To this day, Quarterback Mark Brunell is still a revered man in Jacksonville. After finally landing a franchise in North Florida, fans in Jacksonville experienced almost immediate success. With Brunell and guys like Jimmy Smith and Fred Taylor, the Jaguars became a AFC powerhouse within a few years. Within half a decade of their inception, the Jaguars had already been to the AFC Title game twice and were a feared team in the NFL.
Brunell would go on to play with the Redskins and Saints (won a SB as a backup behind Brees) for a brief period and now is the backup quarterback with the Jets. However, he is in a big mess as he has lost all of his earnings and now is at the tail end of his career.
Action News Jacksonville breaks it down:
Despite becoming a three-time Pro Bowl player, winning a Super Bowl, and making upwards of 50 million dollars, Mark Brunell is broke.
The money is gone, and Action News has uncovered the papers that show how Jacksonville’s beloved former quarterback is now playing defense in Bankruptcy court.
According to court filings, Brunell sank his fortune into nine businesses and enterprises, five of which are no longer in operation. Brunell is now the focus of no less than six lawsuits.
Among the biggest financial losers was a company called Champion LLC, which purchased high-end investment properties. But when the real estate market crashed, Brunell lost every cent of his investment and even more trying to cover the loans with his own money.
Another financial bust was Brunell’s investment in a Whataburger franchise. His entire investment was lost on that venture. In all, there are $24,729,766 in claims against the former Jags QB.
Usually players blow their money on cars and luxury items, but it seems that Brunell had good intentions with his money and investments. His story is similar to that of former Browns QB Bernie Kosar who’s not only broke but has more issues.
It must be heartbreaking to see this happen to a guy like Mark Brunell, who was by all accounts a family man who was not only a very effective QB for the Jaguars but also a man who was active in the Jacksonville community.
I wish him the best as he tries to tackle his financial woes.