Editor’s Note: This is a reflection of available information is not meant to represent the entirety of Eastern alumni. Some alumni may not be included based on the information available on their net worth.

Eastern has had many notable alumni go on to make millions of dollars after leaving the university to start their careers.

Jimmy Liautaud

Jimmy Liautaud went on to start the Jimmy John’s sandwich chain after leaving Eastern in 1988 and now has a net worth of nearly $2 billion. The 57-year-old started his business in 1983 with the help of a loan from his father and then “sold the balance of his stake in Jimmy John’s to Inspire Brands in 2019,” according to Forbes.

Tony Romo

Romo, who currently has a $70 million net worth, according to celebritynetworth.com, signed a contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys in 2007 worth $67.5 million after about four years of backup play. Romo signed another extension in 2013, also with the Cowboys, for six years, worth $108 million. When his playing career ended in 2017, he became a color analyst for CBS Sports and signed a $100 million contract in 2020 that made him the highest-paid sportscaster ever, according to celebritynetworth.com.

John Malkovich

Malkovich has directed and acted in many notable films since leaving Eastern in 1975, including “Being John Malkovich” and “Of Mice and Men.” His net worth is estimated to be $25 million by celebritynetworth.com.

Jimmy Garoppolo

The current San Francisco 49ers quarterback was drafted into the NFL by the New England Patriots in 2014 after a successful stint at Eastern and has gone on to earn $113,740,990 in his eight-year career. His current net worth is $25 million, and his base salary for 2021 will see him making $24,100,000. Garoppolo earned over $1 million in his first year with the Patriots and has made around $107 million more in his time with the 49ers than with the Patriots.

Sean Payton

The current coach of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints has a net worth of $24 million, according to celebritynetworth.com. The 2006 NFL Coach of the Year graduated from Eastern in 1987 and has led the Saints to a Super Bowl victory in his 15-year career as their head coach. According to saintswire.usatoday.com, “Payton previously inked a five-year extension in March 2016, which was set to expire in 2021. At the time of signing, that last contract made him the highest-paid coach in the NFL at about $9 million per year.”

Craig Titley

A 1989 Eastern graduate, Titley has written and produced notable films and shows, such as “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” and “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” He has a net worth of $12 million, according to networthpost.org.

Ryan Meyer can be reached at 581-2812 or rameyer@eiu.edu