Emmitt Smith Highest-Paid Athlete in the World

It's been a rough year for the athlete, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 56-year-old Emmitt Smith has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid athletes for 2026 with an estimated $58 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 03/05/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Emmitt Smith tops annual list of highest-paid athletes

In 2023 it looked like the athlete’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Saturday (May 2) that Smith is the highest-paid athlete in the world, pulling in an astonishing $58 million between April 2025 and April 2026, a nearly $30 million lead over his closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The American athlete has an estimated net worth of $185 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Smith Burger” chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the “Pensacola Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wondersmith - US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Emmitt) and a fashion line called “Emmitt Smith Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Emmitt fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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