Biff Poggi: Net Worth | Gilman | St Frances | Hedge Fund | Wife | Son

Francis Xavier “Biff” Poggi is one of college football’s most intriguing figures — part coach, part philanthropist, part entrepreneur. His path from hedge fund management to high school and college coaching is unconventional, but compelling. In this article, we will explore Poggi’s net worth, his stints at Gilman School and St. Frances Academy, his hedge fund background, and his personal life including his wife and sons.

Introduction

Biff Poggi is a name often associated with the phrase “coach with a purpose.” Unlike many coaches who go all in on sports from the start, Poggi built a substantial financial foundation through investing and business before leaning full-time into football. His story weaves together finance, educational philanthropy, and coaching success.

As of 2025, Poggi is back at the University of Michigan, serving as Associate Head Coach. 
But driving this role is a lifetime of varied experiences — from starting a hedge fund with a modest seed investment to transforming high school football programs and mentoring young athletes.

Early Life and Education

Biff Poggi was born on June 6, 1959, in Baltimore, Maryland.  He attended Gilman School, a well-regarded all-boys prep school in Baltimore, where he played football as an offensive lineman.

After graduating high school, Poggi played at the University of Pittsburgh, but a knee injury hampered his early college career. He later transferred to Duke University, where he completed his degree.  It was at Duke where he met his future wife, Amy.

From Coaching to Finance (and back)

Poggi’s coaching journey began modestly. He worked as an assistant at Brown, Temple and The Citadel early in his career. After those stints, he returned to Baltimore and joined Gilman School as an assistant coach, starting around 1988.

However, coaching alone did not pay the bills. Poggi’s father-in-law, Joseph Nix (a successful textiles executive), taught him the basics of investing and finance. With an initial investment of roughly USD 25,000 from his father-in-law, Poggi launched a hedge fund/business entity called Samuel James Limited in 1986.

Over three decades, Samuel James grew significantly — investing in energy distribution, logistics, real estate, biotech, and other sectors. By the time Poggi fully stepped away from managing it, the fund was reportedly worth “hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Poggi never left coaching entirely. Even while running the investment business, he continued as an assistant and volunteer coach, committed to his passion for football and mentorship.

Gilman School: Building a Prep Powerhouse

In 1996, Poggi became head coach of the Gilman School football team. Over 19 seasons (1996–2015), he built one of the most dominant high school football programs in Maryland, winning 13 state titles.

Under Poggi’s leadership, Gilman became known for a disciplined, no-nonsense culture of accountability, football fundamentals, and character building. Many of his former players remember him as a tough but caring mentor.

While head coach, Poggi also ensured players had academic support and personal mentoring. This reputation helped him become a respected figure in both youth sports and educational circles.

By the time Poggi stepped away from Gilman in 2015, he left a high school program that was a model of sustained success and player development.  Biff Poggi Net Worth.

St. Frances Academy: Transformative Philanthropy and Coaching

After his time at Gilman and a short analyst stint at Michigan in 2016, Poggi turned his attention to Saint Frances Academy (commonly St. Frances), a private Catholic high school located in East Baltimore serving a predominantly African-American, economically under-resourced community.

Poggi had a personal connection to St. Frances long before coaching it. In about 2008, he wrote a USD 60,000 check to help fund the fledgling football program at the school. Over time, he continued contributing — funding scholarships, supporting room & board, academic resources, SAT prep classes, nutrition support, and even renting townhouses for players who didn’t have safe living conditions.

In 2017, Poggi took over as head coach of St. Frances. His first team went 13-0, and the program soared to national recognition, ranking as high as No. 4 in the USA Today national poll. Under Poggi, many St. Frances players received scholarship offers to FBS programs including Alabama, Duke, Maryland, Mississippi State, Indiana, West Virginia, etc.

Poggi’s work at St. Frances is widely cited not just as coaching success, but as community impact — offering mentorship, safe housing, meals, and structure to young men from challenging circumstances.  The story was captured in the HBO documentary E:60 – How a Football Coach Saved a Program and Lost His Opponents.

There was controversy too: some local opponents refused to play St. Frances due to concerns over competitive imbalance or safety, but Poggi and his players persisted.

By the end of his tenure in 2020, Poggi had transformed St. Frances into a national powerhouse, both on and off the field.

Return to Michigan, Charlotte Head Coach, and Beyond

In 2016 Poggi served as an off-field analyst under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. In 2021, he rejoined Michigan as Associate Head Coach. During that time, Michigan had considerable success in the Big Ten and in the College Football Playoff.

In late 2022, Poggi was hired as Head Coach of the Charlotte 49ers (University of North Carolina at Charlotte). His contract was reportedly USD 1 million per year (with half base and half from the athletic foundation).

The contract included incentives: bonuses for beating ranked teams, making bowls, academic progress rate targets, etc. Over the life of the contract, Poggi could have earned more via bonuses, but his record at Charlotte was mixed: he compiled a 6-16 record and was fired in late 2024, before the contract term ended.

As of 2025, Poggi has returned to Michigan (again) as Associate Head Coach.  His reputation remains strong as a mentor, motivator, and strategic mind in football.

Estimating Biff Poggi’s Net Worth and Income Sources

Estimating the net worth of a coach-entrepreneur like Poggi involves combining his hedge fund legacy, coaching salaries, and philanthropic investments.

Here’s a breakdown of plausible components of his wealth:

Most publicly cited sources estimate Poggi’s net worth at ~USD 10 million as of 2024–2025.

Given his prior hedge fund success, one might expect a higher number, but much of that wealth may have been reinvested in charitable causes, football programs, or distributed to partners/players over time.

So while some articles sensationally suggest “hundreds of millions,” credible estimates cluster around the USD 10 million mark.

Personal Life: Wife, Sons, and Family

Wife: Amy Poggi

Biff Poggi is married to his college sweetheart, Amy. They met while Poggi was at Duke University and she has been a steadfast partner throughout his diverse career. Amy’s father, Joseph Nix, played a pivotal role in Poggi’s early financial education, providing the initial capital that helped launch Samuel James Limited.

Sons

Poggi has three sons (some sources vary on whether it’s three or more). One of his sons, Henry Poggi, played as a fullback at the University of Michigan when Poggi was serving as an analyst there.

Another son also played football under him at Gilman. All of his sons were part of his coaching journey at Gilman, which speaks to the strong family connection to football in Poggi’s life.

The names and details of his other sons are less frequently published, suggesting a preference for maintaining a degree of privacy. Biff Poggi Net Worth.

Legacy, Impact, and Criticism

Impact & Legacy

• Poggi is widely respected not only for wins and coaching acumen but for his humanitarian approach: investing in high-need schools, housing players, offering tutoring, meals, transportation, and more.

• His programs at Gilman and St. Frances have produced players who went on to college and NFL careers, as well as strong academic outcomes.

• He’s also been known to encourage financial literacy among his players, giving them exposure to internships and real-world business thinking—a nod to his own hedge fund background.

Criticism & Controversy

• Some critics have taken issue with Poggi’s aggressive recruiting at the high school level, particularly at St. Frances. Some opposing teams refused to play his squads citing safety or competitive imbalance.

• Others have questioned the optics of a wealthy coach donating large sums to programs while also coaching — but most coverage frames it as philanthropy rather than self-enrichment.

• His departure from Gilman reportedly involved administrative disagreement over scholarship scope and recruiting philosophy.

Despite controversy, Poggi’s reputation among his players, peers, and community remains largely positive. Many describe him as a mentor, catalyst, and bridge-builder. Biff Poggi Net Worth.

What’s Next for Biff Poggi?

As of 2025, Poggi is back at Michigan as Associate Head Coach. That gives him a stable platform in a top-tier college program and an opportunity to continue mentoring young men on and off the field.

If Poggi continues to invest in programs, philanthropy, or perhaps writes/lectures on leadership, there’s potential for further growth in his public influence. Given his track record, his next moves—whether staying in football coaching or branching into business mentoring or media—will certainly draw attention. Biff Poggi Net Worth.

FAQs

Q1: What is Biff Poggi’s net worth?
A1: According to multiple sources, Biff Poggi’s net worth is estimated at around USD 10 million as of 2024-2025. However, because he ran a successful hedge fund in the past and has made philanthropic investments through coaching, some of his wealth has likely been reinvested in programs rather than held in liquid form.

Q2: How did Poggi make his money?
A2: Poggi launched Samuel James Limited in 1986 with about USD 25,000 (from his father-in-law). Over the years, he invested in various sectors — energy, logistics, real estate, biotech — and accumulated significant wealth from investment growth and hedge fund returns.  In addition, he earned coaching salaries, bonuses, and holds assets likely in real estate and business equity.

Q3: What was Poggi’s role at Gilman School?
A3: Poggi served as head coach at Gilman School from 1996 to 2015. Under his leadership, Gilman won 13 state titles over 19 seasons and became one of the most successful high school football programs in Maryland.

Q4: What did Poggi do at St. Frances Academy?
A4: Poggi initially funded the program with a USD 60,000 donation in 2008, then later became its head coach in 2017. He supported scholarships, housing, academic support, meals, transportation and mentoring for players from underserved backgrounds. His first St. Frances team went 13-0 and the program achieved national recognition.

Q5: Who is Biff Poggi’s wife and children?
A5: Poggi is married to Amy Poggi, whom he met at Duke University. Her father, Joseph Nix, provided Poggi with initial investment capital. They have at least three sons; one of them, Henry, played fullback at Michigan. All sons played football under Poggi’s coaching at Gilman.

Q6: What is Poggi doing now?
A6: As of 2025, Biff Poggi serves as Associate Head Coach at the University of Michigan, after his stint as head coach at Charlotte ended. Biff Poggi Net Worth.

Conclusion

Biff Poggi is a fascinating example of how passion, purpose, and financial savvy can intersect in powerful ways. From a modest investment seed of USD 25,000, he built a hedge fund success story, funded transformational high school football programs, and continues to coach at a high level. His net worth may be in the millions, but his impact on players, communities, and institutions stretches far beyond any balance sheet.

His story offers useful lessons: perseverance, investment in people, blending vocation with philanthropy, and the idea that success in one sphere (finance) can be used to fuel impact in another (sports/education). Whether or not Poggi returns to a head coaching role, his legacy as coach-investor-mentor is firmly in place.