Big Brother has found its 28th winner, and the result is a notable outcome for the franchise. Rick Devens walked away with the title, a $750,000 grand prize, and a $50,000 fan-vote bonus, giving him a total of $810,000 for the season.
The finale aired Thursday night, and the jury voted Devens the winner by a count of 6-1. Taylor Brown finished second with a single vote. Devens also won the fan-voted America’s favorite houseguest title, which added the extra cash to his haul.
The Jury That Decided It
This year’s jury included seven players who were eliminated earlier in the season. The full list:
- LaTrice “Lala” Verrett
- Angela Murray
- Barrett Pfeiffer
- Yash Patel
- Melody Morris
- Dee Valladares
- Drew Campbell
Drew Campbell became the final juror after Devens chose to evict him in the penultimate episode. That move sent Taylor into the top two, sealing Drew’s fate on the jury.
Devens’s Road to the Title
Devens is not a newcomer to reality TV. He recently appeared on Survivor’s landmark 50th season, though he first showed up on the show for Edge of Extinction, the show’s 38th season. This marks the first time a Survivor player has won Big Brother.
He was not the only returning vet on the season. Dee Valladares, the winner of Survivor 45, also joined Big Brother 28 as a surprise addition. The pair were dubbed the “icons,” joining Big Brother alum Angela Murray as previous reality TV veterans on the cast.
Cirie Fields appeared on Big Brother season 25, marking the second time Survivor players jumped to the CBS reality competition. This year’s season saw both Dee and Devens announced as surprise additions.
The Head of Household Stakes
The finale featured a three-part Head of Household competition. Taylor won the first part, leaving Drew and Devens to battle in part two. Devens took that round.
In the third part, Taylor and Devens went head to head again, with Devens winning to secure his spot in the final two. From there, he chose to evict Drew, sending Taylor into the top two and locking in Drew’s position on the jury.
The Full Finish Order
The season ended with a clear pecking order. Here is how each of the Big Brother season 28 players placed:
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| Winner, America’s favorite houseguest | Rick Devens |
| 2nd place | Taylor Brown |
| 3rd place | Drew Campbell |
| 4th place | Dee Valladares |
| 5th place | Melody Morris |
| 6th place | Yash Patel |
| 7th place | Barrett Pfeiffer |
| 8th place | Angela Murray |
| 9th place | LaTrice “Lala” Verrett |
| 10th place | Haley Thogmartin |
| 11th place | Mallory Aurichio |
| 12th place | Kamuela “Kamu” Kirk |
| 13th place | Chuk Anyanwu |
| 14th place | Lyric Medeiros |
| 15th place | Jason De Puy |
| 16th place | Rome Seymour |
| 17th place | Ashley Trail |
Devens’s win is notable because of his history. He is the first Survivor player to claim the Big Brother title.
A Season of Returning Vets
Beyond Devens and Dee, the season also featured Jason De Puy, who previously appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race and its All Stars spinoff. He chose not to tell his fellow houseguests about his unscripted TV experience.
The presence of multiple returning reality stars gave the season a distinct flavor.
The Money Breakdown
Devens’s total earnings came from three sources:
- $750,000 grand prize
- $75,000 runner-up prize (awarded to Taylor Brown)
- $50,000 America’s favorite houseguest bonus
His total: $810,000 for the season.
The prize structure rewards both performance and popularity. The fan vote added to the winner’s bank account.
The Bottom Line
Rick Devens won Big Brother 28 with a 6-1 jury vote, then also won America’s favorite houseguest, earning a total of $810,000 for the season. It is a fitting end to a season that broke new ground for the franchise.
The win is a reminder that Big Brother has become a destination for reality TV veterans. Devens’s path from Survivor to Big Brother shows how the industry has grown tighter over time, with shows sharing talent and audiences alike.
For fans of the show, the finale delivered a clean sweep: the jury winner was also the fan favorite. That made for a satisfying conclusion to a long season.
The franchise will now move on to its next cycle, with a new group of players and a new chance to make history. For now, the record belongs to Rick Devens.
Source material: “‘Big Brother’ Reveals Season 28 Winner: See Who Won the Game (and America’s Favorite Houseguest),” The Hollywood Reporter.
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