Hall of Famer Terrell Owens Reveals How His NFL Earnings Vanished
Terrell Owens said the $80 million he earned in the NFL largely disappeared after trusting advisors, prompting a lawsuit that was later dropped.
During a recent interview at the Huddle event in the Hamptons, former NFL star Terrell Owens recounted how the nearly $80 million he earned over 15 seasons evaporated. Early in his career he relied on David Joseph of the small firm Joseph one outlet Management for both contract and financial matters, then in 2005 hired prominent agent Drew Rosenhaus to handle only contracts while delegating investments to other advisers.
Toward the end of his playing days, Owens noticed irregularities, late payments and missing funds, leading him to hire forensic accountants who found an extra bank account opened without his consent. The financial fallout prompted a 2013 lawsuit against Rosenhaus, which was moved to arbitration and ultimately dropped in 2018 after the fraud claim missed the filing deadline. Owens has since shifted to media work and business ventures, noting that his Hall of Fame status helped him avoid financial ruin.
Why it matters
The story highlights how even high-earning athletes can lose wealth without proper financial oversight.
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