How Alex Rodriguez Is Still Making Millions

Alex Rodriguez — A.K.A. the man who won over Jennifer Lopez's heart — may still be one of the most recognizable names in world of sports, despite the fact that he retired in 2016. That's partially because, after spending 22 seasons as a part of Major League Baseball, he's still popping up regularly for sports-related work as well as other money-making endeavors that continue to add to his ever-increasing fortune.

The former professional athlete is sitting on around $350 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. A large chunk of that came from his days with teams like the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and finally the New York Yankees, who were paying him $33 million per year, which helped him bring in $441 million in salary alone. Rodriguez admitted to The New York Times Magazine in 2019 that earning so much money was initially "a culture shock," explaining that "usually journeys have an arc of many years, but this all happened to me in seven or eight years after high school. ... There's no preparation for it."

Rodriguez also had to learn how to navigate top-dollar deals. As his profile grew, he was able to bring in an additional $3 million a year thanks to appearances, memorabilia sales, and endorsement deals with brands like Nike, Pepsi, and Giorgio Armani, just to name a few. Forbes estimates that Rodriguez took in around $35 million off the field during his playing days. And his money-making potential definitely didn't end there.