‘Dancing with the Stars’ NFL-pro Danny Amendola sells Austin mansion

Former NFL wide receiver and two-time Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola has sold his Austin-area mansion, but he doesn’t plan on moving far

Amendola sold his midcentury modern home in West Lake Hills, a suburb just outside of Austin, on Jan. 12. The football pro decided it was time to sell the home after nearly a decade in 2025, originally asking for $5.5 million and later lowering to $4.95 million. It eventually sold for $3.6 million. 

While making a career on the field, Amendola stepped into the Texas real estate scene when he purchased the 4,800-square-foot home in 2017 for about $2 million. Amendola spent the next nine months renovating the home, a project he told the Wall Street Journal was a creative outlet for him. 

The home sits on more than an acre of sculpted grounds with a pool.

About five years ago, shortly before retiring, Amendola’s neighbor asked if he’d be interested in the property next door. He bought the land for $1.1 million, demolishing the home and rebuilding a 5,200-square-foot Japanese-inspired modern home with the help of local architect Matt Garcia. He later put that house on the market once it was finished. 

But after the midcentury home sold in January, he decided he didn’t want to move far — so he moved in next door, to the Japanese-inspired home he already owned, and took it off the market.

“He decided to stay. He said, ‘I don’t want to leave,’” local listing agent Lander Peerman of Compass in Austin, told the American-Statesman. “He said he’s not going anywhere and went right next door. He could live anywhere in the world, and he chose Austin.” 

Peerman said Amendola loves the privacy and beauty of West Lake Hills, and knew after building the Japanese modern home with Garcia that he didn’t want to leave the area. 

The home faces southwest and features large windows overlooking the hill county views and “epic sunsets.” Peerman said the home has “lots of landscape moments” including a living garden under the staircase that can be seen from outside. 

Amendola now resides in the home with his girlfriend and their long-haired dachshund, Birdy.

A Houston native, Amendola attended The Woodlands High School where he helped lead the program to its first-ever Class 5A Division I state championship game in 2003 as the team’s star wide receiver. He stayed in Texas for college, playing for Texas Tech University until he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Cowboys in 2008. 

Amendola later won two Super Bowls as a New England Patriot and played for the Miami Dolphins, Detrioit Lions and Houston Texans before his retirement in 2022. He had a short-stint as an assistant coach for the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2023 season before parting ways with the team. 

Off the field, Amendola stepped on to the “Dancing with the Stars” stage in 2024 for the 33rd season of ABC Network’s hit show. He later made it to the finale and finished fifth overall with dancing pro Witney Carson. 

Austin, for many celebrities or notable figures, has become a sort-of sanctuary over the years, with the west side of town becoming a top pick for many looking for an escape from larger cities like Los Angeles or New York. West Lake Hills’ wealthiest homeowner, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, recently sparked high-profile drama with his neighbors over a very public and “Fort Knox-looking” fence.