Ezekiel Elliott and Leveon Bell are two high profile running backs who have shaped the NFL landscape with power, speed, and big game performances. Both entered the league with immense hype and signed lucrative contracts that placed them among the top earners at their position. Understanding their net worth reveals how their on field success, contract decisions, and off field choices have shaped their financial standings today.
Early Career and Contract Impact on Net Worth
Ezekiel Elliott entered the NFL in 2016 after a dominant college career at Ohio State, where his dynamic rushing quickly translated to a massive four year, $96 million rookie contract with the Dallas Cowboys. This deal included substantial guarantees, accelerating his path to a high net worth early in his career. Leveon Bell chose to skip his senior year at Penn State and declared for the 2014 NFL Draft, where the Arizona Cardinals selected him with the seventh overall pick and rewarded him with a four year, $50.5 million contract that heavily featured guarantees. Both deals launched them into elite earning brackets, but the structure and guarantees within these early contracts influenced their net worth trajectories differently.
Off field ventures and financial management played roles alongside these headline contracts, as Elliott leaned into brand partnerships and Bell explored business interests while navigating contract disputes and holdouts that affected cash flow and long term security.
Peak Earnings and Contract Extensions
During his prime years with the Cowboys, Elliott signed a massive three year, $90 million extension in 2018, pushing his career earnings substantially higher and reinforcing his status as one of the league top paid players. This extension significantly boosted his net worth, providing long term security and luxury lifestyle opportunities. Bell, after contentious holdouts, signed a three year, $64 million extension with the New York Jets in 2017, which added critical cash but also exposed him to volatile labor relations and eventual trade scenarios. These landmark deals define the earning peaks that separate a solid career from a transformational financial journey in the league.
While Elliott remained with a single franchise through his extension, Bell moved between teams, including stints with the Cardinals, Jets, and Steelers, which affected consistency in salary, bonuses, and opportunity for additional incentives.
Injury Risks and Career Longevity Effects on Net Worth
In the NFL, injuries can rapidly alter a player financial picture, and both Elliott and Bell have faced significant physical challenges. Elliott dealt with ankle and foot issues that led to reduced durability questions, while Bell suffered a severe foot injury in 2018 and subsequent foot and ankle problems that shortened his prime and limited his ability to command top tier money later in his career. These injury events influenced contract negotiations, insurance values, and ultimately their net worth, as longevity and health often dictate how much of a contract’s value a player can actually realize.
Conclusion
Comparing Ezekiel Elliott net worth and Leveon Bell net worth highlights how different career paths, contract structures, injury histories, and business decisions shape a player financial legacy. Elliott’s sustained excellence and franchise stability contrasted with Bell’s journey through multiple teams and injury setbacks, resulting in different financial outcomes despite similar early promise. For fans and aspiring athletes, their stories underscore the importance of contract savvy, durability, and off field discipline in building lasting wealth in professional sports.
