First comes the hustle, then comes the cash, then comes the… NFL franchise? Sean “Diddy” Combs expressed interest in becoming the first African American to own a majority stake in an NFL team.
With the lucrative year he’s had, that dream is looking more and more like an eventual reality.
Check out how Puff stacks up to the NFL’s 32 majority owners.
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Arizona Cardinals — Bill Bidwill
Net Worth: $1.4 billion
Road To Riches: Inheritance (Lawyer money)
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$580 million
Last Super Bowl Win: N/A
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Bidwill played hardball with St. Louis and moved the Cardinals to Phoenix in 1988 after the ‘Lou refused to build a new stadium for the team. He inherited the Cards from his father, a Chicago lawyer who was an, ahem, acquaintance of Al Capone.
Atlanta Falcons — Arthur Blank
Net Worth: $4.1 billion
Road To Riches: Co-founder of Home Depot
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$3.3 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: N/A
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Blank told Forbes in 2016 that he was one of the most competitive people you’ll ever meet, so it makes sense that he responded to being fired from a home improvement store by co-founding the world’s largest home-improvement retailer.
Baltimore Ravens — Stephen Bisciotti
Net Worth: $4.2 billion
Road To Riches: Founder of Allegis Group, the world’s largest private staffing firm
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$3.4 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: 2013 (34-31 over the San Francisco 49ers)
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The Ravens delighted a host of NFL fans and enraged many others when they opted not to sign Colin Kaepernick while Ravens QB Joe Flacco was sidelined during this year’s NFL preseason. The Ravens denied reports that Bisciotti resisted signing Kaepernick because of his protests during the national anthem.
Buffalo Bills — Terry & Kim Pegula
Net Worth: $4.3 billion
Road To Riches: East Resources, an oil and gas company
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$3.5 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: N/A (Thanks, Scott Norwood)
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They say that marriages last when couples can do what they love together. For hubby and wife Terry and Kim Pegula, that means owning the Bills, even as the squad hasn’t made a trip to the playoffs since Bill Clinton was president.
Carolina Panthers Owner — Jerry Richardson (for now)
Net Worth: $500 million
Road To Riches: Hardee’s/The Flagstar Companies
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: +$320 million
Last Super Bowl Win: N/A
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Richardson announced Sunday he will sell the Panthers at the end of the season, following allegations of sexual harassment and the use of a racial slur. This led to Diddy tweeting Sunday that he wanted to buy the team, and Steph Curry and Colin Kaepernick said they want in on the deal.
Chicago Bears — Virginia Halas McCaskey
Net Worth: $1.3 billion
Road To Riches: Inheritance (Football)
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$480 million
Last Super Bowl Win: 1986 (46-10 over the New England Patriots)
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Halas McCaskey is the eldest owner in the NFL and inherited the storied franchise from her father, the legendary George Halas. More than just a product of nepotism, Halas McCaskey earned her success by spending years as the Bears’ corporate secretary before taking the reins.
Cincinnati Bengals — Mike Brown
Net Worth: $1.8 billion
Road To Riches: Inheritance (Football)
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$980 million
Last Super Bowl Win: N/A
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Mike Brown is one of just two league owners who double as general managers. He might want to dial back on his control-freak ways, as the Bengals have never won a playoff game during his tenure as owner/GM.
Cleveland Browns — Jimmy & Dee Haslam
Net Worth: $3.6 billion
Road To Riches: CEO of Pilot Flying J
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$2.8 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: N/A
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Pilot Flying J is in hot water over committing fraud against its customers. Thirteen employees pled guilty to fraud, while four former executives are on trial and are pointing the finger at Jimmy Haslam, who denied any knowledge or involvement of the scandal.
Dallas Cowboys — Jerry Jones
Net Worth: $5.6 billion
Road To Riches: Jones Oil & Land Lease
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$4.8 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: 1996 (27-17 over the Pittsburgh Steelers)
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Jerry Jones is known for speaking his mind and pissing people off. He’s rubbed many fans the wrong way ever since he fired Cowboys legend Tom Landry in 1989, but also presided over a Cowboys team that won three Super Bowls in the ‘90s.
Denver Broncos — Pat Bowlen
Net Worth: $1 billion
Road To Riches: Executive for oil company Regent Resources
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$180 million
Last Super Bowl Win: 2016 (24-10 over the Carolina Panthers)
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The Broncos aren’t the only football team to win a championship under Bowlen, who was part-owner of the Colorado Crush when the squad won an Arena Football League title in 2005. Bowlen stepped down from his role as the Broncos’ CEO in 2014 because of his battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Detroit Lions — Martha Firestone Ford
Net Worth: $1.5 billion
Road To Riches: Firestone Tire & Ford Motor Company
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$680 million
Last Super Bowl Win: N/A
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As her name suggests, Martha Firestone Ford is the unofficial queen of the auto industry. She also was one of several NFL owners who spoke out against Donald Trump after he called for the firing of NFL players who peacefully protest police brutality during the national anthem.
Green Bay Packers — There are more than 360,000 owners.
Net Worth: The team’s value is $2.35 billion
Road To Riches: N/A
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$1.5 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: 2011 (31-25 over the Pittsburgh Steelers)
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The Packers are owned in shares by more than 360,000 people, and there is a cap on how many shares each holder can buy to prevent anyone from taking too big a piece of cheese. The NFL outlawed corporate ownership of its teams, but the Packers are exempt under a grandfather clause.
Houston Texans — Bob McNair
Net Worth: $3.8 billion
Road To Riches: Founder of Cogen Technologies, a cogeneration company
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$3 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: N/A
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McNair was protested by his own players after he likened them to convicts. NFL owners met in October to discuss player protests during the national anthem, and McNair said, “We can’t have the inmates running the prison.”
Indianapolis Colts — Jim Irsay
Net Worth: $2.7 billion
Road To Riches: Inheritance (Football)
Diddy Net Worth Difference: -$1.9 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: 2007 (29-18 over the Chicago Bears)
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Jim Irsay made the most of the nepotism he benefited from when he inherited the Colts from his father, Robert. In 2009, Irsay lobbied against radio blowhard Rush Limbaugh becoming an NFL team owner, citing Limbaugh’s “incendiary” comments as the reason for his opposition.
Jacksonville Jaguars — Shahid Khan
Net Worth: $7.2 billion
Road To Riches: Owner of Flex-N-Gate (bumper company)
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$6.4 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: N/A
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Talk about embodying the American dream. Kahn immigrated to America when he was 16 and used his money from making quality bumpers to fulfill his years-long dream of owning an NFL team.
Kansas City Chiefs — Clark Hunt
Net Worth: $2 billion
Road To Riches: Inheritance (Football) & Major League Soccer
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: $1.2 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: 1970 (23-7 over the Minnesota Vikings)
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Whether it’s football or futbol, the Hunt family’s got you covered. Clark Hunt’s grandfather, H.L. Hunt, made his money in oil, but his father Lamar was one of the driving forces of the American Football League and Clark himself had a similar influence on Major League Soccer.
Los Angeles Chargers — Alexander Spanos
Net Worth: $2.4 billion
Road To Riches: A.G. Spanos (apartment development company)
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$1.6 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: N/A
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Before he made his fortune in housing, Spanos was a young father of two who made ends meet by peddling bologna sandwiches to immigrant farm workers in the ‘50s. Spanos claims he offered a valuable service to the workers, while others have accused him of exploiting their needs with high costs.
Los Angeles Rams — Stan Kroenke
Net Worth: $8.1 billion
Road To Riches: Real estate
Diddy Net Worth Difference: -$7.3 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: 2000 (23-16 over the Tennessee Titans)
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Some people collect stamps, some scavenge for vinyl records, and Stan Kroenke collects sports teams. In addition to owning the Rams, he has stakes in the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, MLS’ Colorado Rapids, National Lacrosse League’s Colorado Mammoth, and the Arsenal F.C.
Miami Dolphins — Stephen Ross
Net Worth: $7.6 billion
Road To Riches: Real estate ventures (Time Warner Center and Hudson Yards in New York City)
Diddy Net Worth Difference: -$6.8 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: 1974 (24-7 over the Minnesota Vikings)
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Respect the man with the guts to stand alone. Ross was the only NFL owner who voted against the Oakland Raiders’ move to Las Vegas, stating that the Raiders hadn’t done everything they could to stay in Oakland.
Minnesota Vikings — Zygi Wilf
Net Worth: $5.3 billion
Road To Riches: Garden Commercial Properties
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference:
Last Super Bowl Win: N/A
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Wilf’s off-the-field business practices had his victims yelling “no frauds!” like Nicki Minaj. Wilf was ordered by a Supreme Court Judge to pay $84.5 million to real estate business partners his family defrauded for more than two decades.
New England Patriots — Robert Kraft
Net Worth: $6.2 billion
Road To Riches: Founder of International Forest Products (packaging company)
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$5.4 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: 2017 (34-28 over the Atlanta Falcons)
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Cheaters never prosper, unless you’re the New England Patriots. Despite presiding over two cheating scandals – Spygate and Deflategate – Kraft also has held the reins for five Super Bowl titles.
New Orleans Saints — Tom Benson
Net Worth: $2.8 billion
Road To Riches: Benson Financial
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$2 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: 2010 (31-17 over the Indianapolis Colts)
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Several NFL franchises are passed from generation to generation, but Tom Benson tried his best to cut his flesh and blood out of his fortune in favor of his third wife, Gayle. Benson and his would-be benefactors reached a confidential settlement in 2016, leaving the Saints’ franchise in doubt when the 90-year-old Benson eventually dies.
New York Giants — John Mara & Steve Tisch
Net Worth: (As of 2015) Mara, $500 million and Tisch, $1.2 billion
Road To Riches: Football & Movie productions
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: +$320 million & -$380 million
Last Super Bowl Win: 2012 (21-17 over the New England Patriots)
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The Mara and Tisch families carry as much cachet on the red carpet as they do on the gridiron. Mara’s nieces are accomplished actresses Rooney and Kate Mara, while Tisch has helped produce classics such as Forrest Gump and American History X.
New York Jets — Robert “Woody” Johnson IV
Net Worth: $4.2 billion
Road To Riches: Inheritance (Johnson & Johnson)
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$3.4 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: 1969 (16-7 over the Baltimore Colts)
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Johnson is a longtime Republican who has donated to various Republican presidential campaigns. So it makes sense that he was appointed by Trump to be the official ambassador to the United Kingdom, though maybe he should spend more time in the states to help improve the Jets’ abysmal standing.
Oakland Raiders — Mark & Carol Davis
Net Worth: $500 million
Road To Riches: Inheritance (Football)
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: +$320 million
Last Super Bowl Win: 1981 (27-10 over the Philadelphia Eagles
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In a showy move befitting the late, infamous former Raiders owner Al Davis, Mark and Carol set in motion the franchise’s move from Oakland to Las Vegas. The Raiders will relocate in 2020.
Philadelphia Eagles — Jeffrey Lurie
Net Worth: $2 billion
Road To Riches: General Cinema movie theaters & Chestnut Hill Productions (film production company)
Diddy Net Worth Difference: -$1.2 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: N/A
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Though his Eagles have never won the big game, Lurie has had much more success in football than he had making movies. He mostly made forgotten documentaries and TV movies, but he did take a turn as himself in Jerry Maguire.
Pittsburgh Steelers — Art Rooney II
Net Worth: $500 million
Road To Riches: Inheritance (Football)
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: +$320 million
Last Super Bowl Win: 2009 (29-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals)
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Legend has it that Art Rooney Sr. had a good day at the race tracks and then used the $2,500 to found the Steelers in 1933. The Black and Gold has remained in the family all these years, with Art Rooney II taking on sole majority ownership as of his father Dan Rooney’s death in April.
San Francisco 49ers — Jed York
Net Worth: $100 million
Road To Riches: Inheritance (Football)
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: +$820 million
Last Super Bowl Win: 1995 (49-26 over the San Diego Chargers)
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It’s hard to know where Jed York stands when it comes to former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. He praised Kap for his protests in 2016, but stood by when 49ers GM John Lynch said that Kap’s opting out of his contract was “just a formality” and that he would have been released had he not left willingly.
Seattle Seahawks — Paul Allen
Net Worth: $20.7 billion
Road To Riches: Co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$19.9 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: 2014 (43-8 over the Denver Broncos)
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Whoever said computer nerds don’t like sports never met Paul Allen. He’s also the owner of the Portland Trail Blazers and part-owner of Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders FC.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Bryan, Joel & Ed Glazer
Net Worth: $4.5 billion
Road To Riches: Inheritance (Football, First Allied Corporation)
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$3.7 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: 2003 (48-21 over the Oakland Raiders)
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The Glazers have taken their love of sports across the pond. In addition to owning the Bucs, Joel Glazer is co-chairman of Manchester United F.C. with his brother, Avram, who owns the club.
Tennessee Titans — Amy Adams Strunk
Net Worth: $2.05 billion (team value)
Road To Riches: Inheritance (Football), Kenada Farms and Little River Oil & Gas Company
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: N/A
Last Super Bowl Win: N/A
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The Titans had a few abysmal losing seasons after Adams Strunk’s father, Bud Adams, died in 2013 and the team’s interest went to his son-in-law Tommy Smith. But after Smith stepped down in 2015, Adams Strunk promised to turn around the franchise. Just two years later the Titans are in the AFC playoff hunt.
Washington Redskins — Dan Snyder
Net Worth: $2.3 billion
Road To Riches: Founder of Snyder Communications
Diddy’s Net Worth Difference: -$1.5 billion
Last Super Bowl Win: 1992 (37-24 over the Buffalo Bills)
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Snyder and the Redskins came under fire in 2013 for having a nickname that is a racial slur toward Native Americans. Snyder’s response: “We’ll never change the name. It’s that simple. NEVER — you can use caps.”
