Former NFL player Wes Saunders, now a contestant on Netflix's survival series Outlast: The Jungle, has amassed an estimated seven-figure net worth from his athletic career and beyond.
Wes Saunders' NFL Career
The 37-year-old began his professional football journey in July 2011 when he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent. He earned a spot on the team's 53-man roster that September. However, his tenure with the Steelers was cut short after he violated the NFL's substance-abuse policy, testing positive for Adderall, a stimulant used to treat attention deficit disorders. He moved to the Indianapolis Colts in 2012.
Despite these early setbacks, Saunders' NFL contracts earned him significant money. According to Spotrac, his football contracts alone totaled approximately $1.2 million, not including other income streams.
Estimated Net Worth
Wes Saunders' net worth is estimated at around $1.5 million, though some sources, like The Tab, place it as high as $5 million. This makes him one of the wealthiest participants on Outlast: The Jungle.
Outlast: The Jungle Season 3
The show features 16 strangers competing for $1 million in the Panamanian jungle, with only basic supplies. The winner has yet to be crowned, with nine contestants remaining: Sarah Awad, Abby Chu, Morgan Colburn, Braxton Fish, Pharaoh Gayles, Nikki Hru, Maddy Jones, Leiya Pillitteri, and Wes Saunders.
Showrunner Mike Odair described this season as particularly intense, saying, "We traded the frozen isolation of Alaska for the heat and volatility of Panama, and everything changed." The first six episodes are streaming now on Netflix, with the finale airing on June 17.
