What is Troy Aikman's Net Worth and Salary?
Troy Aikman is a California-born, retired NFL quarterback who has a net worth of $65 million. Over the course of his 12-season NFL career, Troy Aikman earned $55 million in salary and bonuses, plus tens of millions more from endorsements. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys at the 1989 Draft. Under his leadership, the Cowboys won three Super Bowl titles. Troy won the Super Bowl MVP Award in 1992. He was also named to the Pro Bowls six times. He retired in 2000 and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2006.
After his retirement, Aikman went on to pursue a successful career in the broadcasting industry. He spent several years working with the Fox network until jumping to ESPN in a deal that was announced in February 2022. The 5-year, $90 million deal works out to a salary of $18 million per year. Aikman's other post-NFL exploits include co-owning a NASCAR racing team and a minority stake in the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball.
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Early Life
Troy Kenneth Aikman was born on November 21st, 1966, in West Covina, California. After growing up in California, he moved with his family to Henryetta, Oklahoma, at the age of 12. During his time in Oklahoma, he played football on his high school team and showed his potential as a future star athlete. During his high school years, he not only won All-State honors for football, but he also won a state championship in typing.
Although he was a talented football player, he was actually offered a contract with the New York Mets to play baseball right out of high school. Troy chose football instead, attending the University of Oklahoma and playing under head coach Barry Switzer during his college years. Despite being a freshman, he immediately took a starting position and led the Sooners to a number of important victories. An ankle injury ended his season, and he decided to transfer to UCLA. He then continued his pattern of strong results and was eventually elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
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NFL Career
Aikman was the first overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft, and he joined the Dallas Cowboys. In 1992, Troy led the team to a Super Bowl victory. Another Super Bowl victory followed in 1993, and a third title came in 1995. Troy's impressive statistics continued well into the late 90s, but by the year 2000, he had decided to retire. Initially, he told the press that he decided to stop playing because he couldn't find another team. However, he later revealed in 2013 that his real reason for retirement was due to persistent injuries. Specifically, he was dealing with serious back issues, which required constant treatment to stop chronic pain. Aikman also suffered several concussions during his career, especially during his last season – but he maintains that the concussions did not impact his decision to retire.
Broadcasting Career
After retiring, Troy immediately found work with the Fox network as a color commentator. He subsequently received a number of Emmy Awards, and he now hosts a weekly radio show.
NFL Earnings
During his NFL career, Troy earned $27.4 million in base salary and $17.85 million in bonuses, for a career total of $55.5 million. In 1993, he was the highest-paid player in the NFL thanks to an 8-year, $50-million contract that included an $11-million signing bonus. In today's money, this contract would be worth $90 million, with a further $20-million signing bonus. At the time of his retirement, his salary was $7.5 million per year.
Broadcasting Earnings
At the beginning of his broadcasting career, Aikman earned just $1 million per year. By 2019, his salary had been boosted to $7.5 million per year, making him the highest-paid sports broadcaster in the world. However, Tony Romo broke this record when he signed a contract with CBS in 2020 that paid $17 million per year.
In February 2022, Troy's Romo-"FOMO" ended when he was also given a monster broadcasting contract. In February 2022, Troy left Fox for ESPN for a deal that will pay him $90 million over five years. That's around $18 million per year. In other words, Troy will nearly double his entire NFL earnings by the time this one contract is up.
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Racing
In 2005, Troy teamed up with Roger Staubach, who also played for the Cowboys as a quarterback. Together, they established a NASCAR racing team called Hall of Fame Racing. Their drivers were Terry Labonte and Tony Raines, and they initially competed in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series in 2006.
Personal Life
Troy dated country singer Lorrie Morgan for a year, around 1993.
He married publicist named Rhonda Worthey in 2000. The pair subsequently had two children together before divorcing in 2011.
Aikman went on to become engaged to fashion retailer Catherine Mooty, and the couple was married in 2017. A June 2023 social media post indicated that Troy and Catherine were broken up and her was seeing a new woman.
Rhonda Aikman standing with ex-husband and Dallas Quarterback Troy Aikman / Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images
Rhonda Aikman Divorce Settlement
As we mentioned a moment ago, Troy and Rhonda Aikman were married from 2000 to 2011. At the time of their divorce, they lived in a mansion that they valued at $27 million. As part of their divorce settlement, Troy paid Rhonda for her half of the home, paid her $2 million in cash, and funded the purchase of a new $1.5 million home in the same area.
Real Estate
In 2011, Troy's divorce forced him to list the family's long-time home in Highland Park, Texas, for $27.54 million. It was the most expensive home listed for sale in Texas at the time. He lowered the price to $14 million in 2012 but was still unable to find a buyer. He continues to own this property today. The residence sits on 1.45 acres of land and features 10,520 square feet of living space. Other highlights include arched glass doors, a double-story atrium, a pool, a basketball court, and extensive gardens.
In 2013, it was revealed that Troy had purchased another home in the Highland Park area for $4.3 million. He sold this residence in 2015 for $5.4 million. It sits on one-third of an acre, features more than 10,700 square feet of living space, and includes four bedrooms. Other highlights include a home theater, a wine cellar, and French doors. Outside, there is also a pool and spa.
