Mark Brunell earned $70million during an NFL career spanning 19 seasons.
Drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft, the quarterback made the Pro Bowl three times as a Jacksonville Jaguar.
Brunell has played a huge role in Jared Goff’s rise[/caption]
He led the league in passing in 1996 and won the Super Bowl as Drew Brees‘ backup in 2009 – earning praise for his role as a veteran advisor to the future Hall of Famer.
Unfortunately, towards the end of his NFL career, Brunell was forced to declare bankruptcy after falling victim to the financial crisis.
While on the New York Jets‘ roster in 2010, he listed $5.5million in assets against $24.8million debts, according to Action News Jax.
Brunell lost $50million in a series of investments, which included a real estate portfolio.
Along with former teammates Joel Smeenge and Todd Fordham, he was a partner in a company called Champion LLC which aimed to build high-end condos in Jacksonville.
The quarterback lost his entire $11million investment when the property bubble burst and was forced to sell his Florida mansion for $9.5million.
As well as other real estate businesses, Brunell also plowed $9million into a Whataburger franchise and lost every cent.
Former United Football League commissioner Michael Huyghue said the former signal-caller’s issue was he was too nice.
“He’s trusting and maybe that’s a weakness,” Huyghue told Action News Jax.
“Athletes are at the highest end of the risk spectrum.
Brunell earned valuable experience in a 19-year NFL career[/caption]
He has now put it to good use under Dan Campbell[/caption]
“When you think about what they do for a living, the risks, they take with their bodies and their lives to go and play the game so they are more inclined to want to agree to the most high risk investments.
“The consequences when they are wrong can be really debilitating.”
Brunell may have suffered misfortune off the field, but he gained invaluable experience on it which has allowed him to thrive once given the opportunity.
Dan Campbell handed him a first NFL role in 2021 as his quarterbacks coach.
And Brunell has since worked wonders with Jared Goff – turning the former Los Angeles Rams passer into one of the league’s most efficient weapons.
Just months into his time with Goff, the coach compared him to his iconic former teammate Brees.
“I’ve been impressed with Jared from Day One,” he said.
“Let’s start with the person. He’s a hard worker. He has a great attitude. He’s a very good leader.
“He has a lot of qualities that I saw in Drew Brees. Really, the passion for the game, the work ethic, the leadership. There are some similarities there, which is great to see.”
The confidence boost was all Goff needed, and Brunell is always ready to act as hype man.
“I don’t know what they say about Jared’s arm talent. I can tell you this – it’s the best I’ve ever been around, the best I’ve seen,” Brunell told Detroit News ahead of the 2023 season.
“His accuracy, his ability to put the ball exactly where he wants it, I’ve never seen anything like it. I really have not.
“What’s being said and who is he being compared to? I don’t know. I can speak from my experience and it hasn’t dropped off at all.”
“He’s made some throws this spring that, the coaching staff, we’re looking and scratching our head like, ‘How did you do that?’”
