In his heyday, Terrell Owens was one of the NFL’s very best. Some thought he was on track to become the greatest receiver of all time.
While Owens didn’t quite become a GOAT, the five-time First-Team All-Pro’s name is enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Yet, now the 52-year-old suggests he would be struggling financially if he hadn’t earned a bronze bust in Canton.
Terrell Owens Outlines Financial Reality of NFL Career
Owens ranks third on the NFL’s all-time receiving leaders list with 15,934 receiving yards. He’s also third in receiving touchdowns with 153.
Despite all his accomplishments, Owens raked in $79.6 million in career earnings. That’s a fraction of the top receivers’ paychecks today. Receivers in the league in this era eclipse that figure after just two seasons of play after landing their first contract extension.
For example, Jaxson Smith-Njigba, the NFL’s highest-paid receiver, earns an average of $42.15 million per season.
During a talk at the FOS Huddle in the Hamptons, Owens revealed that “he’d be struggling” had he not enjoyed such a successful Hall of Fame career.
“It goes fast,” Owens admitted. “One day it was like, what happened to my $80 million? If I was just a 10-year guy who wasn’t a Hall of Famer, honestly I’d be struggling.”
.@terrellowens on his total $80m in NFL earnings, onstage at @FOS Huddle in the Hamptons with @mattiseman: “It goes fast. One day it was like, what happened to my $80 million? If I was just a 10-year guy who wasn’t a Hall of Famer, honestly I’d be struggling” pic.twitter.com/zYBJl9UYbV
— Daniel Roberts (@readDanwrite) July 31, 2026
Of course, taxes play a heavy factor too. While Owens didn’t face any income taxes for the three seasons he played in Texas with the Dallas Cowboys, his first eight seasons came in California with the San Francisco 49ers, where they’ve historically had one of the highest tax rates in the country.
So, yeah, how quickly Owens’ money disappeared probably did catch him by surprise, because the nearly $80 million was heavily reduced by taxes.
The most Owens ever made in a single season came in 2008 when he made $13.73 million with the Dallas Cowboys at the age of 35.
Notably, Owens was also fined $72,500 for various infractions throughout his 15-year career.
Nevertheless, Owens says he’s still okay, but had he not been so darn successful, the six-time Pro Bowler might be struggling to get by.
While Owens was lucky enough to be one of the greatest players of his era, a number of former players have gone on record outlining the stark realities of their financial futures after exiting the league.
As the HOF receiver said, the money “goes fast,” and that’s especially true when there’s not almost $80 million to go around.
