1. Johnny Unitas – Priceless

Johnny “Golden Arm” Unitas dominated football throughout the 1950’s and 60’s. After scoring an unforeseen 19 touchdowns and totaling 2,900 passing yards, he became the first ever NFL MVP. Because of inflation and living standards among other factors, comparing Unitas’ salary to that of today’s players’ would be irrelevant. For instance, he was paid $62,000 for leading the Colts to a Super Bowl victory.

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Unfortunately, even an NFL legend like Johnny Unitas struggled to make a living after he retired from the league. By 1991, he earned a few “real” salaries, not to mention coaching two Super Bowl winners. However, when a bank attempted to collect on a $4-million loan, Johnny had to file for bankruptcy.