Ed Hartwell (full name: Edgerton Hartwell II) is a retired football linebacker who played professional football in the NFL in the early 2000s. He is best known for playing for the NFL teams Baltimore Ravens and Atlanta Falcons. Ed on the field had early success, which quickly granted him notoriety in the football community. However, injuries, financial issues, and personal circumstances all played their part in lower-ranking career earnings and net worth compared to most players around his time.
Ed Hartwell’s net worth as of 2025 is approximately $200,000.
Early Life & High School
It is important to mention Ed Hartwell’s proper name, Edgerton “Ed” Hartwell, and he was born May 27, 1978, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He graduated with high school honors from Cheyenne High School in 1996. Ed was naturally gifted with athleticism for sports and very dedicated to keeping up the athleticism of taking care of his body and training, which made him an ideal talent on the football field and in the college football ranks.
College
Ed started with the college experience by attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison and eventually transferred to Western Illinois University. He was highly productive as a linebacker who played for the Western Illinois Leathernecks.
2000: Buck Buchanan Award winner for best defensive student-athlete in NCAA Division 1 FCS (formerly 1-AA)
As a linebacker, Ed was recognized for toughness on the football field, leadership, and reading the offensive side of the football.
Ed’s success in college football started to put him in a position where he was looking at the NFL outlook for himself as he approached the 2001 Draft.
NFL Career
Baltimore Ravens: 2001 – 2004
Ed was selected in the 4th round as a linebacker in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. While he began his career playing on special teams, Hartwell quickly established himself as a steady linebacker.
2002: His first major season with 144 tackles and 3 sacks.
2003: He contributed 94 tackles and 3 sacks while the Ravens won the AFC North.
2004: Hartwell recorded 97 tackles in his last season with the Ravens.
Atlanta Falcons Contract (2005-2006)
In 2005, Hartwell signed one of the largest contracts of his career:
6-year, $26.25 million multi-year deal with a signing bonus of $8 million.
Salary of $5 million per year for the first two seasons.
Hartwell’s time with the Falcons was shortened by injury. He played in just 5 games in 2005 and in 8 games in 2006, producing 62 tackles and 1 sack. Hartwell was released before the third year of his contract and made $18 million of the $26 million contract.
Short Contract Duration (2007-2008)
Hartwell was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals (released after the preseason). He then signed with the Oakland Raiders but was released in 2008 prior to the start for the regular season.
Career in the UFL (2010)
Hartwell completed his playing career with the United Football League (UFL) with the Las Vegas Locomotives. He was part of the team that won the 2010 UFL Championship Game, beating the Florida Tuskers 23-20.
Salary, Career Earnings & Finances
During his NFL career, Hartwell earned an estimated $49.1 million in salary, yet his finances, injuries and personal issues caused his net worth to decline.
Foreclosure on Home
In 2007, Hartwell, along with his then-wife Lisa Wu, bought a mansion in Duluth, Georgia, for $2.9 million. The couple defaulted on the loan by 2009, resulting in the bank foreclosing on the home, which sold for $1.9 million.
Personal Life
Marriage to Lisa Wu
Hartwell married Lisa Wu in 2005, who is an actress and reality star of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Atlanta. They had a son, Ed Jr., in 2007 and divorced in 2011.
Marriage to Keshia Knight Pulliam
Hartwell was married to actress Keshia Knight Pulliam in 2016, who is best known for being on The Cosby Show. The marriage was short-lived, and Ed filed for divorce a week after Pulliam announced she was pregnant. The couple welcomed a daughter, Ella, in 2017 and divorce was finalized in 2018.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Ed Hartwell
Q1 – What is Ed Hartwell’s net worth in 2025?
Ed Hartwell’s net worth in 2025 is an estimated $200,000, down from the millions he made during his NFL career.
Q2 – How much did Ed Hartwell make in the NFL?
Ed Hartwell made $49.1 million in salary during his NFL career, with his largest NFL contract being a 6-year/$26.25 million contract with the Falcons in 2005.
Q3- Why is Ed Hartwell’s net worth so low?
Ed Hartwell’s NFL career was cut short due to injuries, and other factors, such as foreclosure on his Georgia home, contributed to his financial problems.
Q4 – Did Ed Hartwell win a Super Bowl?
Hartwell did not win a Super Bowl in the NFL; he did win the 2010 UFL Championship with the Las Vegas Locomotives.
Q5 – Who were Ed Hartwell’s wives?
Lisa Wu: 2005 – 2011; reality star from Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Keshia Knight Pulliam: 2016 – 2018; actress from The Cosby Show.
Q6 – What College football awards did Ed Hartwell win?
In college, Ed Hartwell won the Buck Buchanan Award for the best defensive player in NCAA Division I FCS football in 2000.
