Achieving professional athlete status demands unwavering commitment, drive, and determination. Despite possessing these qualities, it remains an almost unattainable dream for most. Nevertheless, a select few individuals manage to attain remarkable success in sports. After concluding their initial athletic pursuits, many achieve notable accomplishments in their second career.
In this article, we look at the lives and extraordinary accomplishments of seven athletes who achieved significant success after retiring from professional sports.
1. Tim Horton
Ice hockey star Tim Horton played 24 seasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the New York Rangers, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Buffalo Sabres. However, he is best known today as the owner of a chain of coffee and donut shops. Horton opened his first store, Tim Horton Donuts, in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1964. By 1968, the business was worth millions.
Horton sadly died in a car accident in 1974. By then, he had opened 40 stores. By 2018, more than 4,846 Tim Horton stores spanned more than a dozen countries worldwide, continuing his impressive legacy.
2. Maria Sharapova
Having won Wimbledon at age 17 and securing the world No. 1 ranking by 18, Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova held the title of the highest-paid female athlete for over a decade, amassing nearly $300 million in sponsorships and prize money, as reported by Forbes.
However, dominating the world of professional tennis was not enough for Sharapova, who founded her premium candy business, Sugarpova, at 25. Alongside her business ventures, she invests in health and beauty brands such as Therabody, Supergoop!, and Bala Bangles, growing her net worth to $196 million.
3. Carl Weathers
Former NFL linebacker Carl Weathers played for the Oakland Raiders in 1970 and 1971, participating in eight games before he decided to try his hand at acting. In a four-decade career, Weathers has been involved in various television shows and movies, taking on roles in production, directing, and acting.
Weathers is probably best known for his iconic performance as Apollo Creed in Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky movies. Other memorable roles include Al Dillon in Predator and Chubbs, the golf pro who mentored the eponymous character in Happy Gilmore.
4. Serena Williams
Legendary tennis player Serena Williams holds 39 major titles: 23 in singles, 14 in women’s doubles, and two in mixed doubles. She is joint-third on the all-time list and second in the Open Era for total major titles.
After a remarkable 27-year career in professional tennis, Williams retired from the sport in 2022, accumulating over $94 million in earnings. Six years before her retirement, she discreetly launched the venture capital firm Serena Ventures, backing over 60 startups and generating an impressive $111 million in revenue.
In April 2023, Williams embarked on a new venture by launching the multimedia company Nine Two Six Productions, enabling her to focus on her role as a producer.
5. John Elway
Arguably Denver’s most renowned athlete, John Elway found substantial financial success beyond football through his ventures in the automotive industry. In 1997, he made a lucrative move by selling his five car dealerships across Denver for a staggering $82.5 million.
Elway still owns numerous dealerships across multiple states and four eponymous steakhouses in Denver. From 2002 to 2008, he co-owned the Colorado Crush of the Arena Football League, and today, he serves as the general manager of the Denver Broncos.
6. Jason Lee
Jason Lee took up skateboarding at 5. Joining the pros at 18, he completely immersed himself in the sport, cofounding a company called Stereo Skateboards. However, rather than envisioning a lifetime on the wheels, Lee explains that he wanted more out of life than to be “the 36-year-old skateboarder who’s still holding on.”
After landing a starring role in Mallrats, Lee’s acting career started to take off. He is probably best known for playing the protagonist in the hit TV show My Name Is Earl and starring as Dave in the Alvin and the Chipmunks movies.
7. Roger Staubach
Former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys Roger Staubach significantly increased his net worth after departing the NFL. His journey from leading the Cowboys to establishing himself as a prominent figure in the real estate sector has earned him a staggering fortune estimated at around $600 million.
Staubach ventured into property as a real estate broker during off-seasons in the 1970s. Reflecting on the move in an interview with Forbes, Staubach explained that if he got hurt, he still had a family to provide for, pointing out that “it was not crazy money in the NFL” in those days.
Launching the Staubach Company in 1977, Roger Staubach invested all of his energy into the company following his retirement from the sport in 1979. He attributed his success in his professional football career and entrepreneurial endeavors to the belief that “unspectacular preparation leads to spectacular results.”