The 1990s changed the money game for professional athletes. Salaries were climbing fast, endorsement deals were becoming enormous, and the biggest stars in sports were turning into worldwide brands. Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, Shaquille O’Neal, Greg Norman, and a young Tiger Woods were not just winning championships and collecting trophies. They were making the kind of money that helped redefine what a superstar athlete could earn.
Some of those paydays looked almost unbelievable at the time, even if modern sports contracts have since pushed the numbers much higher. The athletes on this list were among the decade’s biggest earners, combining salaries, prize money, endorsements, and other income. For several of them, the 1990s were only the beginning. Their success during the decade helped build fortunes that continued growing long after the calendar flipped to 2000.
Why Is This Important?
There were plenty of athletes making big money in the 1990s.
Most of these athletes’ riches came from sponsorships, not from the teams or sports they played for or on. Brands like Nike made Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan super-rich, while Mike Tyson made money from video games with his name attached. As many companies paying these athletes’ absurd amounts of money are often covered on 24/7 Wall St, this list makes a lot of sense.
10. Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky is undeniably one of the greatest hockey players ever.
- Sport: Hockey
- Endorsements: Coca-Cola, Upper Deck
- Net worth: $110 million
The Great One
Gretzky’s hockey skills helped him earn big money in the 1990s.
One of the greatest hockey players ever to skate on the ice, Wayne Gretzky more than earned his nickname “The Great One.” He earned large contracts in the ‘80s and early ‘90s; by the time Gretzky retired in 1999, he had 61 NHL records and had won four Stanley Cups during his 20 NHL seasons. Much of his wealth came later from coaching, business, and ownership stakes.
9. George Foreman
George Foreman made a fortune manufacturing countertop grills.
- Sport: Boxing
- Endorsements: George Foreman Grill, KFC, Meineke
- Net worth: $120 million
Big George
George Foreman famously fought Muhammad Ali.
A two-time world heavyweight champion, George Foreman was The boxer of the 90s. His Foreman Grill endorsement didn’t start paying out huge sums until the mid-1990s and especially the 2000s, when the grills exploded in popularity. In the early ‘90s, he was still making most of his money from boxing. Foreman is also well known for his comeback after his prime and grill empire.
8. Greg Norman
Greg Norman made a fortune with his brand.
- Sport: Golf
- Endorsements: Reebok, Cobra Golf
- Net worth: $130 million
The Shark
Greg Norman made a fortune with his endorsements.
Greg Norman, the winner of 91 professional tournaments, including 20 PGA Tour events, is one of the biggest names in golf history. One of the few golfers who has truly parlayed his career into a fantastic business, Norman’s endorsements and business acumen helped him earn additional income in golf course design. His design business and Reebok “Shark” brand really grew after the ‘90s.
7. Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer has been one of the highest-earning golfers for decades.
- Sport: Golf
- Endorsements: Rolex, Penzzoil
- Net worth: $140 million
The King
Arnold Palmer continues to make big money even to this day.
One of golf’s most popular stars, Arnold Palmer, is a legend on and off the golf course. However, Palmer’s playing career peaked decades before the 1990s. Much of his wealth came from long-term endorsements and licensing. Palmer is also well known for designing more than 300 golf courses.
6. Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi was the biggest name in tennis during the 1990s.
- Sport: Tennis
- Endorsements: Nike, Canon, American Express
- Net worth: $150 million
The Punisher
Andre Agassi made a fortune on and off the tennis court.
During Andre Agassi’s legendary 20-year professional tennis tour, he was known for his dominance on the court. His success in completing the Career Grand Slam helped propel his earnings during the 1990s well beyond any previous tennis star.
5. Shaquille O’Neal
Shaq’s dominance helped him make big money during the 1990s.
- Sport: Basketball
- Endorsements: Reebok, Pepsi, Taco Bell
- Net worth: $180 million
Shaq Diesel
Shaq has made a fortune off his 1990s basketball success.
A man of many nicknames, Shaquille O’Neal’s oversized personality and dominance on the basketball court helped him earn a fortune. His face-off with Michael Jordan’s Bulls in the 1995 playoffs was highly anticipated. He is well-known for his generosity off the court in helping the less fortunate.
4. Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods came into the golf world at the end of the 1990s.
- Sport: Golf
- Endorsements: Nike, American Express, Titleist
- Net worth: $200 million
The Michael Jordan of Golf
The late 1990s were Tiger’s time as he rose to dominance on the PGA tour.
Just as the NBA world had never seen a player as dominant as Michael Jordan, the same was true of the PGA Tour and Tiger Woods. By the second half of the 1990s, Tiger Woods was a golf phenomenon, winning the biggest golf tournaments in the world and making it look easy.
3. Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield was the second-best boxer in the 1990s.
- Sport: Boxing
- Endorsements: Coca-Cola
- Net worth: $250 million
“The Real Deal” Holyfield
Evander Holyfield famously defeated both George Foreman and Mike Tyson.
Evander Holyfield, the world’s second most popular boxer behind Mike Tyson, earned over $60.5 million in 1991 alone. His strength in the ring helped him notch 44 wins, of which 29 were by knockout. Over his career, Holyfield fought 57 times. He was disqualified controversially in the semi-finals of the ’84 Olympics.
2. Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson was one of the most feared men during the 1990s.
- Sport: Boxing
- Endorsements: Pepsi, Nintendo
- Net worth: $300 million
Iron Mike
You can’t ignore how dominant Mike Tyson was in the boxing ring.
Iron Mike Tyson, the most famous boxer in the world after Mohammad Ali, was also the most feared athlete on the planet. His boxing record helped him earn a whopping $300 million throughout the 1990s, although he would lose much of his fortune the following decade.
1. Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan was the highest-paid athlete of the 1990s.
- Sport: Basketball
- Endorsements: Nike, Gatorade, Hanes, McDonalds
- Net worth: $400 million
Air Jordan
Michael Jordan’s relationship with Nike helped him become a billionaire.
Undoubtedly the most famous athlete in the world during the 1990s, Michael Jordan was everywhere. His six NBA titles, movie roles, and Olympic gold medals helped make him the wealthiest athlete during the decade. While his Nike and Gatorade deals were massive, he only became a billionaire in 2014 through his ownership stake in the Charlotte Hornets. To this day, Michael Jordan remains the richest athlete of all time, with a net worth exceeding $3 billion.