The high stakes of the NFL world mean that some players get better compensation than others. And after Super Bowl LVIII, which was a true spectacle, the spotlight was not only on the amazing plays and Taylor Swift, but also on the teams’ salaries and bonuses.
In this guide, we review the salaries and incomes of the 2023 season’s top-earning players. These earnings reflect their market value, a combination of their football brilliance, their ability to draw fans into stadiums and viewers to screens, and, of course, their potential to drive their teams to the Super Bowl.
Let’s dive in.
The 20 Highest-Paid NFL Players, 2023–24
These 20 highest-paid NFL players are the true titans of the franchise – both on and off the field.
Very few of these athletes play for the same team, but many play in the same position (albeit not all). Let’s learn more about the touchdowns of their earnings.
Rankings 20 to 16
20. Aaron Donald
Earnings, 2023: $31.7 million (retired)
Former Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald scores the first salary touchdown on our list. Although he retired last month, the 32-year-old player is regarded as one of the greatest defensive players ever.
He spent his entire post-college NFL career with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams, joining them in 2014 on a $10.1 million contract. In 2023, Donald made $31.7 million on the field.
He has endorsement contracts with Nike, GoPuff, and AirBnB, to name a few, and his net worth is estimated to be $60 million.
19. Derek Carr
Earnings, 2023: $32.5 million
33-year-old New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr joined the team in March 2023 on a $150 million contract. Before that, Carr spent nine seasons with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders.
Carr earned $32.5 million in 2023, comprising a salary of $30 million and $2.5 million in endorsements. He has deals with brands such as Nike and Haute Living. His estimated net worth is approximately $80–85 million. Earnings, 2023: $33 million 35-year-old Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins is number 18 in our rating. He joined the Georgia team on a 4-year, $180 million contract in March of this year. However, he hasn’t had the smoothest start, as there are rumors of tampering. Before joining the Falcons, Cousins played for the Minnesota Vikings for six seasons (2018–2023). While playing for the Vikings in 2023, Cousins made $30 million in salary and $3 million in endorsement revenues. He has deals with Nike, Bose, and DraftKings, among other brands. Cousins’ reported net worth is $120 million. Earnings, 2023: $33.5 million Another quarterback on our list is the 29-year-old Detroit Lions player Jared Goff. He was traded to the Lions in 2021 from the Los Angeles Rams (in exchange for another quarterback on our list – Matthew Stafford), where he had played for five seasons, including one Super Bowl (2018). Goff’s salary in 2023 was approximately $33.5 million. He also has endorsement deals with Nike, Hulu, and BMW, and his net worth is believed to be $70 million. Earnings, 2023: $33.8 million The first offensive tackle on our list is Orlando Brown Junior, the 27-year-old Cincinnati Bengals star. He joined the Bengals in 2023 after signing a four-year contract worth $64 million. Before that, he spent two seasons with the current champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. According to Sportico, Brown made $33.8 million in 2023, most of which came from his salary and $100,000 in endorsements. He has a net worth of $2.8 million. Earnings, 2023: $35.8 million The 15th American football player on our list is the 27-year-old guard Chris Lindstrom. The Atlanta Falcons drafted him in 2019 out of college, and he has been with them ever since. In 2023, Kirk Cousins’ teammate signed a $105 million contract extension for five years with the Falcons. Lindstrom reportedly made $35.8 million in 2023, $35.8 million of which came from his salary and $100,000 from endorsements. Earnings, 2023: $37 million The sole representative of the Buffalo Bills in our ratings is the 27-year-old quarterback Josh Allen. The New York team drafted him from college in 2018 and he is still with them as of 2024. In 2023, Allen earned $37 million in total, which breaks down as follows: In addition to these income streams, Allen is a shareholder in a Buffalo golf ball company. His reported net worth is $14 million. Earnings, 2023: $38 million The 35-year-old Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson joined the Philadelphia team in March 2024, only for one year. Before that, he had spent two years with the Denver Broncos (2022–2023) and ten years with the Seattle Seahawks, winning the Super Bowl in 2013. Wilson made $28 million in salary and $10 million in endorsement revenues in 2023 – a total of $38 million. The latter revenues came from deals with brands like Nike, Amazon, and Mercedes Benz. Wilson’s reported net worth is $165 million. Earnings, 2023: $39.9 million In 12th place is the 26-year-old defensive end Rashan Gary, of the Green Bay Packers. Unlike many other players on the list, Gary hasn’t been in the NFL that long, having joined the Wisconsin team in a 2019 draft. Before that, he was in college and ran his own sports agency, Rashan Gary Sports. In 2023, Gary confirmed that his contract with the Packers would be extended for $107.5 million. As of 2023, Gary earned $39.9 million, consisting of $39.5 million in salary and $400,000 in endorsement. Earnings, 2023: $40 million Number 11 on our list is the Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. After joining the Rams in 2021, he led them to a 2021 Super Bowl victory. Before that success, Stafford spent 12 successful seasons with the Detroit Lions, which he joined in 2009 after leaving school early. Stafford reportedly earned $40 million in 2023. His net worth is believed to be $85 million. Earnings, 2023: $42.5 million Kicking off the top ten highest-paid NFL athletes is the 26-year-old Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. In 2019, Murray was drafted by the Cardinals from college in a four-year rookie contract worth $35.2 million and has been with them ever since. The renewed contract, signed in 2022, was worth $230 million. In 2023, Murray made $42.5 million, including $39 million in salary and $3.5 million in endorsements. He has deals with Nike and BodyArmor and partly owns Myna Swap. Murray’s reported net worth is $40 million. Earnings, 2023: $45 million The only Dallas Cowboys man on our list is the 30-year-old quarterback Dak Prescott. He was drafted by the Cowboys in 2016 and renewed his contract in 2021 for another four years. The contract’s reported value was $160 million. Prescott earned $45 million in 2023, as reported by Sportico. These earnings included a salary of $31 million and endorsement revenues of $14 million. These endorsements include deals with AT&T, Adidas, and Pepsi. Prescott’s net worth is estimated to be $70 million. Earnings, 2023: $45.9 million The oldest athlete in our ranking is widely considered one of the best quarterbacks of all time, next to Peyton Manning. The 40-year-old New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was initially drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2005 and spent 17 seasons with them before being traded to the Jets in 2022. In 2023, Rodgers signed a reworked two-year contract worth $75 million with the New York team. In 2023, Rodgers made $45.9 million, comprising $36.9 million in salary and $9 million in endorsements. He has deals with Adidas, Pizza Hut, and Sharpie, to name a few. Rodgers’ reported net worth is $200 million. Earnings, 2023: $46.5 million Number seven on our list is the 28-year-old quarterback Deshaun Watson. The Cleveland Browns quarterback joined the Ohio team in 2022 on a five-year contract worth $230 million. He previously played for the Houston Texans between 2017 and 2021. The lion’s share of Watson’s 2023 earnings ($46.5 million) comes from his salary, with only $500,000 coming from endorsement contracts. However, he has deals with big brands like Nike and Rolex. Watson’s net worth is believed to be $60 million. Earnings, 2023: $47.5 million The only New York Giants quarterback on our list is 26-year-old Daniel Jones. He was initially drafted in 2019 by the New York team out of college and signed a four-year $25.7 million contract. In 2023, Jones renewed his contract for $160 million. Jones is the 36th highest-paid athlete of 2023 and the 6th highest-paid NFL player. Last year, he made $47.5 million: $46 million in salary and $1.5 million in endorsement revenues. He works with brands like Pepsi, Nike, and Verizon. Jones’ reported net worth in 2024 is $25 million. And now it’s time for the top five highest-paid NFL players, 2023 to 2024. Earnings, 2023: $51 million In fifth position of the top 20 highest-paid NFL players in 2023 is the 25-year-old Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Although he hasn’t played professionally for long, having joined the Eagles in the 2020 draft, Hurts signed one of the most lucrative NFL deals in history in 2023. The contract extension, worth $255 million, means he’ll be with the Pennsylvania team for five more years. Hurts’ reported earnings for 2023 amount to $51 million. He also has endorsement deals with Pepsi, Gillette, and other brands. Hurts’ net worth is believed to be $30 million. Earnings, 2023: $51.5 million Another Cincinnati Bengals star on our list is the 27-year-old quarterback Joe Burrow. Drafted in 2020 by the Ohio team with a $36.1 million four-year contract, Burrow has since become one of the highest salaried players, thanks to the 2023 contract extension worth $275 million. Burrow’s $45.5 million salary and endorsement earnings of $6 million put him in fourth place. He has deals with Nike, Bose, and Nerf. Burrow’s estimated net worth is $40 million. Earnings, 2023: $53.6 million While a somewhat controversial figure, San Francisco 49ers Nick Bosa is nonetheless one of the highest-paid NFL athletes and the richest defensive player. The California team drafted the 26-year-old defensive end in 2019 with a four-year contract. He renewed his contract for five more years in 2023 for $170 million. Bosa’s earnings in 2023 amounted to $53.6 million, including a salary of $51.1 million and endorsement revenues of $2.5 million. He has endorsement contracts with brands like Nike, Kroger, and EA. Bosa’s net worth is estimated to be $50 million. Earnings, 2023: $82.5 million The silver medal in the highest-paid NFL player ranking goes to Lamar Jackson. The 27-year-old quarterback has been playing for the Baltimore Ravens since being drafted in 2018. In April 2023, Jackson renewed his contract with the Ravens, with the new one worth $260 million. Jackson reportedly made $82.5 million in 2023 – one of the only two players on our list whose salary exceeds $52 million. His earnings break down as follows: Jackson’s net worth is believed to be $60 million. Earnings, 2023: $84.3 million Unsurprisingly, Patrick Mahomes, the MVP of the last two Super Bowls, takes top place on our list. The 28-year-old Kansas City Chiefs quarterback was selected by the Chiefs in the 2017 draft and joined with a $16.2 million contract, initially for four years. In 2020, Mahomes signed a new ten-year contract with the team worth $503 million. To date, it is the largest NFL contract ever and the third-largest sports contract of all time. In addition to being the highest-paid NFL player of 2023, Mahomes is also the tenth highest-paid athlete overall for that year. His total earnings amount to $84.3 million, which includes salary earnings of $59.3 million and $25 million in endorsement deals. So, although his salary is lower than Jackson’s, he made more than the Ravens quarterback, thanks to the deals. And Mahomes has a large portfolio of endorsement deals, including Oakley, Adidas, Head & Shoulders, and Prime. His reported net worth is around $80 million. In the 2022/2023 American football season, the Los Angeles Rams had the highest payroll, amounting to $330 million. They were closely followed by the New Orleans Saints ($320 million), the Tampa Bay Buccanneers ($310 million), and the Los Angeles Chargers ($304 million). The lowest-paying team was the Chicago Bears, with a payroll of $191 million. As we’ve mentioned, the most expensive NFL contract of all time was Patrick Mahomes’ contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs, worth $503 million. It’s also the third-largest sports contract of all time, after Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million contract with the LA Dodgers and Cristiano Ronaldo’s $536 million transfer to Al Nassr. And as the infographic shows, even though Joe Burrow had the second-largest NFL contract, it was worth far less than Mahomes’. This ranking of the highest-paid NFL players of 2023 is a testament to the athletes’ skill and marketability, given their huge number of endorsements. The highest-paid athlete is, of course, the MVP Patrick Mahomes, who shone in the last two Super Bowls. However, we believe that if he had still been playing, Tom Brady would’ve easily overtaken Mahomes. According to Sportico, he’s the 23rd highest-paid athlete of all time, having earned $745 million during his career. But as he’s now retired, we’ll be keeping a close watch on the athletes on this list, especially those in their prime, like Mahomes and Burrow.18. Kirk Cousins
17. Jared Goff
16. Orlando Brown Jr.
Rankings 15 to 11
15. Chris Lindstrom
14. Josh Allen
13. Russell Wilson
12. Rashan Gary
11. Matthew Stafford
Rankings 10 to 6
10. Kyler Murray
9. Dak Prescott
8. Aaron Rodgers
7. Deshaun Watson
6. Daniel Jones
Rankings 5 to 1
5. Jalen Hurts
4. Joe Burrow
3. Nick Bosa
2. Lamar Jackson
1. Patrick Mahomes
Which NFL Team Pays the Best?
What Was the Most Expensive NFL Transfer of All Time?
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Kate Sukhanova
Senior Statistics Contributor
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