Former NFL player and motivational speaker Vince Papale has left an impressive mark in his life and career. Papale, who was born on February 9, 1946, in Glenolden, Pennsylvania, became famous for his incredible rise from the ranks of an unlikely NFL success story to that of a part-time teacher. Vince Papale’s net worth is a reflection of his financial successes and the influence of his tenacity and resolve; he is famously unbeatable.
Vince Papale Net Worth
Vince Papale is a $1.5 millionaire author, producer, public speaker, and former American football player. From 1976 to 1978, Vince Papale was an NFL player with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Prior to that, he was a football player for the Philadelphia Bell of the World Football League, the Aston Green Knights of the Seaboard Football League, and Interboro High School in Prospect Park, Pennsylvania.
Vince was the inspiration behind Mark Wahlberg’s 2006 movie “Invincible,” and he also executive produced the 2017 Reelz special “Invincible: The True Story.” In addition to co-authoring the 2011 book “Be Invincible!
A Playbook for Reaching Your Full Potential,” Papale and his wife Janet Cantwell-Papale wrote the biography “Invincible: My Journey from Fan to NFL Team Captain” in 2006. In 2011, Vince was admitted to the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
Vince Papale’s Early Life
Vincent Francis Papale was the father of Vince Papale, who was born in Glenolden, Pennsylvania, on February 9, 1946. At Interboro High School, he earned letters in basketball, football, and track & field.
Papale was named All-Delaware County Honorable Mention during his varsity football season. As a senior, Vince joined the track and field team. He placed fourth in the state competition and won the pole vault event at the District I large-schools championship.
He is ranked among Pennsylvania’s top 10 high school vaulters of all time with his 12 ft 9 in (3.886 m) pole vault. Papale was awarded a track scholarship at Philadelphia’s Saint Joseph’s University, which did not field a football team.
He participated in a college development pole vault competition held by the United States Track & Field Federation during his junior year. He won with a leap of 14 feet 6 inches (4.42 meters). Vince received his degree in Marketing/Management Science in 1968.
Vince Papale’s Personal Life
After receiving a colon cancer diagnosis in 2001, Papale made a full recovery and went on to become an advocate for routine screenings. He has made appearances in advertisements for Thomas Jefferson University Hospital that promote testing for others. A popular motivational speaker is Papale.
Prior to this, Papale worked for Sallie Mae as a senior account executive for higher education marketing and regional director of marketing. Living in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, he is surrounded by his two kids, Vinny and Gabriella, and his wife, Janet.
He is an avid follower of the Philadelphia Eagles football team. Additionally, he is currently listed as the NFL Alumni Association’s Philadelphia Chapter’s Secretary/Treasurer. Vinny, his son, was a wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Bandits, the University of Delaware Blue Hens, and the Memphis Showboats of the USFL.
Check out the articles given below to read more about the fortunes of various stars:
- NuMilk Net Worth: How Did This Dairy-Free Brand Achieve Its Impressive Worth?
- Michael Bolton Net Worth: His Multi-Million Dollar Melodies!
Vince Papale’s Professional Career
Vince Papale started his football career after college with the semi-pro Seaboard Football League’s Aston Green Knights. When Papale successfully tested out as a wide receiver for the Philadelphia Bell of the World Football League, he was coaching the junior varsity football team and teaching at Interboro High School.
Papale stated he lied about his age to join the WFL squad in an episode of the ESPN documentary series Lost Treasures of NFL Films. (claiming to be 24 years old when, in fact, he was 28 at the time.)
Papale caught nine passes for 121 yards in his debut season with the Bell, averaging 13.4 yards per reception. He also caught the league’s inaugural pass. Papale just had one reception in 1975, but it was for a touchdown of 49 yards. Papale was a standout on the special teams during his two seasons with the squad.
Papale met head coach Dick Vermeil of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1976, thanks to his performance with the Philadelphia Bell. General manager Jim Murray extended the invitation to Papale for a private workout.
After all, Papale made the squad, making him, at thirty, the oldest rookie in NFL history who wasn’t a quarterback and didn’t have any collegiate football experience. From 1976 to 1978, he played wide receiver and special teams with the Eagles.
He participated in 41 of 44 regular season games during that time (there were 14 regular seasons in 1976 and 1977 and 16 in 1978), recording two fumble recoveries and one 15-yard reception.
His teammates chose him as Special Teams Captain and the Eagles named him “Man of the Year” in 1978 in recognition of his numerous charity endeavors. In 1979, a shoulder injury put an end to his career.
Following his NFL retirement, he spent eight years working as a TV and radio announcer before going on to work as a commercial mortgage banker. Mark Wahlberg plays Papale in the Disney film Invincible. Papale played for the Eagles and got the moniker “Rocky” (after the Sylvester Stallone character).
Furthermore, during the Eagles’ Super Bowl XXXIX 2005 signing of Jeff Thomason, a tight end and construction foreman, Papale’s legend was mentioned.
