The group led by Alex Rodríguez and Jennifer López submitted a $ 1.7 billion offer for the Mets last week, and while they are already known to be backed by VitaminWater and BodyArmor co-founder Mike Repole, as well as the owner of the Florida Panthers, Vinnie Viola. ESPN’s Vaughn McClure reports that a host of other highly recognizable names are part of the group. These include Pro Football Hall of Fame member Brian Urlacher, former Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce; Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal; Denver Nuggets center Mason Plumlee; and former Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray.
Urlacher, 42, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018 after a brilliant 13-year career as linebacker with the Chicago Bears. The 2000 Defensive Rookie of the Year is an eight-time Pro-Bowler who earned more than $ 80MM in career wages, not to mention countless sponsorship deals during his time as one of the league’s most marketable players. He also immersed himself in NFL broadcast and television analysis. Urlacher himself confirmed to McClure that he is part of the group, calling it a “pretty good” opportunity and expressing particular excitement at working with Rodríguez and his other NFL brothers.
Thomas, 35, will join Urlacher in the Hall of Fame when he earns eligibility for the honor in 2023. Thomas went to the Pro Bowl in 10 of his 11 NFL seasons between 2007-17, during which he earned $ 110MM, according to Over the Cap.
Like Urlacher, Kelce confirmed that he is involved and expressed his gratitude for being able to participate in such a “crazy opportunity.” He hasn’t had Urlacher’s 13-year career and over a decade of endorsement deals, but Kelce is entering the final season of a five-year, $ 46,482MM contract extension. The five-time Pro Bowler is among the game’s elite at his position and must be in a strong free-agent position by the end of his current contract.
Beal, the number 3 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, signed a two-year extension worth nearly $ 72MM in October, a contract that was partially completed through his pre-existing five-year, $ 127MM contract. . Beal has just turned 27, so he has plenty of time to sign another big deal in the future, assuming he can hold out. Plumlee scored its own sizable payday in 2017, re-signing with the Nuggets for $ 41MM for three years.
Murray, 32, has not played in an NFL game since he spent the 2017 season with the Tennessee Titans. The former NFL offensive player of the year and three-time Pro Bowler, who earned just under $ 26MM in the league, has entered the ranks of college coaches in recent seasons and is currently an assistant at his Oklahoma alma mater.
The extent to which each of these high-profile investors participates is unclear. While everyone is undoubtedly wealthy and likely to commit millions of dollars to the offering, there are also likely to be many other investors contributing to the mix.
