Michael Oher Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What Is Michael Oher’s Net Worth and Salary?

An American football offensive tackle, Michael Oher, has amassed a net worth of $12 million. Once a homeless teenager, he was welcomed by a wealthy family and ultimately rose to prominence as a star offensive tackle in both college and the NFL. In the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft, he was selected by the Baltimore Ravens, contributing to their victory in Super Bowl XLVII during his rookie season. Oher played for the Ravens for four years before moving to the Tennessee Titans in 2014, where he remained for two seasons before joining the Carolina Panthers in 2017. He made the decision to retire from the NFL in 2017.

As many are aware, Michael Oher’s personal journey was depicted in the Academy Award-winning 2009 film “The Blind Side,” featuring Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw portraying his adoptive parents, Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, with Quinton Aaron taking on the role of Michael.

Contracts, Salary, and Career Earnings

Throughout his career in the NFL, Michael Oher accumulated a total salary of $34 million.

Upon his entrance into the league, he signed a 5-year, $13.495 million contract with the Ravens, which included $6.88 million in guaranteed money. During his rookie year, his earnings included $310,000 along with a $942,000 signing bonus.

Prior to the 2014 season, he agreed to a 4-year, $20 million contract with the Tennessee Titans that included a $4 million signing bonus and $9.35 million guaranteed. In February 2015, he was let go by the Titans and later signed a 2-year, $7 million agreement with the Carolina Panthers, which featured a $2.5 million bonus and $2.5 million guaranteed.

His last NFL contract, a 3-year $21.6 million deal with the Panthers, was finalized in 2016 and came with a signing bonus of $4 million and $9.5 million guaranteed. Unfortunately, the Panthers released him in July 2017 after he failed a physical.

2023 Complaint Against the Tuohy Family

On August 14, 2023, news emerged that Michael had submitted a significant petition to a Tennessee court asserting that the main narrative of “The Blind Side” was fabricated by the Tuohy family to exploit him financially. The petition sought to terminate Sean and Leigh Anne’s conservatorship, secure his rightful share of film profits, and demand compensatory and punitive damages, along with a prohibition on using his name in future projects.

Among the various alarming claims, Michael’s petition alleged that he was never formally adopted by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy but was instead placed under a conservatorship. This distinction is crucial, as it meant he did not maintain a familial relationship with the Tuohys. Consequently, the family allegedly made deals in his name without ensuring he received a portion of the royalties generated by the film and any media where his name and likeness appeared. The petition suggested that the Tuohy family struck a deal that paid both parents and their two children, Sean Jr. and Collins, $225,000 each, in addition to 2.5% of the “defined net proceeds” from “The Blind Side” box office earnings, DVD sales, and streaming income.

Generating $300 million at the box office with a budget of $30 million, “The Blind Side” was a financial success. Based on average film profitability, one could estimate that at least $150 million in net proceeds were generated. If accurate, this would imply that each of the four Tuohys could have potentially earned $225,000 PLUS $3.75 million in royalties over time, solely from box office revenues, excluding DVD and streaming sales.

Michael’s petition indicated that he received none of the earnings while the Tuohy family profited significantly from the film. Furthermore, Oher alleged that the family coerced him into signing a contract in 2007.20th Century Fox acquired the life rights to his story “without any payment whatsoever.“

This information stands in stark contrast to Leigh Anne’s assertions in her 2010 publication “In a Heartbeat: Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving.” In her book, Leigh Anne stated that the profits from the film were divided “five ways.” However, Michael’s petition claims he did not receive any money from the film.

“The Blind Side” Royalties

Following his allegations, Alcon, the studio behind “The Blind Side,” issued a statement detailing the financial compensation provided to Oher and the Tuohys. From the statement:

“Alcon has disbursed approximately $767,000 to the talent agency representing the Tuohy family and Michael Oher.”… The agency likely took a 10% commission before distributing the royalties… “We expect that the Tuohy family and Michael Oher will generate further profits as audiences continue to appreciate this true story in the coming years.”

By calculating the figures, after a 10% deduction by the talent agency, we find $690,000 to be shared among the four Tuohy family members and Michael Oher. This amounts to $138,000 for each individual, before tax deductions.

Early Life

Born on May 28, 1986, in Memphis, Tennessee, Michael Oher is the offspring of Denise Oher, an alcoholic and crack cocaine user, and Michael Jerome Williams, who was often incarcerated. As a result of his early experiences, Michael lacked attention and discipline throughout his childhood. He repeated the first and second grades and attended eleven different schools in his initial nine years of education. At the age of seven, he was placed in foster care, transitioning between several foster homes and experiencing periods of homelessness. His biological father, a former inmate of Denise Oher’s brother, was murdered while in prison when Michael was a senior in high school. At 16, a young Michael Oher was finally taken in by Sean Tuohy and Leigh Anne Tuohy, who became his legal guardians when he turned 17. They employed a tutor who assisted Michael with his schoolwork for 20 hours a week.

High School

Michael Oher began playing football in his freshman year at a Memphis public high school. By his junior year, he had started to thrive in the sport. In 2003, he earned the title of Division II Lineman of the Year and was selected for the First Team Tennessee All-State. Additionally, he received two letters each in track and basketball. As he entered his senior year, Oher held the position of starting left tackle on the varsity football team. He was also a state runner-up in the discus throw during his senior year. Initially, Oher’s poor academic performance posed a challenge for his acceptance into an NCAA program, but he was able to elevate his GPA from 0.76 to 2.52 to qualify for a Division 1 school. He achieved this by enrolling in online classes from Brigham Young University and replacing his earlier Ds and Fs with As, ultimately raising his graduating GPA above the required minimum. As a result, Michael became one of the top football prospects in Tennessee, leading to numerous scholarship offers.receiving offers from Division 1 schools. Ultimately, he opted to play college football for the Ole Miss Rebels at the University of Mississippi, despite having scholarship offers from Tennessee, LSU, Alabama, Auburn, and South Carolina.

College Career

During his inaugural season with the Ole Miss Rebels, Oher started in ten games as a guard, quickly earning the distinction of a first-team freshman All-American. By the 2006 season, after transitioning to left tackle, he was selected for multiple preseason All-Conference and All-American teams. Following his sophomore year, he was recognized as a second-team Southeastern Conference offensive lineman, and after his junior year, he earned first-team SEC offensive lineman honors. Academically, Oher excelled at Ole Miss; his tested IQ score rose by 30 points from his childhood to his college years, and he made the honor roll in his sophomore year. In January 2008, he announced his intention to enter the 2008 NFL Draft, but just two days later, he declared his decision to return to Ole Miss for his senior year. At the conclusion of the 2008 season, Michael was recognized unanimously as a first-team All-American, marking his second time on the honor roll in college. He graduated in the spring of 2009 with a degree in Criminal Justice, finishing his college football career with numerous awards and prestigious accolades.

Pro Career

Even prior to his graduation, Oher was highly regarded as a top prospect for the 2009 NFL Draft. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens with the 23rd pick in the first round. The Ravens had obtained this pick from the New England Patriots in a trade involving their first and fifth-round selections. His adoptive family, the Tuohys, were present to witness his momentous draft day. On July 30, 2009, Michael inked a five-year, $13.8 million contract with the Ravens. He commenced the 2009 season as a right tackle but was later shifted to left tackle due to an injury sustained by lineman Jared Gaither, after which he transitioned back to right tackle within eight weeks. Oher started every game that season, alternating between right and left tackle. In his initial post-season game in January 2010 against the New England Patriots, he played right tackle and did not concede a single sack, contributing to the Ravens’ 33-13 victory. He finished second in the voting for the Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award with six votes. In February 2013, Oher received his first Super Bowl ring following the Ravens’ triumph over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII with a score of 34-31.

In March 2014, Oher signed a four-year, $20 million contract with the Tennessee Titans, starting eleven games for the team before being placed on injured reserve on December 13, after missing two consecutive games due to a toe injury. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 74th-best tackle out of 78 for the 2014 season. Oher was released by the Titans on February 5, 2015.

A month later, he agreed to a two-year, $7 million contract with the Carolina Panthers, citing Cam Newton as a significant influence on his decision to join Carolina. He eventually ended up…playing one of his finest seasons as a professional, safeguarding Newton’s blind side. Entering the season as the starting left tackle, he faced challenges in Tennessee; however, Panthers GM Dave Gettleman remarked: “We conducted thorough research on Michael, and we are confident he can provide solutions for us. He will be placed at left tackle, and we’ll move forward from that point.” Oher participated in 98.4% of the team’s plays and incurred only three penalties totaling 25 yards.

Oher was a member of the Panthers squad that competed in the Super Bowl on February 7, 2016, where they were defeated by the Denver Broncos, with a score of 24-10.

In June 2016, Oher secured a three-year contract extension with the Panthers valued at $21.6 million, which included $9.5 million guaranteed. Unfortunately, he sustained a concussion just three games into the season and was subsequently placed on injured reserve on November 25, 2016. Regrettably, he was released by the Panthers on July 20, 2017, due to a failed physical.

Personal Life

After first crossing paths at the University of Mississippi, Michael Oher began a relationship with Tiffany Roy. The duo shares four children: two daughters and two sons. They became engaged in July 2021 and tied the knot on November 5, 2022, in Nashville, Tennessee, after 17 years of being together.

Despite the acclaim of “The Blind Side” film, Oher expressed his disappointment with the portrayal, claiming it adversely impacted his football career. In his 2011 autobiography “I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness to ‘The Blind Side’ and Beyond,” Michael expressed that he was significantly more extroverted than depicted in the movie and emphasized that his football acumen developed long before the Tuohys entered his life.

After joining the Tennessee Titans in May 2014, Oher acquired a Brentwood residence for $1.3 million.