What is Bo Jackson’s Net Worth, Career Earnings and Salary?

Bo Jackson, a retired professional baseball and American football player, is worth $25 million and is often regarded as the greatest athlete in history. He was a dominant athlete during his generation and was a significant celebrity product endorser. Bo and Michael Jordan were instrumental in taking Nike to new heights in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Bo Jackson’s Earnings and Endorsements

Bo Jackson earned $6.8 million in baseball salary and $6.1 million in football salary during his professional career, which is equivalent to $20 million today after adjusting for inflation. However, he earned tens of millions of dollars from endorsements, particularly from Nike and Gatorade. In 1986, Nike offered him $100,000 per year to play baseball and $1 million if he played in the NFL as well.

At the height of his playing career, Bo had a 5-year $7.4 million contract with the Los Angeles Raiders and a one-year $2.4 million deal with the Kansas City Royals. He also earned $500,000 per year from Pepsi and AT&T combined, $1 million from Nike, and $1 million from Gatorade. Overall, Bo was earning $6 million per year from salary and endorsements in the early 1990s, which is equivalent to $11 million today after adjusting for inflation.

Bo Jackson’s Relationship with Nike

Bo Jackson’s relationship with Nike was incredibly influential, with the “Bo Knows” commercial series becoming one of the most iconic advertising campaigns of all time. Within a year of the campaign’s launch, Nike had taken over 80% of the global cross trainer market and was generating $400 million per year in revenue.

To honor Bo’s impact, Nike dedicated one of the largest buildings on their corporate campus in Beaverton, Oregon, to him. The 60,000 square-foot Bo Jackson Sports and Wellness Center features an elite training facility, basketball court, two-lane indoor track, childcare facilities and much more.

Despite not playing a professional sport in decades, Bo still earns at least $1 million per year from Nike as a thank you for his endorsement. This is in contrast to Michael Jordan, who still actively sells products for the company.

Bo Jackson’s Early Life and Athletic Career

Vincent Edward “Bo” Jackson was born in Bessemer, Alabama in 1962 and attended McAdory High School. He was a standout athlete in football, baseball, and track and field, breaking records in each sport. He opted to attend Auburn University on a football scholarship and continued to excel in all three sports. Jackson is known for his rare ability to excel in multiple sports due to his impressive stats and accomplishments.

Bo Jackson was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1986 NFL Draft, but he refused to play for them following an incident where he was forced to miss his senior college baseball season after a visit to the Buccaneers’ team facilities. He signed a three-year, $1.07 million contract with the Kansas City Royals and played 53 games with their Class AA minor league affiliate before being called up to the majors in September 1986. He made the Royals’ roster in 1987 and played with them until he was released in 1991 due to injury. The Chicago White Sox then offered him a three-year contract that guaranteed $700,000 per season, with a performance-based upside of $8.15 million. With the White Sox, Jackson played two seasons, in 1991 and 1993, and took the 1992 season off due to hip replacement surgery. He retired from professional athletics in 1994 at the age of 32.

Bo Jackson’s NFL Career

In the 1987 NFL Draft, Bo Jackson was drafted by the Los Angeles Raiders in the seventh round with the 183rd pick. Initially disinterested, Jackson became interested in playing in the NFL after learning that the Raiders’ owner Al Davis was open to the idea of him playing both sports simultaneously. Jackson negotiated a five-year, $7.4 million contract that allowed him to finish each MLB season before reporting to the Raiders, even if it meant he would miss NFL games. Davis offered Jackson the highest salary of any non-quarterback player in NFL history at the time, plus a reported $500,000 signing bonus.

During his four seasons in the NFL, Jackson rushed for 2,782 yards and 16 touchdowns, with an average yards per carry of 5.4. He also caught 40 passes for a total of 352 yards and two touchdowns. In January 1991, he suffered a dislocated hip following a tackle, resulting in avascular necrosis of his left hip joint. This injury eventually led to his retirement in 1994 and caused the Royals to release him from the team.

Bo Jackson’s Video Game and TV Appearances

Bo Jackson has appeared in various video games, such as “Tecmo Bowl” for NES, “Bo Jackson’s Hit and Run” for Game Boy, “Bo Jackson Baseball” for NES and IBM-compatible computers, “ESPN NFL Football”, “NFL Street 2”, “Madden 15”, and “Madden 16”.

Aside from video games, Bo Jackson also made appearances on television. He played a character in the NBC Saturday morning cartoon show “ProStars”, portrayed Calvin Farquhar on “Married…with Children”, guest-starred in “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” and “Diagnosis Murder”, and was a guest on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” in 1990.

Bo Jackson’s Business Ventures

Bo Jackson is a co-owner of The Burr Ridge Bank and Trust in Burr Ridge, Illinois, and also serves as the CEO of the Bo Jackson Elite Sports Complex, which he established in 2007 with partner John Cangelosi. The facility spans over 88,000 square feet and offers a range of sports activities. In addition, Jackson has invested in N’Genuity, a food company.

Jackson’s Personal Life

Bo Jackson is married to Linda, who works as a rehabilitation counselor. The couple has three children – Garrett, Nicholas, and Morgan.

After retiring from sports, Jackson fulfilled his promise to his mother and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in family and children development from Auburn University in 1995.

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