15 Famous Athletes Who Are Brilliant Businessmen

Posted on March 14th, 2011

While talented athletes at all levels — including high school, college and in pro sports — are expected to dedicate more time to practice than to other extracurriculars and even school, that doesn't mean successful sports stars abandon academics or lives outside of the game. These famous athletes majored in business subjects at top universities, have started their own companies, and have taken on direct leadership over their own careers, making millions of dollars on top of their pro sports salaries. Let them inspire you to foster an interest in business and investing, no matter what your day job is.

1. Ross Ohlendorf: Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Ross Ohlendorf hasn't forgotten his Texas ranch roots. His family owns a longhorn ranch, and he helps run it during the off-season. Ohlendorf graduated from Princeton with a 3.8 GPA and a degree in operations research and financial engineering, and volunteered at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
2. Gale Sayers: Former Chicago Bears player and current Pro Football Hall of Famer and College Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers didn't fade away after retiring from playing ball. He was named Athletic Director for Southern Illinois University and started his own philanthropic organizations. One helps children with school and tutoring, while the other is for adoption support. In addition, Sayers opened up his own IT company serving clients who need computer and technology support to help their customers.
3. George Parros: Anaheim Ducks enforcer and 2007 Stanley Cup winner George Parros is one of the best hockey players in the country, but he's got a passion for business, too. His father is an executive at Toys R Us, and Parros graduated with a degree in economics from Princeton. He's said that if it wasn't for hockey, he'd probably be working as a business consultant or return to his earlier days, when he worked with the Chicago Board of Trade.
4. Sam Acho: We realize this footballer is still in school — he's a senior defensive end and defensive tackle at the University of Texas — but he's a total business nerd, too. A business and marketing major, Acho's admitted to driving to Waco to sit in on his sister's Baylor business law class, just for fun. He'd also like to start his own marketing firm, if the football class doesn't work out.
5. LeBron James: LeBron James hasn't opened up his own business, but as soon as he stepped onto the NBA court for the first time, he proved that he was already one of the savviest players to ever hit the league. His career moves have alienated him from some fans, but the guy got a $90 million contract from Nike the second he graduated high school. In 2007, CNN.com published an article maintaining that James "is trying to create a new financial model for the 21st-century athlete." He actually pursues equity with partners instead of simple endorsements, and set up his own firm to handle his business projects, firing his agent. Most recently, it was announced that James is invited to league meetings to direct the future of the NBA.
6. Ryan Fitzpatrick: Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is a Harvard grad, with a degree in economics, and a near-perfect SAT score that helped get him there. He was tempted to work on Wall Street before breaking out on his own in finance, but football won him over in the end.
7. Nolan Ryan: Soft-spoken baseball legend — and Baseball Hall of Famer — Nolan Ryan is now part-owner and team president of the Texas Rangers, the team from which he retired in 1993. Under his leadership, the Rangers made it to the World Series in 2010. And beyond baseball, Nolan Ryan started his own beef company — Nolan Ryan's Beef — influenced by his passion for the cattle business.
8. Michael Jordan: Still considered one of the greatest athletes of all time, NBA legend Michael Jordan wasn't just a fabulous basketball player — he was an absolute entertainer, rightly earning the nickname Air Jordan for his impressive slam dunks and star power on the court. That kind of fan love made it easy for Jordan to segue into a mega Nike endorsement, most notably via the Air Jordan sneaker line, which launched in the mid-80s and are still popular sellers today. Jordan also headed off to Hollywood to star in Space Jam alongside Bugs Bunny, now owns the Charlotte Bobcats basketball team, launched a cologne, owns a stake in the Nike Jordan Brand, and also started his own professional motorcycle road racing team, Michael Jordan Motorsports.
9. Matt Birk: Baltimore Ravens player and six-time Pro Bowl selection Matt Birk is also a Harvard alum, graduating in economics. He'd planned seriously for a job on Wall Street, but decided to try out for the NFL, just as a six-month delay before accepting his offer.
10. Magic Johnson: NBA All-Star MVP and champion Lakers player Magic Johnson retired when he announced he had HIV, but he's still a high-profile leader in entertainment and business. His company Magic Johnson Enterprises has an estimated net worth of $700 million, and under that business, he runs chains of movie theaters, a movie studio, and other partnerships with top companies to serve urban communities.
11. Joe Morgan: Joe Morgan has been a long-time sports correspondent and broadcaster and now works in the Cincinnati Reds front office, after having been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990. He dabbled in business by owning Wendy's restaurant chains, travel agencies in the Bay Area and in the beverage distribution industry, before becoming president of J.L. Morgan Enterprises.
12. Jody Gerut: San Diego Padres center fielder Jody Gerut went to Stanford and has an interest for history and languages, but also business. He's said that he'd like to work in the financial services industry if it weren't for baseball, and touts business books with him when he travels.
13. Nick Buoniconti: Nick Buoniconti is a Hall of Famer and former Miami Dolphins and Boston Patriots player who now runs his own foundation dedicated to funding research to cure paralysis resulting from spinal cord injuries. He also went to law school while playing for the patriots, and worked as an attorney for a short time. On the business side, Buoniconti is a retired COO and Vice Chairman of Columbia Laboratories, and retired President and Chief Operating Officer of UST, and served on the board of directors for a number of organizations.
14. Douglas Murray: San Jose Sharks hockey player — and Swedish Olympic team player in the 2010 games — Douglas Murray majored in hotel management while studying at Cornell. He still has one class left to take before graduation, but he has aspirations outside of hockey to start his own company after working in finance.
15. George Foreman: George Foreman was a major heavyweight champion in the 1970s, and made an impressive comeback in the 80s, too. But now, Foreman has built up a major business repertoire, too, starting the George Foreman Enterprises, Inc. and the George Foreman grilling company, which sells over 40 grills and cooking products and is paid mega amounts to endorse other products.

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