Roger Staubach Net Worth, Estimated Wealth & Career

27/08/2024

5 min. read

Roger Staubach is a former NFL quarterback, Hall of Famer, and Super Bowl champion.

It’s a long time since Staubach was a feature in NFL odds, yet his legacy is undisputable, having starred for one of the league’s marquee franchises for over a decade.

An iconic player in college before going 10th overall in the 1964 Draft, Staubach would be a perennial online betting favourite for MVP if he was playing in the modern game.

It is easy to overlook a player from several generations ago. Staubach, though, deserves his place in the pantheon of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.

How Much Is Roger Staubach Worth?

Roger Staubach has a net worth reportedly in the region of £500 million. Staubach, according to Statista, is the second-wealthiest player in NFL history behind billionaire Jerry Richardson.

Making around £50,000 per year during his quarterbacking peak, Staubach’s vast net worth obviously doesn’t come from his on-field career.

While some modern players can get close to his net worth with their massive playing salaries, Staubach had to build his wealth after hanging up his cleats.

He did just that. Staubach had been working in commercial real estate during the offseason in the second half of his NFL career before making this a full-time endeavour.

He also had various other projects away from the gridiron, including NASCAR.

Retirement

Staubach retired from football in 1980. At the time, he had the highest career passer rating in league history and was unsurprisingly elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame five years later.

Despite a glittering NFL career, Staubach’s retirement came as a shock to the football world. The Cowboys had just lost to the Rams in the divisional round, but 11 NFL seasons and a period in the Navy had clearly taken their toll.

It was the blueprint of a near-perfect quarterback career, starring in college before checking off NFL achievements with ease, including a pair of Super Bowl wins.

In 2014, Staubach spoke to Forbes about his decision to retire.

“I was 27 and we had three children. If I got hurt, I knew I had a family to provide for, and it was not crazy money in the NFL then.”

He continued, “Football teaches you hard work. It takes a lot of unspectacular preparation to have spectacular results in both business and football.”

With a net worth of around half a billion, Staubach’s decision to retire early from football has clearly been vindicated.

Cowboys fans were left wondering what could have been, but this was clearly the right choice for Staubach given the comparative lack of money in football in the 1980s.

Post-Playing Career

After working for the Henry S. Miller Company in NFL offseasons between 1970 and 1977, Roger Staubach founded The Staubach Company with Robert Holloway Jr.. The business was focused on commercial real estate.

Even while he was still dodging pass rushers and leading the Cowboys to wins, Staubach had an eye on the future.

Speaking several years later, he said, “I couldn't have retired at my age and just played golf. First of all, they didn't pay quarterbacks what they do today. And I was 37 with three kids. I kept thinking about [what would happen] if some linebacker takes off my head and I can't play anymore.

“Henry Miller Jr. was a lot like [legendary Cowboys coach Tom] Landry. They both had similar haircuts ... they both had phenomenal integrity, great work ethic, and they could transfer their strengths to other people.”

At first, the Staubach Company worked on developing office buildings. Holloway led the construction side of the business. Staubach found tenants to take the space.

In the early 1980s, Staubach bought out his business partner and focused more on working for organisations aiming to lease or buy.

A well-timed recession benefited Staubach. There was an abundance of office space in Dallas. As a result, Staubach had great power across the city and became a central figure in the commercial real estate industry

Over the years, he has worked with K Mart, McDonald’s, and various other household names, which has helped to amass this almost unprecedented fortune for an NFL player of his generation.

In 2007, Staubach resigned as CEO of the company. He sold The Staubach Company little over a year later for north of $600 million. This resulted in a windfall of over $100 million for Staubach and his children over the next five years. He ultimately retired from the business in 2018.

Real estate has been Staubach’s primary focus since he stopped playing football. He also served a brief stint as an NFL commentator, though, and owned Hall of Fame racing (a NASCAR team) with Troy Aikman in the 2000s.

Rookie Card

The 1972 Roger Staubach rookie card is an in-demand collectible. Those graded at eight by a professional sports authenticator regularly go for over $1,500.

Cards graded at nine are in a whole different ballpark. The most recent sale (as of August 2024) was for over $20,000. Even cards graded between six and seven are going for several hundred dollars.