985, so the ownership has remained in the family’s hands for almost 40 years. Their ownership has pumped tons of resources into the football program including the enhancement of Caesars Superdome, which is the Saints’ home stadium in New Orleans.
Most of Gayle’s net worth comes from her ownership of sports teams like the Saints and she is known as the richest person in Louisiana. In 2023, the Saints are worth $4 billion, which shows that Tom Benson’s original purchase of the team for $70 million was well worth it.
14. Terry Pegula, Buffalo Bills – $6.8B (Forbes)
Another one of the richest NFL owners in 2023 is Terrence (Terry) Pegula who made his fortune in the oil industry and funneled that into purchasing the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres. In fact, when Pegula bid on the Bills in 2014, he offered more than Donald Trump and Bon Jovi to secure his ownership at $1.4 billion. The team is now worth $3.7 billion and supported passionately by the Bills Mafia fanbase.
13. Stephen Bisciotti, Baltimore Ravens – $7B (Forbes)
Stephen Bisciotti was raised in Baltimore, which led him to make the decision later in life to purchase the Baltimore Ravens with his fortune. He largely made his billions by starting the Allegis Group, which is a successful staffing and management company. The Ravens are worth $4.63 billion as of this year and sit in royalty as one of 15 NFL teams with multiple Super Bowl victories. Bisciotti’s investment back in 2000 was meant to be a long-term one, so he will likely remain the owner and watch the overall value grow for several years.
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12. Arthur Blank, Atlanta Falcons – $7.4B (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. In fact, the Falcons’ team value is $4.7 billion as of 2023 and Blank’s stake makes up more than 45% of that. He’s one of the most distinguished owners in the NFL and is known for his philanthropic efforts alongside the field.
11. Josh Harris, Washington Commanders – $8.42B (Bloomberg)
Following the NFL’s recent approval of the Washington Commanders sale in July, Josh Harris became one of the richest NFL owners in 2023. 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. Harris’ winning bid involved one of the largest groups of minority partners in league history, which set him and his net worth on the map.
10. Jimmy Haslam, Cleveland Browns – $8.7B (Forbes)
In 2012, Jimmy Haslam purchased the Cleveland Browns for $1 billion and they are reportedly worth $4.62 billion in 2023. Browns fans are hoping that Haslam’s investment in the team will pay off this season, but there have been many disappointing seasons leading up to this year.
The majority of Haslam’s wealth comes from Pilot Flying J as he inherited a seat on the board from the founder who happens to be his father. Given their $26 billion in annual revenue, it is not surprising that Haslam is worth $8.7 billion.
9. Stephen Ross, Miami Dolphins – $10.1B (Forbes)
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has been among the wealthiest of his peers since he first purchased the team and the Hard Rock Stadium in 2008. He’s an entrepreneur who continues to invest in sports, which has attracted events to his home city such as the Miami Grand Prix and the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. Clearly, Ross’s willingness to spend his money paid off since Miami now boasts one of the best rosters in football and Miami finally has an NFL team to rally around. The team as a whole is said to be worth $5.7 billion this year.
8. Robert Kraft, New England Patriots – $11.1B (Forbes)
After buying the New England Patriots for $172 million in 1994, Robert Kraft now oversees the extremely successful franchise worth approximately $7 billion. Even after the departure of Tom Brady, the Patriots’ value soars and Kraft is enjoying the benefits from it all. He’s not only a savvy businessman but has been a Patriots fan his whole life. Thanks to his dedication to New England, he achieved his goal of bringing home more than one Super Bowl championship and has already brought in six astonishing wins thus far.
7. Shahid Khan, Jacksonville Jaguars – $11.4B (Forbes)
The Jacksonville Jaguars franchise value is estimated to be $4 billion this year. 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 has grown significantly as has Khan’s net worth. It’s safe to say he’ll be one of the richest NFL owners for a while.
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6. Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys – $14.5B (Forbes)
It should come as no surprise to see Jones on this list of 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. After spending more than $150 million on his team, the Cowboys are now worth an estimated $9 billion showing tremendous growth.
In fact, Jones’ popularity in addition to the Cowboys’ being known as “America’s Team” has led to a docuseries deal with Netflxi worth over $50 million. More information will be released, but so far, we know the series will have ten episodes and detail the life of Jerry Jones and his influence on the Dallas Cowboys. This press coverage will no doubt cause Jones’ net worth to increase even more in the future.
5. Stanley Kroenke, Los Angeles Rams – $15.7B (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 won a recent Super Bowl. The Rams are now worth $6.9 billion as a team, which will keep Kroenke high on our list of the richest NFL team owners.
4. The Hunt Family, Kansas City Chiefs – $20B (Forbes)
Clark Hunt, son of Kansas City Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt, is CEO and part-owner of the Chiefs. The Hunt family’s wealth comes from oil tycoon H.L. Hunt, a legend in the oil industry who 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 (now at $4.3 billion) thanks to Patrick Mahomes is further accelerating the family’s net worth.
3. Jody Allen, Seattle Seahawks – $20.3B (Forbes)
Following the death of Paul Allen, Jody Allen, the Microsoft co-founder’s sister, took over the Seattle Seahawks organization and now serves as Chair of the Seahawks. Her net worth is now estimated to be around $20 billion, largely through the Paul Allen Trust.
However, the $5 billion franchise that is the Seattle 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 directly towards philanthropic causes that he cared about. A bidding war for the Seahawks and Trail Blazers isn’t imminent because Jody said that she won’t be discussing the sale until 2025, but there is one early favorite when the team is put up for sale.
2. David Tepper, Carolina Panthers – $20.6B (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, which was among the top three wealthiest NFL owners at that time. Forbes estimates that his net worth is $20.6 billion today even after generously donating to COVID relief efforts and focusing on his personal philanthropy.
After buying the Panthers at $2.3 billion, he invested tens of millions of dollars into the 2023 Carolina Panthers coaching staff then signed off on trading multiple assets to acquire the number one pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Now that the Panthers have a franchise quarterback and are on the rise, the team’s franchise value is said to be $4.1 billion, which could definitely keep climbing.
1. Rob Walton, Denver Broncos – Richest NFL Owner at $71.5B (Bloomberg)
On this scale of wealth, Rob Walton is clearly the richest NFL owner in 2023. Rob is the eldest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton and he still owns a significant share of stock in the company, which contributes to his massive net worth. Bloomberg estimates he is the 16th richest person in the world today worth $71.5 billion.
The Walmart heir bought the Denver Broncos in 2022 with a group including Greg Penner, Carrie Walton Penner, 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 Broncos are said to be worth $5.1 billion in 2023, so it is up to the Walton family to use their Colorado connections to improve the team’s ranking in the NFL.
In order to put his net worth into perspective, he would have more after a potential sale than the next three richest NFL owners on our list including David Tepper, Jody Allen, and the Hunt family. As a result, Rob Walton is the richest NFL owner ever.
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Who Is the Wealthiest Owner in the NFL?
The Denver Broncos owner and heir to Walmart, Rob Walton, is the wealthiest owner in NFL history. After purchasing the team for $4.65 billion, Walton became the richest owner in the history of American professional sports. For context, Walton’s net worth is $71.5 billion, which is currently more than Mark Zuckerberg.
Who Is the Richest Global Sports Team 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. This professional sports franchise was named the most successful cricket team by Forbes. The Mumbai Indians were worth $1.3 billion in 2022, which is comparatively less than the value of many NFL teams. However, Mukesh Ambani is worth $90 billion, which largely comes from his role at Reliance Industries.
Who Is the Richest American Sports Team Owner?
Steve Ballmer has owned the Los Angeles Clippers since 2014. As the former CEO of Microsoft, he is worth $107.5 billion, which makes him one of the richest men in America in addition to being the richest American sports team owner. The Clippers are said to be worth $4.65 billion, which is comparable to several NFL team values that we cover in this post.
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.
Additional Billionaire NFL Owners
- Denise York, San Francisco 49ers – $5.8 billion
- Janice McNair, Houston Texans – $5.6 billion
- Glazer Family, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $4.7 billion
- Jeffrey Lurie, Eagles – $4.6 billion
- Jim Irsay, Indianapolis Colts – $4.3 billion
Who Is the Poorest NFL Owner?
The Green Bay Packers technically have the poorest NFL owner, entirely because they have been publicly owned and a nonprofit corporation since 1923. They are the only American sports franchise without a traditional owner or fans holding stock in the team. However, Forbes estimates the Packers franchise value at $4.6 billion and the organization revealed in 2020 that it has a $411 million “rainy-day fund” for emergencies.
If you exclude the Packers given their unique ownership, the poorest NFL owner is Mike Brown of the Cincinnati Bengals. Brown inherited the team from his father, Paul Brown, in 1991. There isn’t a 2023 updated net worth for Brown, but Forbes did an in-depth story on some of the financial forces backing the team privately. In 2022, it was estimated that he was worth around $900 million, making him the only NFL owner with a net worth of less than $1 billion.
Next time you watch your favorite NFL team play, think about how much they are worth and how much their owner paid to be the face of their franchise. It’s truly astonishing how business titans (both men and women) have used their love and loyalty for their favorite NFL teams to grow their overall valuations and net worth. As fans, we can only hope that their investment in these teams turns into a successful season ahead.