Retired NFL Player Michael Oher Has a Sizable Net Worth

The gist:

• Michael Oher, the former NFL player whose life story became the subject of the film The Blind Side, has a sizeable net worth totaling around $12 million.
• He lives in Brentwood, Tenn., with his wife and children.
• In August 2023, Michael filed a lawsuit against Leigh Anne and Sean Touhy, claiming that he was tricked into signing a conservatorship agreement that allowed them to profit off of his name and likeness.

You may not know the sport of football too well, but if you have a deep affinity for films, you know the name Michael Oher. In November 2009, the hit film, The Blind Side, starring Sandra Bullock, was released in theaters nationwide. The movie chronicled the story of Michael Oher, a homeless teenager who was taken in by an affluent white family. Thanks to their guidance and support, Michael became a notable offensive tackle in high school and college, and eventually earned a career in the NFL player.

Although Michael has been vocal about inaccuracies in the film, his journey to success is one that’s very true. Michael was able to have a successful career in the league and even earned a Superbowl title during his career. With that in mind, folks are wondering where Michael stands on the financial front. Here’s the full scoop on Michael Oher's net worth.

As of writing, Celebrity Net Worth shared that Michael has amassed a net worth of $12 million. This figure directly reflects his career in the NFL, where he earned a total salary of $34 million over his eight-year career.

Michael is a New York Times bestselling author of the book, I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness, to the Blind Side. Michael also has other books under his belt, including the Aug. 8, 2023, release of When Your Back's Against the Wall: Fame, Football, and Lessons Learned Through a Lifetime of Adversity.

According to The Tennessean, Michael purchased a home in Brentwood, Tenn., in particular, the Forest Hill area of Davidson County, in early 2014.

The home, which was purchased after Michael signed a four-year $20 million contract with the Tennessee Titans, was initially owned by real estate investor Rocky D. Tannehill, and previously owned by former CEO of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Dr. Kevin Churchwell.

Michael resides in the Brentwood home with his wife, Tiffany Roy, and their four children, daughters Kierstin and Nai, and sons Kobi and MJ. Michael is now retired from the NFL.

According to ESPN, Michael petitioned a Tennessee court on Monday, Aug. 14, 2023, about the Touhy family — Leigh Anne and Sean Touhy — concocting the story for the 2009 film, The Blind Side, to make money off of his likeness.

"The lie of Michael's adoption is one upon which Co-Conservators Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy have enriched themselves at the expense of their Ward, the undersigned Michael Oher," the legal filing said via ESPN. "Michael Oher discovered this lie to his chagrin and embarrassment in February of 2023, when he learned that the Conservatorship to which he consented on the basis that doing so would make him a member of the Tuohy family, in fact, provided him no familial relationship with the Tuohys."

Interestingly, the 14-page petition shares that a few months after Michael turned 18 in 2004, the couple tricked him into signing a conservatorship agreement that legally allowed them to make business deals using his name. Sadly, the couple never adopted him, as depicted in the film.

Also, the petition states that the Tuohy’s used their titles as conservators to strike a deal that helped them obtain millions from the film which grossed more than $300 million. Michael never saw a penny from the royalties while the Touhys, including their two children, reaped the benefits.

On the flip side, Sean shared with The Daily Memphian that he was shocked to learn about Michael’s petition.

"We’re devastated," Sean told the outlet. "It’s upsetting to think we would make money off any of our children. But we’re going to love Michael at 37 just like we loved him at 16."

Sean also shared that he found out about the case after a friend sent him the ESPN article.

"We were never offered money; we never asked for money," Sean said. He also said that “Michael Lewis, the author of the book 'The Blind Side,' gave the family, including Michael, half of his share.” Tuohy told the newspaper that it was around $14,000 each.

In the Touhy’s 2010 book, In a Heartbeat: Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving, they said, “We divided it five ways,” in regards to the money earned from the film.

Michael’s attorney, J. Gerard Stranch IV, told ESPN that Michael wasn't able to investigate the deal due to the film’s success being linear with his NFL career. He was only able to do so after retirement.

The goal of Michael’s petition is to end the Tuohy’s conservatorship and obtain a full accounting of the money the Tuohys earned using his name. Michael wants the couple to pay him his fair share of profits along with unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. Michael also wants an injunction that bars the Touhys from using his name and likeness.