“Growing up in Fremont, Ohio, it was a dream come true to play in the National Football League. In my wildest childhood dreams, I have never considered the opportunity to become a limited partner of an NFL team, let alone the Cleveland Browns in my home state of Ohio.” Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson said in a statement after purchasing a 0.1% stake in Dawg Pound. Woodson’s sudden choice to try his hand at NFL ownership has surely made you wonder how much he paid for this minority ownership. Meanwhile, finding out his net worth could have pushed him to get this deal over the line.

Woodson spent 18 seasons in the NFL, playing only for the Oakland Raiders and the Green Bay Packers. His time on the gridiron saw him win 9 Pro Bowls, seven All-Pro berths, and, to top it all off, a Super Bowl with the Packers in 2010. Woodson had one of the most prolific defensive back careers in NFL history. Once he chose to retire, Woodson had already mustered 65 INTs to his name. Out of these, he even returned 11 of them for TDs. Those 65 INTs tie him with Ken Riley for the fifth most interceptions in the league.

As for his 11 defensive TDs, Woodson shares the second spot with Rod Woodson and Darren Sharper. So, on the field, there probably weren’t any better defensive backs like Woodson. His determination and hard work are what made him a first-ballot Hall of Famer in his first year of eligibility. And now he brings that vast experience to the Browns as they look to turn this franchise’s fortunes around. Right now, the official financial details behind Woodson’s purchase of the Browns haven’t been made public yet.

However, it’s probably his $35M Net worth that made it possible. And let’s not forget his career earnings. It is widely projected that Woodson earned around $100M throughout his time in the NFL. Once he was done, he transitioned into an analyst for the FOX Sports Network. Apart from just his punditry, Woodson also has a wine and whiskey brand to his name. He also considers himself an avid wine lover, which led him to launch his own brand.

In a partnership with winemaker Rick Ruiz, he developed his signature wine label, TwentyFour by Charles Woodson. But again, those are completely different ball games from what Woodson has taken up now. He comes into Cleveland at a time when they need someone like him to guide this franchise out of its dungeon.

The Browns’ overjoyed as Charles Woodson comes on board

“Charles has an incredible legacy on the field, forever engraving himself as one of the greatest collegiate and NFL players of all time. But the work he’s continued to do off the field and his entrepreneurial spirit emphasized what a great fit he is for our organization,” Browns majority owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam said in a joint statement. Woodson’s stake in the Browns means he walks into the steps of Tom Brady. He will have similar restrictions to those of Tom, as both work for FOX Sports. As for Woodson, the Browns’ front office believes his Ohio blood will surely induce a new aura around the Browns.

“As he is an Ohio native, we’re so thrilled to have Charles on board as a limited partner of the Cleveland Browns because he knows how much football means to this community. We know he will be instrumental in helping shape the future of the club through his insight and leadership, and we are looking forward to having him as part of our ownership group,” Dee and Jimmy added. Woodson grew up 85 miles west of Cleveland. He attended Ross High School before breaking into the scene at the University of Michigan.

His Heisman Trophy accolade is even reminisced about to this day, given that Woodson played both offense and defense. Now he will be expected to inject some of that energy into the Browns. His unique approach and key insights could probably turn around this once storied franchise.