When we talk about one of the greatest wide receivers the game has ever seen, then Antonio Brown’s career at his peak will always top most of the list. From 2013 to 2018, the guy was literally unstoppable. That crazy route running, insane footwork, elite hands, and after-the-catch explosiveness. But he didn’t have the longevity of Jerry Rice and Larry Fitzgerald. The reason?

Well, the former wide receiver’s career was derailed by off-field issues, and those issues weren’t just limited to his NFL career. Brown has been involved in certain legal issues even after retiring from the NFL. The latest buzz? He filed for bankruptcy in Florida in May 2024, and according to the filing, Brown claimed that he just has $50,000 in assets. And his net worth? That’s kinda -$3M because he owes $3M to the creditors.

On a podcast with the Nelk Boys, former Steelers wideout opened up about the money he made—and lost—in the NFL. “I think I made $100 million if you count off-the-field earnings,” he said. But when asked how much of that he actually spent, Brown didn’t hold back: “Well, I just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, so yeah… I blew all of it. Every single dollar. I just had my people in my life; they just took the money I made, put it away for family, saved for kids,” See, that’s his entire 12-year NFL career in a nutshell—literally and figuratively.

During his career, Brown made almost $80M from his NFL contracts only while he raked up $69M from playing for the Steelers alone. And as per his bankruptcy filing, he owes $3M to eight different creditors. Now, that’s a long list, and the names included are much crazier than it seems. He owed $1.2M to a truck driver whom he reportedly assaulted. During the hearing of the case, Brown didn’t appear in the court, and the truck driver was awarded his share.

Besides, he owed hundreds of thousands of dollars to some credit cards and individuals. One of the most interesting debt? $296 to a plumber. Yep, you read that right. However, Brown also listed his 180,000-square-foot Fort Lauderdale mansion as his address in the filing. The wideout bought the mansion back in 2016 worth $6.6M which now stands at whopping $9M.

And here’s the kicker. As a homestead state, his mansion is protected from the bankruptcy filing. Meaning? Well, despite being a bankrupt, Antonio Brown can live in his house with any issue as long as he’s paying the mortgage.

Antonio Brown’s career earnings and salary

At this point, it’s safe to say Antonio Brown is the perfect example of how not to end an NFL career. See, Brown signed his rookie contract with the Steelers worth $1.28M back in 2010. In his rookie years, the organization paid him $393K, which was followed by $450K in his sophomore year. And after having a couple of standout seasons with the team, the Steelers offered him a 5-year contract extension worth $42M back in 2012.

Now, that’s where things get pretty interesting. For the next five seasons of his contract extension, Brown was a monster on the field, having recorded over 1,000 yards for the next five seasons. Geez! He was the highest paid wide receiver in the 2017 season. Then came his argument with the-then QB, Ben Roethlisberger, and after missing out on several practice sessions, he declared his dissatisfaction with his role in the Steelers’ locker room. The result?

He requested for a trade and the Pittsburgh team traded him to the Oakland Raiders. But his troubles didn’t stop. His fallout with the Raiders’ management led him to demand a release, and he eventually landed with the New England Patriots and guess what? The same story continued. The WR played just one game with the Patriots and was later released due to allegations of personal misconduct. He earned around $5.4M while playing for two seasons with the Raiders and the Patriots.

Then, it was his comeback time. In the 2020 season, the Bucs signed him on a one-year contract. Playing alongside Tom Brady, Brown lifted his first Super Bowl title after a decade of his NFL debut. Then came his second season with the Bucs when he infamously removed his shirt and walked off the field mid-game. The result? The organization fired him, and since then, he never returned to the field.

During his couple of seasons with the Bucs, Brown raked up $4.5M and wrapped up his NFL career. Fast forward to now, and one of the league’s best wideouts has blown through his fortune. As of 2025, Brown is bankrupt with less than $50,000 in assets.