Millions of people tune in every weekend to watch the Super Bowl. There's big money to be made, and NFL players are filthy rich and don't always know what to do with their money. There are those players who are frugal and like to remain modest even after finding financial success in the NFL. There are also those who aren't afraid to flaunt. They'll call the first luxury car dealer they know of as soon as they're drafted under a lucrative contract.
There's a clear distinction between these kinds of NFL players. The modest ones are consistent with the kind of lifestyle they live. They buy simple homes, and cars for them are about getting from point A to B. There's even a player on the list who used to drive a Mazda van that belonged to his girlfriend's mom.
The NFL attracts millions of dollars in TV rights and advertising revenue. Some players are all about the lifestyle and will buy the newest toys in the market. Some own fleets of luxury vehicles. There are also those who like to keep grounded and to be reminded of their roots. They'll buy luxury vehicles but still drive cheap cars because they're convenient and easy to maintain. Here are the 10 filthy rich NFL players who drive cheap cars and another 10 who drive the hottest sports cars.
20 Ben Roethlisberger- Mini Cooper Convertible
Ben Roethlisberger has had a long and successful career in the NFL and plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers as a quarterback in the National Football League.
Ben has been involved in a couple of road accidents in the past. In 2006, he was involved in a motorcycle accident in which he crashed his jaw. He wasn't wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. He's also been a victim of a hit-and-run incident in which he was critically injured.
Despite the misfortunes on the road, Ben Roethlisberger has a soft spot for automobiles and has had a personal attachment to the Mini Cooper for several years.
He's always seen in his Mini Cooper convertible despite having other luxury sports cars. The Mini Cooper convertible costs $30,000.
19 A.J. Francis- Dodge Charger
You know someone is humble when he decides to work as an Uber driver when he doesn't really need the money. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins and is said to be making more than $500,000 per season.
He's also pursuing a Masters Degree in international security and economic policy. Francis decided to be an Uber driver so that he could interact more with people and posts videos of such interactions on his YouTube channel. The Dodge Charger has been around for a while, and the first ever to be produced in 1964 was a show car. There are new models every year, and it's not a car you'd expect a rich NFL player to be driving.
18 Stevie Johnson- 1987 Chevrolet Caprice
Stevie Johnson has had a good career with the Buffalo Bills, and he's currently a free agent. He drives the 1987 Chevrolet Caprice that's undergone a couple of modifications.
There's nothing special about the vehicle except for its looks. The car is a classic, and you can get it for less than $12,000 if you know where to shop.
The 1987 Caprice was an improvement over the earlier versions. There was a significant effort to reduce the weight so as to improve the aerodynamics. It has a lowered tapered hood with a raised trunk area. The doors were designed to be lighter than the previous models. It has a V8 engine with 115 hp. Stevie Johnson has modified the tires, and the car looks nothing like the original.
17 Antonio Cromartie- Toyota Prius
"Antonio Cromartie" is a controversial name in the NFL world. He's been scoring on and off the pitch. He has 14 kids, and a Toyota Prius might not be enough for his big family.
Before 2013, Antonio used to own over 9 luxury cars in his garage. All that changed when he discovered the Toyota Prius.
In a past interview with News Today, Antonio said he only fueled once a week and that it would cost him 33 bucks. His shrewd lifestyle came about after learning the hard way. He blew $5 million in his first 2 years as a professional NFL player. He even admitted having contemplated buying a Lamborghini. Nowadays, he's all about living on a budget.
16 James Harrison- ForTwo
James Harrison is still playing professional football for the New England Patriots despite being 39 years old. The ForTwo is a collaboration between Mercedes and Swatch and over 1.5 million units were sold as of 2015.
The name is derived from its seating capacity, which is two passengers. The automated manual transmission is a unique feature found in the ForTwo. James Harrison is a big guy, and if he can fit in this vehicle, so can anyone. There's space to put luggage, and the vehicle can be used for city commuting.
James Harrison doesn't have to worry about parallel parking with the ForTwo. He can park it perpendicularly in spaces meant for parallel parking.
15 Giovani Bernard- Honda Odyssey
Giovani Bernard is one of the shrewdest players in the NFL. He's been driving a Honda van that belongs to his girlfriend's mom for a long time. He decided to upgrade and went for the same Honda Odyssey.
He has a $5.5 million contract with the Bengals and can drive just about any car he wants, but he picked the Odyssey. His criteria for choosing the best car is if it can get him from one point to another without any problems.
He also lives in a modest apartment, which is super close to the training grounds, and thus, he may not even need to use his car. He likes the Honda Odyssey because of the comfort it provides and also because he's driven it before.
14 Jared Allen- 1969 Cadillac Coupe DeVille
This is another rich NFL player who drives a cheap classic. The coupe Deville has a classic look and feel to it, and one might think it's an expensive vehicle, but you can get it for less than $25,000.
The 1967 Coupe is a third-generation vehicle that saw a major overhaul in terms of design. The grille slants backward with forward-slanting pillars.
Having made millions of dollars in the NFL playing for the Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings in his illustrious career, Jared Allen must be enjoying life with his convertible Cadillac.
The 1969 model of the Cadillac Coupe Deville has the best looks in terms of exterior design and comes highly recommended when you're searching for a classic Cadillac.
13 Alfred Morris- Mazda 626
The 29-year-old Dallas Cowboy running back gained a lot of popularity on social media because of his $2 Mazda 626.
Alfred Morris signed a $5.5 M contract with Dallas in 2017, earning $1 million in his first season. There's a big difference between what he spends and what he earns. He still drives a 26-year-old Mazda, which he bought for $2. That must be the bargain of his life.
According to Morris, he bought the Mazda from his pastor when he was still a junior at Florida Atlantic University.
He affectionately refers to the car as 'Bentley,' and he says the car keeps him grounded and humble. In 2013, Mazda offered to refurbish the vehicle, and they installed a new engine and an interior.
12 John Urschel- Nissan Versa
John Urschel is the rare combination of brains and football. He shocked the nation when he announced his retirement from football at the age of 26 after just 3 competitive seasons.
His reason was to concentrate on his Ph.D. studies in Mathematics at MIT and to also have more time for his girlfriend. His frugal lifestyle could be attributed to his background in mathematics.
John drives a second-hand Nissan Versa as his daily vehicle and lives on less than $25,000 a year despite earning millions.
John Urschel likes his Nissan Versa because it's economical with gasoline and spacious as well. He says that finding parking at training was easy because most of his teammates drove big cars that couldn't fit in some slots.
11 Chad Johnson- ForTwo
Although retired, Chad Johnson is always in the news for one reason or another. He changed his name from "Ochocinco" to "Johnson." He must've noticed that his second name was giving people a hard time. During his time with the Bengals, he almost offered $100,000 back to the team because he was disappointed with his performance.
He's the second NFL player who owns the ForTwo because of its price and reliability. Chad's love for the ForTwo has seen him upgrade to a newer model of the vehicle.
Before that, he had been driving the previous version since 2007. In an Instagram post, he asked fans not to laugh at his new ForTwo, as he said he got the same results as those who drove Ferraris and Lamborghinis.
Sick Sports Cars
10 Calvin Johnson- Porsche Panamera
Calvin Johnson has produced magical moments in the NFL. He played for the Detroit Lions in his entire professional career and retired at the age of 30 in 2016.
His success in the sport has afforded him the opportunity to buy luxury, and he's known to spend on cars. The Porsche Panamera is a 4-door sports sedan. There are some people who are of the opinion that the 4-door is a deal-breaker.
If you look past the extra doors, the Panamera is almost a replica of the 911 in terms of aerodynamic design. There's a plug-in hybrid version, which was launched in the US market in 2013. It has a 4.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine with 500 hp. It has a limited top speed of 150.4 mph.
9 Larry Fitzgerald- Mercedes-Benz SL550
Larry Fitzgerald has been playing professional football for over a decade and still manages to perform at his peak at the age of 34. He's also one of the best receivers in the history of the NFL.
He loves cars and has a collection of unique and luxurious sports cars. He owns a Mustang Shelby, a BMW 745i, a Range Rover, and a restored 1970 Mustang charger. The Mercedes-Benz SL550 is a sight to behold.
It has a 4.7-liter V8 engine with 362 horsepower, which is insane power for such a vehicle. The top speed for the Mercedes-Benz SL550 is 155 mph, and it can go from 0 to 60 in 4.9 seconds. Out of all his cars, the Benz is his favorite.
8 Antrel Rolle- Maserati GranTurismo
Antrel Rolle raked in millions from the NFL before he decided to retire in 2016. The Maserati is unlike most sports cars in the market at the moment. There aren't so many sports cars that can comfortably fit four people, and the GranTurismo is one of them.
Antrel Rolle was one of the hardest hitters in the NFL, and his choice when it comes to a sports car definitely reflects that.
The GranTurismo shares some parts with the Ferrari 599 GTB, which was a limited edition like the Scaglietti. Under the hood, you get a 4.2-liter V8 engine, and the car has a top speed of 185 mph and can go from 0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds.
7 Colin Kaepernick- Jaguar F Type
Colin Kaepernick is the perfect example of a rags-to-riches story. He was raised up by his single mother who struggled to make ends meet. He's had success both on the pitch and in the academia and has become a role model to many young people. The Rapper Common referred to Colin as his 'personal MVP.'
Colin knows how much he's worked hard and that the best way you can reward yourself is with an awesome car. The Jaguar F Type is the fastest four-wheel car to have ever been produced by the car manufacturer.
The aggressive styling cues are very dominant on the exterior. The car also has some amazing numbers. It has a top speed of 186 mph and can go from 0 to 60 in 4.0 seconds.
6 Jamaal Charles- Lamborghini Gallardo
Jamaal Charles plays for the Denver Broncos as a running back. His net worth is said to be in the range of $49 million, and he has a yearly salary of $13 million. He's not only one of the strongest running backs but also one of the highest-paid players in the league.
The most valuable car in his garage is the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 whose price starts at $200,000. The car has a top speed of 199 mph and can go from 0 to 62 in 3.9 seconds.
Jamaal Charles owns a blue Gallardo and is always seen in it most of the time. Why do some rich athletes buy expensive vehicles that they never get to drive?
5 Jay Cutler- Audi R8
You're not a real football fan if you haven't heard of Jay Cutler. He's been successful on the pitch and continues to ply his trade as a quarterback for the Miami Dolphins.
He's also known to enjoy the finer things life has to offer. His assortment of luxury cars goes to show how life has been good to him. In his garage, you'll find the legendary Audi R8, which is one of the fastest four-wheel vehicles on the planet.
The Audi R8 has a top speed of 201 mph and can go from 0 to 60 in under 3 seconds. Jay Cutler's Audi is adorned with a white color both for its interior and its exterior. It also has orange accents.
4 Joe Haden- Lamborghini Murcielago
Joe Haden is your typical nice guy and plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He's been consistent with his performance over the years, and that's why he makes close to $7 million in a year. There are a lot of things you can do with that kind of money, and one of them is buying the Lamborghini Murcielago.
The Murcielago is one of Lamborghini's most successful supercars and is owned by celebrity athletes and millionaire businessmen.
Joe's Lamborghini can barely go unnoticed with the conspicuous white exterior and the aesthetic styling, which are in line with the Murcielago. It's also one of the fastest supercars to be produced. It has a limited top speed of 210 mph and can go from 0 to 60 in under 3 seconds. The price started at $350,000 when it first launched.
3 Darren McFadden- Bentley GT
Darren isn't a big name in the NFL, but that doesn't stop him from filling his garage with rubber. He's a car enthusiast and has a couple of unique cars in his garage. He has a Buick Centurion with oversized wheels, a Cadillac Escalade, and a Silver Bentley GT.
Bentley had been struggling as a brand before the GT line gave the company a lifeline. The Bentley GT is a high-end sports car whose performance justifies the price tag. The price starts at $210,000, and that can be a lot higher if you include the add-ons.
It has a 6.0-liter turbocharged W12 engine. Their design language is class-leading in terms of evoking a sense of presence and speed. The interior lighting can be customized to the owner's liking. The Bentley GT has a top speed of 205 mph and manages 0-60 in 4 seconds.
2 Tom Brady- Rolls-Royce Ghost
Tom Brady has everything a man could ever want. He still has an active professional sporting career at 40, is married to a supermodel, and drives a freaking Rolls-Royce Ghost. It doesn't get better than that!
Playing for the New England Patriots, he's one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. The Ghost is everything you'd want in a luxury vehicle.
The Ghost is owned by famous athletes like Mayweather, and it has everything to do with the interior comfort. The vehicle is also competitive when it comes down to speed and performance.
Under the hood, you get a 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 engine with 563 hp. The Rolls-Royce Ghost comes with an 8-speed automatic transmission and can go from 0 to 60 in 4.7 seconds.
1 Reggie Bush- Lamborghini Aventador
Reggie Bush is the envy of a lot of men. He's rich and has a wife with the looks and the body of Kim Kardashian. He also has a car that's as beautiful as his wife.
The Lamborghini Aventador costs $397,00 for a base model and can go up to half a million if you add the extra packs.
The Aventador has been engineered to precision. It has a 6.5-liter V12 engine with 690 hp and weighs around 235 kg. It's a single-clutch, 7-speed semi-automatic with a top speed of 217 mph and can go from 0 to 60 in 2.9 seconds.
Reggie Bush must be enjoying retirement cruising around in this luxury supercar with a hot wife in the passenger seat. And who can blame him?
Sources: topspeed.com; wikipedia.com; caranddriver.com