Dan Fouts Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth

What is Dan Fouts’s Net Worth?

Dan Fouts is a former professional football quarterback who has a net worth of $5 million. Dan Fouts played for the NFL’s San Diego Chargers from 1973 to 1987. Among his many career achievements, he led the league in passing yards for four consecutive years from 1979 to 1982, became the first NFL player to throw for 4,000 yards in three consecutive seasons, and led the Chargers to three consecutive AFC West titles. After retiring from the NFL, Fouts became a color analyst for NFL games on CBS television, and later on ABC and Westwood One radio.

Early Life and High School

Dan Fouts was born on June 10, 1951 in San Francisco, California as the fourth of five children of Julie and NFL sportscaster Bob, who commentated for the San Francisco 49ers. As a child, Fouts acted as a stats-keeper for his father and also worked as a ballboy for the 49ers. He also played Pop Warner football and Little League baseball. As an adolescent, Fouts first attended Marin Catholic High School, where he played football and varsity basketball. He then transferred to St. Ignatius College Preparatory, and in his junior year was a member of the St. Ignatius football team that won the West Catholic Athletic League.

Collegiate Career

For college, Fouts went to the University of Oregon on a scholarship to play football with the Ducks. In his first season with the team, in 1970, he set single-game records for most attempts, completions, and yards, as well as single-season records for completions (188) and touchdowns (16). Fouts had a less productive season in 1971, with 123 completions and nine touchdowns. He came back strong in 1972 to set a new Oregon record for career passing yardage, with 5,995. Fouts set a total of 19 Oregon records by the time of his graduation.

San Diego Chargers, 1973-1978

In the 1973 NFL draft, Fouts was chosen in the third round by the San Diego Chargers. He had a rough first season with the team, as the Chargers limped to a 2-11-1 record. Fouts scored his first career win in Week 2 in 1974, but followed that with five consecutive losses. His season ended early due to a broken thumb in Week 11. The Chargers and Fouts continued to flounder in 1975, as the team lost its first eleven games of the season and Fouts sustained seven different injuries over the course of the year. Things improved during the beginning of the 1976 season, with the Chargers putting up a 3-0 record; however, the team finished with a 6-8 record.

Fouts had a turbulent 1977, as he and 16 other players testified against the NFL in an antitrust settlement. Wishing to leave San Diego, he refused to report to training camp in July and was put on the reserve list the next month. Fouts went on to file a grievance against the Chargers in October, but was rejected. He finally reported to the team in late November, having amassed over $62,000 in fines for being late. After the season, Fouts signed a new, five-year contract with the Chargers. He went on to have his best career season yet in 1978, passing for 2,999 yards and 24 touchdowns.

San Diego Chargers, 1979-1987

Under coach Don Coryell, Fouts began his NFL dominance in the 1979 season, when he set a new NFL single-season record with 4,082 passing yards. He also set a record with four consecutive 300-yard games. The Chargers finished the season first in the AFC West with a 12-4 record, giving Fouts his first appearance in the playoffs. Ultimately, the Chargers lost to the Houston Oilers in the Divisional Round. Fouts had another record-breaking season in 1980, posting a new NFL single-season record of 4,715 passing yards and becoming the first quarterback ever with two 4,000-yard seasons. He also set NFL single-season records for attempts (589) and completions (348). The Chargers again finished first in the AFC West, advancing to the playoffs. This time, the team reached the AFC Championship Game, where they fell to the Oakland Raiders. The 1981 season was another terrific one for Fouts and the Chargers, with Fouts again leading the league in passing yards, this time with a new record of 4,802, and the Chargers winning their third consecutive AFC West title. In the playoffs, the team lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in a frigid AFC Championship Game dubbed the “Freezer Bowl.”

Despite a strike-shortened season in 1982, Fouts continued his dominance, becoming the first NFL player to record consecutive 400-yard games and the first NFL player to lead the league in passing yards for four consecutive seasons. At the end of the season, he won the AP Offensive Player of the Year Award. The Chargers advanced to the playoffs, where they lost to the Miami Dolphins in the second round. Fouts’s incredible streak came to an end in 1983, as various injuries caused him to miss several games. In 1984, he started the first thirteen games of the season before missing the last three due to a groin injury. However, Fouts still managed to record 3,740 yards. In the 1985 season, he recorded a milestone by playing his sixth career 400-yard game, an NFL record. Despite a number of new injuries, Fouts finished the season with 3,686 passing yards. He sustained more injuries during the 1986 season as the Chargers finished with a dismal 4-12 record; however, he managed to record his sixth career 3,000-yard season, a new NFL record. Following a disappointing, strike-shortened 1987 season, Fouts announced his retirement in March of 1988.

Broadcasting Career

After his retirement from the NFL, Fouts became a color analyst for NFL games on CBS television. For six seasons, he was primarily partnered with Verne Lundquist. When CBS lost its NFL coverage rights in 1994, Fouts moved to the CBS-affiliated KPIX-TV in San Francisco, where he served as the sports director as well as an anchor. Later, in 1997, he became an analyst for college football games on ABC. A few years after that, Fouts began commentating on ABC’s “Monday Night Football.” He returned to CBS in 2009, and stayed with the network until 2020. Fouts also called NFL games for Westwood One radio during that time.

Personal Life

Fouts wed his first wife, Julianne Mehl, in 1977. They eventually divorced, and Fouts married Jeri Martin in 1994. He had two children from his first marriage and two from his second.