George Foreman Didn't Invent the George Foreman Grill—But It Made Him Richer Than Boxing Ever Did: 'There Were Months I Was Being Paid $8 Million'

George Foreman was known for knocking out legends in the ring—but his biggest win? A countertop grill.

The two-time heavyweight champ and Olympic gold medalist, who passed away on March 21 at  76, made more money from the George Foreman Grill than he ever did throwing punches. And no, he didn't invent it. But he cashed in on it like he did.

"People think I invented the George Foreman Grill. Not really," he told AARP in 2014. "People would ask me, ‘George, can you help me [with my invention]?' Now I point them to someone who can really package their deal."

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That someone was InventHelp—a company Foreman endorsed to help aspiring inventors bring their ideas to life. Ironically, the man who became the face of one of the most successful kitchen products of all time was just that: the face.

So Who Actually Invented It?

That credit goes to Michael Boehm. According to Entrepreneur, Boehm came up with the idea in 1994, and for a while, he carried around his patent just to prove it. "Well yes, I did do that, I'd tell them," he said on "Million Dollar Genius." Boehm not only invented the grill, he also drew the original sketches and developed the signature slanted design that made it so unique—and grease-reducing.

But even though Foreman didn't design the grill, he did help make it a global phenomenon.

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A Knockout Deal

In the AARP interview, Foreman confirmed what many had speculated about his earnings. Estimates claimed he earned in excess of $200 million on the grill, which clarified "much more." He followed that up with: "There were months I was being paid $8 million per month."

Yep—$8 million. A month. To grill and chill.

The financial details behind the deal are just as eye-popping. Salton Inc. in 1999 agreed to buy the rights to use Foreman's name, image, and likeness for its food-prep appliances—including the iconic grill—for $113.7 million. That came after years of Foreman and his partners taking home 60% of the grill's profits.

The Pitchman Playbook

So why did it work? Foreman had that rare mix of charm, credibility, and trust. "When that camera hits you, it's not about how good you look. People look for honesty," he told AARP. "You sell yourself; the product almost is secondary."

Funny enough, he didn't even want to do commercials at first. It took some nudging from Bill Cosby. "You're just like anyone else—we would all like to be on television. Enjoy it," Cosby told him. "If you don't want to do it, send them to me and I'll do it!"

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From the Ring to the Grill to the Bank

Foreman definitely made serious money in the ring. His biggest payday was the $12.5 million for his 1991 heavyweight title fight against Evander Holyfield. 

But that fight came with legal drama. In October 1991, Foreman settled a $100-million lawsuit he had filed against Holyfield and his promoter, Dan Duva. The Los Angeles Times reported the dispute stemmed from what Foreman said was a breached agreement for a rematch. He claimed the deal was far enough along that he backed off a potential $20-million fight with Mike Tyson. However, Holyfield's camp pulled out and pursued Tyson instead. The terms of the settlement were never disclosed.

Foreman’s post-boxing pivot might be one of the greatest brand reinventions of all time. He didn’t just endorse a product—he became synonymous with it. His smile sold over 100 million grills, proving you don’t have to invent something to own it in the public’s imagination.

He took a simple product, slapped his name on it, and turned it into a household staple. And in the process, he flipped burgers into a fortune.

The Legacy

Foreman's story is the ultimate second act. He showed that being a heavyweight in one field doesn't mean you can't dominate another. He turned a humble grill into a cultural icon—and earned hundreds of millions doing it. The grill might not have thrown a punch, but it delivered a knockout payday.

And he did it all with a grin, a grill, and no need for a patent.

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