Kenneth Stanley Adams, Jr. was born on the 3rd January 1923 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma USA, and was a businessman and owner of several sports franchises, including the Tennessee Titans, of the National Football League (NFL). He passed away in 2013.
Have you ever wondered how rich Bud Adams was at the time of his death? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Adams’ net worth was $1.1 billion, an amount earned through his successful business career which began in the late 1940s.
Bud Adams Net Worth $1.1 Billion
Bud was a son of K.S. ‘Boots’ Adams and his wife Blanch Keeler Adams. He was a part of the Cherokee Nation, since two of his great-grandmothers were Cherokee women.
His father was heir to the Phillips Petroleum Company, however, Bud wasn’t interested in the family business, and instead he attended Culver Military Academy, where he played several sports with much success, and after matriculation studied at Menlo College, before transferring to the University of Kansas. There, he excelled in football, before graduating with an engineering degree. Bud joined United States Navy during World War II, reaching the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade; after discharge he returned to University and furthered his studies, also joining the Sigma Chi fraternity. In 1946 he was on a plane which got into dense fog and diverted to Houston, Texas. He liked what he saw and soon decided to settle there.
While living in Houston, Bud firstly decided to start a wildcatting firm, ADA Oil Company, which eventually developed into Adams Resources & Energy. However, because of his love for football, Bud wanted to start a football franchise, but couldn’t do it on his own. He teamed up with businessman Lamar Hunt, and the two tried to buy out the Chicago Cardinals, however, their bid was rejected.
Their next move was a try to acquire rights to form an expansion team, but that was also rejected. Nevertheless, Bud didn’t surrender and formed a completely new league, American Football League (AFL). His team soon became known as the Houston Oilers, which existed from 1960 until 1996, when a big fight between the city of Houston and Bud Adams saw him move the franchise Oilers to Tennessee, rebranded the team the Tennessee Titans, which he owned until his death in 2013. Thanks to the success of his team, Bud has several trophies, including two AFL Championship titles in 1960 and 1961, and the AFC Championship in 1999.
Apart from Houston/Tennessee football teams, Bud also founded the Houston Mavericks, a basketball team that competes in the American Basketball Association, and also founded the Nashville Kats, an Arena Football League expansion team, which existed from 2001 to 2007.
Before his death, Bud became the owner with most wins at 409, while also his franchise made 21 appearances in playoffs, which put him in eighth spot. Nowadays, the Titans are run by a consortium of Bud’s children and grandchildren.
Regarding his personal life, Bud was married to Nancy Neville Adams from 1947 until her passing in 2009. The couple had three children, before their son committed suicide at age 29. Bud died of natural causes at 90 years of age on the 21st October 2013 at his estate in Houston, Texas USA. Although a peaceful death, his body was found some time after, when police were called for a welfare check.
