The sports industry continues to be a never-ending source of wealth. The most valuable NFL teams in the world continue to pile up bags of money, yet some of them refuse to pay their stars what they demand.
NFL fans all over the world spend a lot of money rooting for their teams on a yearly basis. Sponsors are well aware of that and make a huge profit that only continues to drive the richest NFLteam’s value even higher.
So, regardless of a franchise’s yearly success, it’s all about the market they play in, their heritage, and their fan base. With all those things in mind, let’s take a look at thetop 15 most valuable NFL teams, per Forbes’ latest ranking.
15. Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson signed a $140 million extension in 2019. (Getty)
Value: $2.78Billion
The Seattle Seahawks have one of the strongest fanbases in the world. They’ve known how to get their supporters involvedevery step of the way and have become perennial Super Bowl contenders.
All those things combined with Paul Allen’s legacy make them the 15th richest NFL franchise on earth for the year. That value will only go up as long as Russell Wilson continues to dominate out of the pocket.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger & JuJu Smith-Schuster will lead the Steelers’ offense in 2020. (Getty)
Value: $2.80Billion
Well, let’s be honest for a second. It’s been a while since the Pittsburgh Steelers were legit Super Bowl contenders. Even so, they have arguably the loudest, most supportive fanbase in the world.
The Steelers have always been a huge brand. They’re one of the most successful franchises in football history and that often translates to green numbers. That’s why they make the cut with an estimated value of nearly $3 billion.
13. Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers will try to win his second Super Bowl this season. (Getty)
Value: $2.85Billion The Green Bay Packers have a recent history of underperforming in the playoffs but that definitely doesn’t reflect in their books, as their value actually went up 8% over the past 12 months.
Lambeau Field is, by all means, the mecca of footballand fans from all over the globe travel year after year to try and watch a Packers game live, which is quite tough considering their season-tickets are usually sold out in hours.
12. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders will play their first season in Las Vegas in 2020. (Getty)
Value: $2.90Billion
The Las Vegas Raiders haven’t found much success over the past decade or so but that hasn’t taken a toll on their fans’ hopes every season. Now, they’ll finally leave the Oakland Colisseum for something more suited to their history.
The Raiders value actually went up 20% this year, which is the biggest growth among all NFL franchises over that span. They’re now the 12th most valuable football team on earth and that trend is likely to go on as they debut in Las Vegas.
11. Denver Broncos
Von Miller had 8.0 sacks for the Broncos in 2019. (Getty)
Value: $3.00Billion
The Denver Broncos have had a tough time dealing with the loss of Peyton Manning but the hopes are quite high with Drew Lock entering his sophomore year in the league and ready to break out.
The Broncos continue to be a profitable, growing franchise as the years go by. They barely crack the top-10 in terms of the richest football teams after experiencing a 13% growth since mid-2019.
10. Philadelphia Eagles
Carson Wentz’s durability has been a huge concern for the Eagles. (Getty)
Value: $3.05Billion
The Philadelphia Eagles finally put an end to their title drought a couple of seasons ago and have put together a perennial contending team. Even so, injuries have taken a toll on their chances.
Nevertheless, the Eagles and their strong fanbase can brag about being the 10th most valuable NFL team entering this season after an 11% growth over the past 12 months. Now, it’s time to back it up on the field.
9. Houston Texans
Deshaun Watson threw for 3,852 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2019. (Getty)
Value: $3.10Billion
Texas is all about football and even though the Houston Texans aren’t anywhere near the Dallas Cowboys in pretty much anything, they still crack our list as one of the wealthiest franchises on earth.
The Texans’ recent project has experienced a couple of setbacks due to some questionable decisions, but the team still has a solid core to compete going forward and make it to their first-ever Super Bowl.
8. New York Jets
Sam Darnold missed the first three games of the 2019 season with mononucleosis. (Getty)
Value: $3.20Billion
The New York Jets have had to endure countless rough seasons throughout their history. However, they continue to be one of the most profitable sports franchises in the world. Those arethe perks of playing in New York City.
Even so, now that Tom Brady’s no longer in town, it seems like the door’s finally wide open for the Jets to make some noise in the AFC East. That’ll depend on how far Sam Darnold can take them this year.
7. Washington Football Team
Adrian Peterson and Dwayne Haskins will try to take them back to the playoffs.(Getty)
Value: $3.40Billion
Well, it finally happened. Following years of never-ending back-and-forth and futile debates, the Washington Redskinswill change their name and will go as ‘Washington Football Team’ for the 2020 season.
That decision was mostly motivated due to some backlash from their many sponsors, including FedEx. But hey, when you’re sitting on a $3.40 billion franchise, you play ball and let the money call the shots.
6. Chicago Bears
Khalil Mack is the highest-paid defender in the league. (Getty)
Value: $3.45Billion
The Chicago Bears are trying to honor their franchise history by putting together one of the most physical and tough defenses in the league. Led by Khalil Mack, they’re terrifying on that aspect of the game.
Offensive-wise, things haven’t been that smooth lately, though. Even so, the Bears continue to be one of the richest NFL teams, this time surpassing the $3.4 billion plateau thanks to a 19% growth in the year.
5. San Francisco 49ers
Richard Sherman joined the 49ers in 2018. (Getty)
Value: $3.50Billion
The San Francisco 49ers bounced back on a big way in 2019. Following a disappointing season with Jimmy Garoppolo’s injury by making it to the Super Bowl. Sadly, they couldn’t handle Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
Even so, the 49ers lived up to their status as Silicon Valley’s team by experiencing a 15% growth over the year. That makes them the 5th most valuable football team in the world, as of 2020.
4. Los Angeles Rams
Jared Goff was the 1st overall pick in 2016. (Getty)
Value: $3.80Billion
The Los Angeles Rams relocated back to Los Angeles in 2016 and have been working on their long-term project ever since. That has drawn the attention of plenty of sponsors and venture capitalists.
The Rams expect to play the 2020 season in their new SoFi Stadium, which also helped drive their value up 19% this year. They’ll try and make it back to the Super Bowl to put the cherry on top of the sundae.
3. New York Giants
Saquon Barkley has 2,310 rushing yards in two seasons in the league. (Getty)
Value: $3.90Billion
The New York Giants will enter the 2020 season without Eli Manning on their roster for the first time in 16 years. Even so, the Daniel Jones – Saquon Barkley duo can make some noise in the NFC East.
The Giants haven’t found that much success lately but, then again, they’re New York team, meaning they’re always going to be in green numbers. Hopefully, they’ll give their fans something to cheer about.
2. New England Patriots
Julian Edelman had 100 receptions for 1,117 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2019. (Getty)
Value: $4.10Billion
Believe it or not, Tom Brady isn’t going to be under center stage for the New England Patriots for the first time in two decades. Even so, Cam Newton seems to be the best consolation prize you could ever ask for.
The Patriots have set the standard for a winning franchise in all major sports since Bill Belichick took over. That kind of success has translated to a whole bunch of money, as you can tell by now.
1. Dallas Cowboys
Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper are the Cowboys’ biggest threats. (Getty)
Value: $5.50 Billion
On an unsurprising note, the Dallas Cowboys make it to the top of the list for the 5th consecutive year. Moreover, the team’s value has gone up $1.5 billion since 2016, including a 10% growth this season.
There’s a reason why they call them America’s Team. Texas loves football but the love for the Cowboys goes way beyond the Lone Star state. Once again, they’re the most valuable NFL team in the world.
