Yahoo Sports Al Michaels, Joe Buck and the Richest Football TV Announcers
Though the Super Bowl is behind us, America's love of football has not faded even slightly. This is happy news for the broadcasters whose comforting voices provide the soundtrack of the season and make them a healthy living.
A lot of familiar faces changed places in 2022, but for the most part, these folks have remained where they are, from Joe Buck and Troy Aikman on ESPN to Tony Romo and Jim Nantz on CBS.
See the List: GOBankingRates' Best Banks of 2023
Read More: 3 Things You Must Do When Your Savings Reach $50,000
You recognize all these voices and names, and they are paid handsomely for it. But which TV personality has the highest net worth?
For this piece, GOBankingRates looked at all play-by-play broadcasters, color commentators and onfield reporters across the five networks (Amazon, CBS, ESPN, FOX, and NBC) that have media deals with the NFL to broadcast games for the 2023 season. GOBankingRates found the net worth of each person using CelebrityNetWorth.com.
15. Robert Smith
Network: FOX
Net worth: $10 million
Smith has been a college football analyst for FOX since 2016 and now moves to the NFL booth, paired with Chris Myers and reporter Jen Hale. Smith played for eight seasons in the NFL as a running back with the Minnesota Vikings.
Take Our Poll: Do You Have a Second Job or Backup Plan in Case You Are Laid Off?
14. Jonathan Vilma
Network: FOX
Net worth: $11 million
Vilma, a Superbowl champion who played 10 years in the NFL and a former Pro Bowler, will be in the booth for his fourth season as an analyst alongside Kenny Albert and reporter Shannon Spake. He worked for four years as a college football analyst at ESPN and ABC before that.
12 (tie). Trent Green
Network: CBS
Net worth: $12 million
Green played quarterback for 16 seasons, and is perhaps best known for being injured and replaced by Kurt Warner during the St. Louis Rams' Super Bowl run. He has worked as an analyst both on radio and TV since 2009. Green joined CBS in 2014.
12 (tie). Kirk Herbstreit
Network: ESPN/ Amazon Prime
Net worth: $12 million
Herbstreit is known for his work as a college football analyst with ESPN, starting in 1996. In 2022, he added the NFL to his portfolio, pairing with Michaels as Amazon Prime broadcasts Thursday night games.
11. Mike Tirico
Network: NBC
Net worth: $14 million
Tirico is considered "the voice of NBC Sports' biggest events" by the network's website. He took over the seat next to Cris Collinsworth on a full-time basis in 2022. Tirico has been a jack of all trades as a broadcaster, working 25 years at ESPN in various roles (SportsCenter host, "Monday Night Football" broadcaster, golf host) before jumping to NBC to broadcast the Olympics, golf, Notre Dame and the NFL.
10. Jim Nantz
Network: CBS
Net worth: $15 million
"Hello, friends." Nantz's signature opening line embodies the familiarity he brings -- he has worked at CBS Sports since 1985, handling the NFL, golf (especially the Masters) and college basketball. Nantz has served as the lead NFL announcer for the network since 2014; he has anchored the network's Masters coverage since 1989 and has called the Final Four since 1991. At the end of 2022, Sports Illustrated reported that Nantz would be stepping away from calling the NCAA tournament, and Ian Eagle would take over as the lead voice in 2024.
$2,000 Quarter? Check Your Pockets Before You Use This 2004 Coin
8 (tie). Greg Olsen
Network: FOX
Net worth: $16 million
Olsen moved into the network's lead analyst role after the departure of Troy Aikman. After broadcasting a few games while still playing, he became a full-time analyst for the network two seasons ago.
8 (tie). Tiki Barber
Network: CBS
Net worth: $16 million
After wrapping up a 10-year NFL career as a running back with the New York Giants, Barber moved into broadcasting. He worked at NBC's "Today" and "Football Night in America," and he covered the 2008 Summer Olympics for NBC. He has worked at CBS since 2019. He now co-hosts CBS Sports Radio's national daytime show, "Tiki & Tierney," with Brandon Tierney.
7. Cris Collinsworth
Network: NBC
Net worth: $25 million
Collinsworth played eight seasons in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals, then quickly transitioned to a broadcasting career when he retired in 1988. He has worked at FOX, the NFL Network and NBC, serving as NBC's game analyst for NBC's Sunday Night Football.
6. Erin Andrews
Network: FOX
Net worth: $30 million
Andrews is the only sideline reporter to make the list. She started at ESPN in 2004, covering hockey, baseball, college football and college basketball. Andrews jumped to FOX in 2012 and has been the lead sideline reporter ever since. She frequently hosts alongside play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt, analyst Greg Olsen, reporter Tom Rinaldi and rules analyst Mike Pereira. She also competed on "Dancing With the Stars" and served as a co-host for the show from 2014 through 2019.
5. Joe Buck
Network: ESPN
Net worth: $35 million
Joe Buck calls Monday Night Football for ESPN alongside former NFL player Troy Aikman. Buck's jump from FOX to ESPN in 2022 was a surprise because he had been at FOX since 1994 and served as the network's lead NFL and baseball announcer. Buck broadcast every World Series since 1996, except for three seasons when NBC broadcast the games.
(tie)3. Mark Sanchez
Network: FOX
Net worth: $40 million
The former New York Jets quarterback known for the "Butt Fumble" when he lost the ball while running into the backside of lineman Brandon Moore, Sanchez started his first season with the FOX NFL broadcast team in 2022.
(tie)3. Al Michaels
Network: Amazon Prime
Net worth: $40 million
Michaels has been on network TV since 1971, and his list of accomplishments is unrivaled. He has broadcast NFL games, the "Miracle on Ice" Olympic hockey game, the earthquake-interrupted World Series in 1989, the Stanley Cup and more. Michaels moved from NBC to Amazon Prime to broadcast Thursday night games, though he's considered a broadcaster emeritus at NBC.
2. Troy Aikman
Network: ESPN
Net worth: $65 million
Aikman won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys before beginning his broadcast career in 2002 with FOX, where he paired with Buck for 20 years and broadcast four Super Bowls. His move to ESPN to broadcast "Monday Night Football" was a big shock.
1. Tony Romo
Network: CBS
Net worth: $70 million
Romo played 14 seasons for the Cowboys, and then CBS surprised many by hiring him as its lead analyst when he retired, starting in 2017. In 2020, Romo negotiated an extension reportedly worth a whopping $17 million per season.
More From GOBankingRates
Methodology: GOBankingRates looked at all play-by-play broadcasters, color commentators and on-field reporters across the five networks (Amazon, CBS, ESPN, FOX and NBC) that have media deals with the NFL to broadcast games for the 2022 season. GOBankingRates found the net worth of each person as of Feb. 23, using CelebrityNetWorth.com.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Al Michaels, Joe Buck and the Richest Football TV Announcers
