Florence Griffith Joyner Highest-Paid Athlete in the World

It's been a rough year for the athlete, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 66-year-old Florence Griffith Joyner 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 24/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Florence Griffith Joyner tops annual list of highest-paid athletes

In 2023 it looked like the athlete’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, she was back on top. People With Money reports on Monday (March 23) that Griffith Joyner is the highest-paid athlete in the world, pulling in an astonishing $58 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $30 million lead over her 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. She owes her fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. She also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Griffith Joyner Burger” chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the “Los Angeles Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure Wondergriffith Joyner - US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Florence) and a fashion line called “Florence Griffith Joyner Seduction”.

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

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