Jesse Craig James was born on 2 January 1961, in Jacksonville, Texas USA. He is a former professional American Football player, known for his tenure with the Washington Federals in the United States Football League and with the New England Patriots in the National Football League (NFL), and as an ABC and ESPN sports commentator,.
So just how rich is Craig James? According to sources in early 2017, James has acquired a net worth of over $3 million, accumulated during his football career from 1983-88, and through his involvement in broadcasting.
Craig James Net Worth $3 million
James grew up in Houston, Texas, along with his brother, former Major League Baseball player Chris James. After his parents divorced when he was six years old, he moved to Pasadena, Texas, and attended Houston’s Stratford High School, where he excelled in football and basketball, becoming a running back and setting a single-season rushing record with 2,411 yards in 15 games.
He then enrolled at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, being named the Southwest Conference’s Offensive Newcomer of the Year as freshman, and setting a school record for the longest scoring play with a 96-yard touchdown reception as a junior.
In 1983 James was selected as the fourth overall pick by the Washington Federals in the United States Football League Inaugural Draft. Around the same time, despite his commitment to the Federals, the New England Patriots selected him in the seventh round of the NFL Draft. During his first and only season with the Federals, James started all 14 games, in which he rushed for 823 yards and four touchdowns, and caught 40 passes. After suffering a knee injury in the 1984 season, he was put on the injured reserve list, and was released by the team shortly after. His time with the Federals greatly contributed to James’ wealth.
He went on to join the Patriots later that year, beginning his first season as a backup, but eventually becoming the starting running back and the team’s leading rusher. The following season saw him making the Pro Bowl, after catching the longest touchdown from scrimmage in the team’s history – a 90-yard toss in a game against the Chicago Bears. He also had an excellent performance in the AFC game against the Miami Dolphins, rushing for a career post-season high of 105 yards. His statistics in the following three seasons declined due to multiple injuries, and he eventually retired from professional football. During his five-year tenure with the Patriots, James rushed for 2,469 yards and eleven touchdowns, with 819 yards receiving and two touchdown catches. His performance enabled him to achieve a great popularity and to amass a significant net worth.
After he retired from his NFL career in 1989, James was hired as a radio analyst for Southern Methodist University football games, and then became the sports anchor for KDFW-TV, and appeared on ESPN as a studio analyst on the programs “College GameDay” and “College Football Scoreboard”. In the mid-’90s, he became a studio analyst at CBS, working on “College Football Today”, “The NFL Today” and “NFL on CBS” – all added to his fortune.
In 2003, James joined ABC as a studio analyst on their college football coverage, while also serving as an analyst on the ESPN “Thursday Night Package” and “College Football Live”, and then as game analyst on ESPN on ABC Saturday afternoon broadcasts. He left ESPN in 2011 and later briefly served as a college football analyst and co-host of the Fox Sports Southwest college football studio show. James’ career in broadcasting has been another source of his wealth.
Meanwhile, the former player became involved in politics, being a member of the Republican Party. As such, he ran for a seat in the United States Senate in Texas in 2012, but lost in the first round of the Republican primary.
In his personal life, James is married to Marilyn Arps, with whom he has four children. They reside in Celina, Texas.
