Bobby Wagner is planning for life after the league.
Sportico reports that the Washington Commanders linebacker is currently signed to a one-year deal with the team reportedly worth $8.5 million. He negotiated the contract without an agent, winning the praise of Magic Johnson, who is a limited partner of the Washington Commanders.
The 34-year-old joined the league in 2012 and was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks. He remained with the team for his first 10 seasons and went to eight straight Pro Bowls, ESPN reports. He then played for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022 and returned to the Seattle Seahawks in 2023 before landing with the Washington Commanders in 2024.
Throughout his time in the league, Wagner has taken full advantage of opportunities off the court. Inspired by his mother who worked in the finance industry, he majored in business entrepreneurship and is working on his MBA at Howard University, per Sportico.
He has made calculated investing moves, such as purchasing stakes in Tonal, Therabody, and other health-focused brands. He was also an early investor in Denali Technologies, and his stake reportedly tripled before the company’s 2017 IPO, Sportico notes.
“When you have deals that turn out successful, while still playing in the league, you say to yourself sometimes, ‘How good could I be if I was able to focus solely on just the business side?’” Wagner told the outlet. “So, it gives you encouragement and excitement to what can happen when you hang your cleats up.”
Wagner also hopes his future steps may also include adding team president or league commissioner to his resume. He is already planting the seeds now through his ties with executive and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
“Bobby’s passion for growth and development goes beyond the field. I’ve had the privilege of getting to know Bobby over the years and seeing his interest in business develop,” Goodell told Sportico. “We were able to see that first-hand when he spent a few days at the NFL shadowing leaders across our office. We were all impressed by Bobby’s enthusiasm and curiosity to learn more about all aspects of our business. Additionally, he was eager to share his perspective as a player on key issues, which is invaluable for us to hear.”
Wagner also invested in the Cultural Leadership Fund, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm for Black investors with the mission of adding more Black talent to technology roles.
“A lot of athletes want to learn business and go into different spaces, but it’s also important to learn the business that you are in every single day,” Wagner said. “There’s so much that goes into the business side that athletes don’t understand.”
