What is Willie McGinest's Net Worth?
Willie McGinest is a former American professional football player and NFL analyst who has a net worth of $16 million. Willie McGinest played 12 seasons as a linebacker for the New England Patriots where he won three Super Bowl titles.
Early Life
William Lee McGinest Jr. was born on December 11, 1971, in Long Beach, California, where he attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School and garnered all-state honors in basketball and football. As a linebacker in football, McGinest received All-American recognition from several sporting magazines and all-state, all-city, and all-region honors in 1989. He amassed 18 sacks to go with 107 total tackles and an interception and four blocked kicks as a senior. As a basketball player, Willie was named "Best in the West" by the Long Beach Press-Telegram and earned an All-CIF Southern bid and all-league honors. Willie McGinest was elected to the Poly Football Hall of Fame in 2009.
McGinest continued playing football at the University of Southern California. For three straight years, the six-foot-five, 270-pound defensive end and outside linebacker garnered all-conference and All-American honors. He was a Lombardi Award finalist his senior year and an All-American and All-Pac 10 conference selection. He received a degree in public administration in 1994 and finished his collegiate career with 193 total tackles, 29 sacks, and 26 batted passes before going pro.
NFL Career
With the fourth overall pick in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft, Willie McGinest was selected by the New England Patriots. He played with the Patriots from 1994 until 2005, appearing in two Pro Bowls, in 1996 and 2003. McGinest won three Super Bowls with the Patriots: Super Bowl XXXVI, XXXVIII, and XXXIX. He was part of four AFC Championship-winning teams and is a member of the Patriots All-1990s Team, the All-2000s team, and their All-Dynasty team. At the time, he set the record for most sacks in the postseason during one's career with 16. McGinest played for a few seasons with the Cleveland Browns before announcing his retirement in 2009. He finished his career with 582 tackles, 86 quarterback sacks, and five interceptions.
McGinest was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2015.
Contracts & Career Earnings
Willie McGinest signed a five-year, $25 million contract with New England in 1998. In 2003, he signed a four-year, $15.5 million deal to remain with the Patriots. He then agreed to a three-year, $12 million contract with the Cleveland Browns in 2006.
Over his NFL career, Willie McGinest earned around $50 million in salary alone.
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
Personal Life
After hanging up his cleats, Willie McGinest worked as an analyst on NFL Network, ESPN, and Fox Sports.
McGinest founded the Willie McGinest Freedom School program to help neighborhood youth. For his charitable efforts, the city of Long Beach declared May 3rd as Willie McGinest Day.
McGinest owns the Los Angeles entertainment company 55 Entertainment. He has appeared on several television shows including "S.W.A.T.," "Arli$$," "The Game," and on Disney XD's "Lab Rats" and "Scorpion" as himself.
Restaurant Incident
In December 2022 Willie was involved in a fight at a restaurant in Los Angeles. Willie was eventually faced with charges of assault with a deadly weapon and assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury. A video of the incident allegedly shows Willie using a bottle to hit the alleged victim multiple times.
Real Estate
In 2005 Willie paid $2.4 million for a two acre plot of land in the most-exclusive Calabasas gated community. He sold the land in 2014 for $4 million. This is the same community where celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Britney Spears and several Kardashians have lived or currently live. Willie still owns a mansion in the same community. He also owns a home in Long Beach, California which was acquired in 2017 for $1.775 million.
