They Were Shown the Money: The Highest-Paid NFL Players

It pays to be a quarterback.

The NFL rewards gamers at its most prestigious place with fame, endorsements, and much and many cash.

It looks like a brand new quarterback contract with 9 figures of assured cash is popping out every week. And, because the income for the league continues to extend, the numbers in these contracts are simply going to maintain getting larger, wage cap or no wage cap.

And whereas many of the high contracts in historical past have come on the quarterback place, some gamers at different positions have executed effectively for themselves, too.

Under, we check out the highest earners in NFL historical past. Cash talks, and these guys have had so much mentioned to them over time (all contract knowledge by way of Spotrac).

Largest NFL Contracts

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (10 years, $450M)

Signing Yr: 2020; AAV: $45,000,000; Signing Age: 24

Mahomes laps the sphere in these rankings with the large 10-year pact he signed with the Chiefs previous to the 2020-21 season. It was the right confluence of occasions for Mahomes; he was the consensus finest quarterback within the league at age 24 coming off a monster season that led to a championship win. Mahomes earned a lot on this deal, he was in a position to grow to be a minority stakeholder in one other workforce on the town – the Kansas Metropolis Royals.

T-2. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (5 years, $275M)

Signing Yr: 2023; AAV: $55,000,000; Signing Age: 26

After serving to flip the woeful franchise right into a perennial contender within the AFC (together with a Tremendous Bowl look in the course of the 2021 season), the Bengals rewarded the No. 1 decide within the 2020 NFL Draft by making him the highest-paid participant in NFL historical past on a per-year foundation. The extension included $219.01 million in assured cash.

T-2. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (5 years, $275M)

Signing Yr: 2024; AAV: $55,000,000; Signing Age: 24

Maybe it’s becoming that Lawrence, the No. 1 general decide of the 2021 NFL Draft, matched the document for highest common annual worth in a contract that was held by the participant who went No. 1 general a yr earlier than him. This extension included $200 million assured and a $37.5 million signing bonus.

4. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (5 years, $262.5M)

Signing Yr: 2023; AAV: $52,500,000; Signing Age: 25

On the time of this deal, Herbert had grow to be the highest-paid quarterback within the NFL by common wage. That’s till the Bengals’ take care of Burrow surpassed that quantity simply over a month later. Herbert will obtain $218.7 million in ensures in his new deal.

Herbert, 25, was a first-round decide (sixth general) by the Chargers in 2020. He’s been a full-time starter ever since, throwing for 17,223 yards and 114 touchdowns with solely 42 interceptions by means of his first 4 seasons.

5. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (5 years, $260M)

Signing Yr: 2023; AAV: $52,000,000; Signing Age: 26

Jackson’s free-agent deal is just not price as a lot as Mahomes’ in totality, however he grew to become the highest-paid participant per yr (on the time) after re-signing with the workforce that drafted him thirty second general again in 2018. Jackson was 4 years faraway from his MVP-winning season in 2019 and he hadn’t posted a 1,000-yard speeding season since 2020 on the time of the signing. The Ravens, nonetheless, wouldn’t let talks break down with their 26-year-old dual-threat franchise quarterback when there have been golf equipment falling over themselves for the possibility to even sit on the negotiating desk with such a participant.

6. Josh Allen, Buffalo Payments (6 years, $258.034M)

Signing Yr: 2021; AAV: $43,005,667; Signing Age: 25

Allen didn’t fairly get the Mahomes deal, however he got here shut by way of common annual worth. The Payments have been met with some derision after taking Allen with the seventh general decide within the 2018 NFL Draft, however the workforce had the final snicker as he developed into the most effective quarterbacks within the league.

7. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (5 years, $255M)

Signing Yr: 2023; AAV: $51,000,000; Signing Age: 24

Hurts took the Eagles to the Tremendous Bowl and cashed in throughout the next offseason. His contract has the most important AAV ever, and he edged out the following participant on the record for the most important contract by a participant not drafted within the first spherical.

8. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos (5 years, $242.588M)

Signing Yr: 2022; AAV: $48,517,647; Signing Age: 33

The Broncos had been trying to find a quarterback since Peyton Manning retired and at last discovered their man within the Seattle Seahawks legend. After spending loads of capital to amass him, it was solely a matter of time earlier than the workforce paid him his cash, and he agreed to a brand new deal every week earlier than the 2022-23 season started. He spent solely two seasons with the Broncos.

9. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (5 years, $230.5M)

Signing Yr: 2024; AAV: $46,100,000; Signing Age: 24

There was loads of debate about whether or not the Cardinals would decide to Kyler Murray, however the workforce ponied as much as hold their franchise quarterback. Murray clearly cared about his standing on the highest-paid gamers’ record, since he exceeded the contract of Deshaun Watson by a mere $500,000.

The Relaxation:

10. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns ($230M)

11. Jordan Love, Inexperienced Bay Packers ($220M)

12. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins ($212.4M)

13. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions ($212M)

14. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons ($180M)

15. Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers ($170M)

T-16. Daniel Jones, New York Giants ($160M)

T-16. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams ($160M)

T-16. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys ($160M)

Largest NFL Contracts (Non-QBs)

1. Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers (5 years, $170M)

Signing Yr: 2023; AAV: $34,000,000 Signing Age: 25

Timing is every little thing, and Bosa picked yr to get an extension.

Coming off a Defensive Participant of the Yr Award in 2022-23 through which he had 18.5 sacks, Bosa sat out all of coaching camp and the preseason in hopes of a brand new deal. His insistence on a brand new deal paid off as he instantly obtained the most important contract and highest AAV for a defensive participant in NFL historical past.

2. Chris Jones, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (5 years, $158.75M)

Signing Yr: 2024; AAV: $31,750,000; Signing Age: 29

Regardless of all of the discuss whether or not they’d be capable to re-sign him, the Chiefs did discover a strategy to lock up their star defensive lineman to the second-richest complete contract for a non-QB in NFL historical past.

Jones reached double-digit sack totals in back-to-back seasons for the primary time in his profession in 2022 and 2023 with 15.5 and 10.5, respectively. And in the course of the workforce’s playoff run to back-to-back titles in these years, Jones totaled 2.5 sacks, 12 quarterback hits, three tackles for loss and one compelled fumble.

T-3. Brian Burns, New York Giants (5 years, $141M)

Signing Yr: 2024; AAV: $28,200,000; Signing Age: 25

The Burns saga lastly ended when the sting was traded from the Carolina Panthers to the Giants within the 2024 offseason. New York then inked Burns to a one of many largest contract extensions of all time for a non-QB.

Burns addressed arguably the most important want on the Giants roster after totaling 46 sacks over 5 seasons in Carolina. And his 54 tackles for loss because the 2020 season rank sixth within the NFL over that span.

T-3. Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers (6 years, $141M)

Signing Yr: 2018; AAV: $23,500,000; Signing Age: 27

The Chicago Bears noticed Mack because the distinction maker for his or her workforce in 2018. They spent loads of draft capital to get him, sending two first-rounders, a third-rounder and a sixth-rounder to the then-Oakland Raiders for Mack, a second-rounder and a conditional fifth-rounder.

The Bears invested loads of actual capital in Mack, too, giving him the most important deal for a defensive participant and non-QB in league historical past at the moment. And whereas Mack was the drive on protection, the Bears hoped for a few years, the offense was by no means adequate to go with his unit, and the Bears traded Mack to the Chargers previous to the 2022-23 season.

T-5. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings (4 years, $140M)

Signing Yr: 2024; AAV: $35,000,000; Signing Age: 25

Jefferson was restricted by damage to 10 video games in 2023, however that didn’t stop him from surpassing 1,000 receiving yards for the fourth straight season to open his Vikings’ profession. The next offseason, they reached a contract extension that included $110 million assured and made him the highest-paid vast receiver in NFL historical past. The deal additionally included $88.743M at signing, the best non-QB assure at signing in NFL historical past.

T-5. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders (5 years, $140M)

Signing Yr: 2022; AAV: $28,000,000; Signing Age: 29

The Raiders didn’t view the Mack commerce as a cautionary story of giving up property to signal a non-quarterback to a profitable deal, because the workforce despatched first- and second-round picks to the Inexperienced Bay Packers for Aaron Rodgers’ high vast receiver and signed him to a deal that pays $28 million per yr.

7. Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers (6 years, $138.060M)

Signing Yr: 2021; AAV: $23,010,000; Signing Age: 32

Left sort out is a premium place, and Williams is an elite participant. It is smart that the 49ers have been prepared to present him probably the most cash ever for an offensive lineman, even when he did signal it on the age of 32.

8. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys (4 years, $136M)

Signing Yr: 2024; AAV: $34,000,000; Signing Age: 25

Although there have been some contentious moments as Lamb sat out coaching camp and three preseason video games, the Cowboys and the star wideout finally agreed on a deal that made him the second-highest paid non-QB by way of common annual worth. Lamb additionally grew to become the highest-paid vast receiver in Cowboys’ historical past.

8. Joey Bosa, Los Angeles Chargers (5 years, $135M)

Signing Yr: 2020; AAV: $27,000,000; Signing Age: 25

When the Chargers acquired the beforehand talked about Mack, they did it to pair him with the proprietor of the second-most profitable deal for a go rusher. Bosa earned his five-year contract extension with elite manufacturing all through his tenure with the Chargers, which began with an NFL Defensive Rookie of the Yr Award after he was chosen third general in 2016.

9. Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns (5 years, $125M)

Signing Yr: 2021; AAV: $25,000,000; Signing Age: 24

Garrett was the primary general decide the yr after Bosa went third, and his workforce was fairly joyful along with his early manufacturing as effectively. The Browns have been so thrilled with the defensive finish that they gave him near as a lot as Bosa obtained to be the face of their protection for a very long time. Compared, Aaron Donald’s new contract totals $95 million over three years, nevertheless it has the next AAV of round $31.7 million.