Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor, July 16, 2012

A year from now, former Purdue QB Drew Brees will find his name high atop SI's annual Fortunate 50, a list that ranks the year's highest-earning American athletes. For this year's list, though, former Michigan QB Tom Brady and ex-Michigan CB Charles Woodson represent the Big Ten. Brady came in at No. 26, making $22,250,000, and Woodson No. 50, earning $15,812,500.

[SI.com: The 50 highest-earning American athletes]

According to SI: "Salary figures were based on current or most recently completed seasons (July 1 for the NFL, which is why Drew Brees, who just signed a $100 million deal last Friday, isn't on the list)."

Brady was No. 9 a year ago, while Woodson was not in the top 50.

And yes, that's Vernon Wells, Barry Zito, Rashard Lewis, Kevin Kolb, Josh Beckett and A.J. Burnett's faces you see included in the top 50 highest-earning athletes. Got to love America.