Alabama Football: 3 former Tide players make Forbes’ top 100 list

A few former Alabama football players are making tons of money.

We are used to Alabama football sending plenty of players to the NFL Draft to become instant millionaires. This success can make fans numb to just how it compares to other athletes in the world. Well, Forbes just came out with their list of the 100 highest-paid athletes of the year, and three were former players for the Crimson Tide.

The first former player for Alabama football was Julio Jones at No. 26. His earnings for the year came in at $40.5 million. The vast majority of this came from his salary, but he also has multiple endorsement deals. Jones also has opened car dealerships in Tuscaloosa in previous years, so there is surely a revenue stream from those.

Jones was the first non-quarterback NFL player on the Forbes top 100 list, and a lot of his success is in part thanks to his college career. He is a Tide legend, which expands his brand across collegiate and professional ranks.

Next on the list was another former Crimson Tide receiver. Amari Cooper inked a contract to extend his career with the Dallas Cowboys, and that deal came with a hefty salary. His total earnings came in at just under $25 million, putting him at No. 75 on the list.

The final Alabama football alum to make the list was Quinnen Williams. Williams was highly-drafted in the 2019 NFL Draft, which is where the majority portion of his earnings is coming from. He didn’t have an incredibly great year as a rookie, but the Jets are hoping that he can grow into the player they expected him to be when they drafted him.

Who will be the next former Alabama football players to make this list?

Obviously, Tua Tagovailoa is bound to make this list in a few years. Between his significant salary with the Miami Dolphins and his plethora of endorsement deals, it would shock me if he wasn’t on this list for next year. Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs will also be candidates once they make it to their second contract. Their earnings for the foreseeable future might be impacted on just how soon we can get sports back on television screens.

He didn’t play for Alabama this year, but perhaps Justin Thomas will make this list at some point after making the cover of the next golf video game. He will likely have to win a major or two, however, That’s where the majority of golfer earnings come.

In the state of Alabama, Deontay Wilder also made this list. He has no ties to the university, but there is a strong correlation between Crimson Tide fans and Wilder fans.

All of these athletes have earned their way onto this list, and it speaks to what Nick Saban has done at the University of Alabama over the past decade. Fans can’t wait to see more players make this list in the future.