Top 10 highest paid NFL players of all-time ft. Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott
From Jordan Love to Dak Prescott, in this article, we'll take a look at the top 10 highest-paid NFL players of all time annually.
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NFL is one of the most profitable sporting leagues around the world. The athletes are getting paid handsomely for their talents and hard work. Most NFL players are well paid, and some are arguably getting paid more than their market value.
The Philadelphia Eagles signed their franchise quarterback Jalen Hurts to a 5-year $255 million deal in the mid of the 2023 off-season. Hurts contract was only one of the many blockbuster contracts that happened in 2023. Now Jordan Love and Tua Tagovailoa have received their share of massive extensions this offseason.
They are certainly getting paid a lot, but where do they rank on the Top 10 highest-paid NFL players of the all-time list? In this article, we’ll check out the 10 players who get paid the highest salary annually in the NFL.
10. Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals)
As previously mentioned, after the Browns signed Deshaun Watson to a huge deal, most quarterbacks allegedly started to demand similar kinds of contracts, including the Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray.
Murray did get a similar contract with the Cardinals, but he just didn’t get it fully guaranteed. In July 2022, the Cardinals signed Kyler Murray to a 5-year $230.5 million contract including $160 million in guarantees.
That contract makes him the tenth highest-paid NFL player of all time, with an annual average salary of $46,100,000.
9. Russell Wilson (Pittsburgh Steelers)
The Denver Broncos went all in and acquired Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks in the 2022 off-season. The Broncos gave up a lot of draft capital to acquire the former Super Bowl Champion.
Furthermore, after acquiring him, they signed him to a massive five-year contract worth up to 245 million dollars, including $165 million in guarantees. As a result of that deal, Wilson is currently the ninth highest-paid NFL player, with an average annual salary of $48,517,647. Wilson has since shifted his base to the Pittsburgh Steelers, with his salary expected to stay the same.
8. Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles)
This might be a huge shock for a lot of people, but as previously mentioned, the Browns-Deshaun Watson contract really changed the market value of the quarterbacks. Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles surprised a lot of people with their performances last season when they clinched the NFC Championship.
Thanks to that remarkable season, Hurts became the highest-paid NFL player of all time, but only for a few days! And who could have guessed his top position as the highest earner would be toppled four times in a matter of few months!
In April 2023, the Eagles signed Jalen Hurts to a massive 5-year deal worth up to $255 million dollars with approximately $180 million in guarantees. He is now the eighth highest-paid NFL player ever, with an average salary of $51,000,000.
7. Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens)
The NFL is no stranger to eye-watering contracts, and the Top 10 highest-paid NFL players of the all-time list is a testament to that. But in recent times the league has witnessed an epic battle for the top spot on this illustrious list, with multiple quarterbacks going head-to-head in a jaw-dropping display of financial firepower.
First, it was Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts who signed a staggering $255 million extension in April 2023, securing his place among the all-time greats of the game. But just when fans thought they had seen it all, Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens came out swinging with a historic extension that shattered all previous records, and that too in the same month! All the trade drama that the league witnessed between the Ravens and their 2019 MVP-winning QB came to a fruitful end with this deal.
Jackson’s mind-blowing contract will earn him a mind-boggling $52 million per year, making him the seventh highest-paid NFL player of all-time and surpassing Hurts’ $51 million in the process. Alas, Jackson was not able to hold the number-one spot for long due to the QB market being at an all-time high.
6. Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers)
The Los Angeles Chargers made history by signing their franchise quarterback, Justin Herbert, to an enormous 5-year contract worth up to $262 million on 25th June 2023. This deal made Herbert the highest-paid quarterback (and player) in the NFL (just for over two months), surpassing notable names like Aaron Rodgers and Josh Allen.
The deal will see Herbert earn $52.4 million annually. Herbert is now sixth on the list of highest-paid players in the NFL.
The signing came during the team’s training camp for the upcoming season, and it ensures Herbert’s presence with the Chargers through the 2029 season, complete with a no-trade clause and significant guarantees totaling $133.7 million in full guarantees and $193.7 million in injury guarantees. This blockbuster deal places Herbert in the company of other star quarterbacks who also secured 5-year contracts during the 2023 off-season, including Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles and Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens.
5. Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs)
Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs’ star quarterback, is set to become the fifth-highest-paid NFL player ever. His recent contract restructuring guarantees him $210.6 million between 2023 and 2026, averaging approximately $52.65 million per year.
This unprecedented deal, negotiated by Equity Sports CEO Chris Cabott, solidifies Mahomes’ position at the pinnacle of NFL earnings and ensures his financial security for the next four seasons. Furthermore, the Chiefs and Mahomes have plans to revisit and potentially extend this historic agreement beyond 2026, underlining the quarterback’s enduring influence in the league.
4. Jared Goff (Detroit Lions)
In May of 2024, the Lions signed Jared Goff to a four-year, $212 million extension ($53 million per year), making him the highest-paid player in franchise history and one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL.
The annual average value of Goff’s contract is only behind Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa’s newest extension (53.1 million AAV), and four other QBs-Joe Burrow, Jordan Love, and Trevor Lawrence ($55 million per year each). Jared Goff’s deal includes $170 million guaranteed.
3. Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins)
The Miami Dolphins have just offered their franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension. This has made Tagovailoa the second highest-paid player in the league in terms of annual average value.
Tagovailoa will make $53.1 million per annum with a guaranteed sum of $167.1 million.
T-2. Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals)
In a historic moment for the NFL, Joe Burrow shattered records as the Cincinnati Bengals secured his position as the highest-paid player of all time. The quarterback has inked an astonishing $275,000,000 contract spanning five years, promising him an annual income of up to $55 million. The deal came to fruition in the first week of September 2023, just a day before the new season started.
The 2023 offseason witnessed a flurry of jaw-dropping quarterback contract extensions, starting with Jalen Hurts’ five-year, $255 million deal with the Eagles in April. Shortly after, Lamar Jackson signed a $260 million contract for five years, and the Chargers joined the fray with a $262 million deal for Justin Herbert. Now, Joe Burrow reigns supreme as the NFL’s second highest-earning player in history. And two candidates have matched his salary, keeping the QB market still heated up.
T-2. Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars)
The Jaguars made a surprising move in June 2024 by signing Lawrence to a five-year, $275 million contract, with $200 million guaranteed.
The Clemson graduate will also receive a $37.5 million signing bonus. His base salary is set at $1.05 million, with a roster bonus of $4.62 million. The deal carries a cap hit of $11,707,019 and a dead cap value of $6,029,725.
This contract makes Lawrence the joint second highest-paid quarterback at $55 million per year, matching the salary of the Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow. Unlike Burrow, who has played in a Super Bowl and a Conference Championship game, Lawrence has not yet reached those milestones.
T-2. Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers)
When Aaron Rodgers left the Packers for New York, a young Jordan Love was left to shoulder the hopes of an entire franchise and its fanbase. And boy, did he step up to the challenge.
Love embraced the opportunity with determined and undeniable talent, quickly winning over skeptics and earning the respect of his teammates and coaches. His consistent performance throughout the 2023 season proved that the Packers’ legacy of exceptional quarterbacks was in capable hands.
The Green Bay Packers have now rewarded the 25-year-old with a massive $220,00,000 contract which comes with a signing bonus worth $75,000,000. This extension has made Jordan Love yet another NFL QB tied for the second highest-paid player in the league at an average value of $55 million per annum.
1. Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys)
The 2024 NFL season is in full swing, but players are still finalizing deals and securing contracts. One of the most lucrative recent deals is that of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
According to Spotrac data, Prescott signed a four-year contract with the Cowboys worth $240 million, making him the highest paid player ever.
The deal includes an $80 million signing bonus and guarantees totaling $231 million, with an average annual salary of $60 million. For the 2024 season, Prescott will earn a base salary of $1.25 million, along with the $80 million signing bonus.
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Aravind Raj
(2075 Articles Published)