Shohei Ohtani set to earn more than the combined career earnings of Tom Brady and LeBron James in just 10 years after ‘historic’ $700 million deal

Ohtani reportedly will make more than Tom Brady and LeBron James career earnings combined.

Shohei Ohtani set to earn more than the combined career earnings of Tom Brady and LeBron James in just 10 years after ‘historic’ $700 million deal

LeBron James, Shohei Ohtani and Tom Brady (Image via IMAGO/Sky Sports)

The most talked-about baseball free agent, Shohei Ohtani, agreed to a $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the contract made the two-way Japanese phenom the largest contract by total value in U.S. team sports history.

When browsing through the ‘America’s Game’ football, Ohtani’s potential earnings seem even more significant. The Cincinnati Bengals gave their quarterback, Joe Burrow, a 5-year, $275 million deal. He will earn approximately $55 million a year. If it were for 10 years, then double his potential earnings would still be lower than Shohei Ohtani’s.

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According to Sportico statistician Kurt Badenhausen, seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady has earned around $333 million in 23 years while playing for the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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In the NBA, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors signed the richest package contract. Curry makes around $51.9 million each year. In terms of lifetime earnings, Los Angeles Lakers icon LeBron James has allegedly made $479.5 million over the course of his 21-year career. The veteran recently agreed to a two-year agreement for $97 million, with a $47.6 million compensation for the 2023–2024 season and a $51.4 million payout for 2025.

Shohei Ohtani will still earn less than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

For trend-setters like Ohtani, this is just another feather in his long list of records. The 29-year-old truly deserves to be paid handsomely for his outstanding 10 wins as a pitcher and more than 30 home runs as a batter in the same season.

If he does play out his 10-year contract, then he will be Major League Baseball‘s all-time leader in on-field earnings. He would easily eclipse Alex Rodriguez‘s $455 million set in 2016.

Shohei Ohtani set to earn more than the combined career earnings of Tom Brady and LeBron James in just 10 years after 'historic' $700 million deal
Shohei Ohtani (Image via Sky Sports)

Ohtani’s $70 million may sound like a lot, but he’s still 5th on the board for yearly earnings. Soccer stars Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo are making roughly $214 million annually in the Saudi Pro League playing for Al-Nassr.

Then there’s World Cup winner Lionel Messi, who reportedly earned around $168.5 million per year at Inter Miami FC in the MLS. The fourth sport goes to Canelo Alvarez, whose deal with DAZN earns him around $73 million per year.

Still, Ohtani will earn more than any of them if he completes his 10-year tenure. Not only that, but it will help increase the MLB in parts where it’s not that popular. If their target was to capture the Asian market, then the next decade would be crucial.

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