Surprisingly, the average estimated NFL player’s salary in 2023 is between $1 million and $ 1.5 million. However, the amount skyrockets for the superstars of the league. Moreover, players live like king-size with such lucrative contracts.
Ever wondered how much money NFL players make? Or, for that matter, ever thought about the luxury the NFL players can enjoy? Well, say no more! In this article, we take a look at the 15 highest-paid NFL players’ salaries.
So, without further ado, let’s look into the 15 Highest Paid NFL Players’ Salaries.
15 Highest Paid NFL Players’ Salaries
NFL player contracts are measured using various complicated metrics. Therefore, we will use the average annual salary to determine the 15 Highest Paid NFL Players’ Salaries.
The following list is compiled from official and trusted sources such as NFL.com and Sporting News.
Before we dive deep into the specifics, let’s first have an overview of the highest-paid NFL player in terms of average salary:
| Name | Team | Average Annual Salary |
| 15. Matthew Stafford | Los Angeles Rams | $27 million |
| 14. DeAndre Hopkins | Arizona Cardinals | $27.3 million |
| 13. Jimmy Garoppolo | San Francisco 49ers | $27.5 million |
| 12. T.J Watt | Pittsburgh Steelers | $28.003 million |
| 11. Ryan Tannehill | Tennessee Titans | $29.5 million |
| 10. Matt Ryan | Atlanta Falcons | $30 million |
| 9. Carson Wentz | Indianapolis Colts | $32 million |
| 8. Kirk Cousins | Minnesota Vikings | $33 million |
| 7. Jared Goff | Detroit Lions | $33.5 million |
| 6. Aaron Rodgers | Green Bay Packers | $33.5 million |
| 5. Russell Wilson | Seattle Seahawks | $35 million |
| 4. Deshaun Watson | Houston Texans | $39 million |
| 3. Dak Prescott | Dallas Cowboys | $40 million |
| 2. Josh Allen | Buffalo Bills | $43 million |
| 1. Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City Chiefs | $45 million |
15. Matthew Stafford
John Matthew Stafford is an American quarterback who plays for the Los Angeles Ram in the NFL.
Having spent more than a decade with the Lions, Stafford joined the incredible offensive lineup of the Rams on March 18, 2021. Furthermore, the move to the Rams saw Matthew earn a lucrative average annual salary of $27 million.
While the Lions could never build a team around the 35-years old, the Rams hope to capitalize on having a top-quality quarterback on their roster.
The Rams and Matthew Stafford have agreed to a four-year contract. Extension, according to CBS Sports NFL insider Jason La Canfora. The new deal is valued at $160 million, of which $135 million is guaranteed, according to NFL Networks Ian Rapoport.
14. DeAndre Hopkins
Wide receiver DeAndre Rashaun Hopkins is a professional NFL player who currently plays for the Arizona Cardinals.
Moreover, the 30-years-old from Clemson is regarded as one of the best wide receivers in the league. Therefore, it is no surprise that Hopkins earns an average annual salary of $27.3 million.
What’s more, the key man of the Cardinals is justifying his mega-contract. He tied his career-high 115 catches in his first season with Arizona Cardinals. Additionally, by logging 1,407 receiving yards, Hopkins has been repaying the faith his team and fans put in him.
13. Jimmy Garoppolo
James Richard Garoppolo, commonly known as Jimmy Garoppolo, is an American quarterback representing the San Francisco 49ers.
Having signed for the 49ers in 2017, Garoppolo has been a regular starter for three seasons. Not to mention, the highly talented quarterback from Illinois bagged himself a massive average annual salary of $27.5 million.
Furthermore, Jimmy justified his role by leading his team to a Super Bowl appearance in 2019. While Jimmy has been struggling with injury lately, one can only hope he regains the form he exuded during the 2019 season.
12. T.J Watt
Trent Jordan Watt, or T.J Watt, is an American outside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On September 9, 2021, Watt extended his contract with the Steelers. Moreover, the contract extension earned him an average annual salary of $28.003 million. As a result, the lucrative contract made him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL.
Not to mention, T.J has been a star pass rusher for the Steelers. Additionally, he has recorded an impressive 49.5 sacks during his four-year NFL career. Similarly, he led the NFL in sacks with fifteen total in the 2020 season.
Thus, it is no surprise that the 28-years-old bagged such a mouth-watering contract.
Watson’s contract has a back-loaded signing bonus of $8.99 million in 2022 and a base salary of $1.035 million that year. Watson’s basic salary will increase dramatically to $46 million per year beginning with the 2023 NFL season and staying there until the 2026 NFL season.
11. Ryan Tannehill
Born on July 27, 1988, Ryan Timothy Tannehill is an American national playing for the Tennessee Titans.
The quarterback from Big Spring, Texas, is considered one of the prominent names in the league. Moreover, Tannehill has delivered an impressive 18-8 regular-season record as a starter.
Furthermore, Ryan also led the Titans to an AFC Championship Game berth. Therefore, it is only natural that the 34-year-old could bag a substantial annual average salary of $29.5 million.
10. Matt Ryan
Matthew Thomas Ryan is an American quarterback who plays for the Atlanta Falcons.
For more than a decade, Ryan has been a cornerstone name for the Falcons. Moreover, he is a phenomenal player, posting at least 4,000 passing yards each year.
Matt Ryan continues to shine for the Falcons, earning a whopping annual salary of $30 million. He led the Falcons to a Super Bowl appearance after winning the MVP in 2016.
Furthermore, in the last ten years, Ryan has only missed one game for the Falcons.
Ryan is reported to have a base salary of $17,205,882 with a $7.5 million roster bonus for the 2022 season. In 2023, Ryan is said to have a base salary of $21,705,882 with a $7.5 million roster bonus.
9. Carson Wentz
Another quarterback on the list, Carson James Wentz, is an American who plays for the Indianapolis Colts.
After a horrendous showing in 2021, Colts traded Wentz in during the offseason. Likewise, having led the league with fifteen interceptions, the 30-year-old was benched in favor of Jalen Hurts.
Moreover, the North Carolina native currently earns a mighty annual average salary of $32 million. Meanwhile, Wentz is dealing with a preseason foot injury that could cost him some game time. As such, one can only hope he can return to his usual impressive self.
Wentz is currently the ninth highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, with an average of $32 million. Below is an annual look at Wentz’s salary and cap achieved while on contract, per Spotrac.com. Wentz is earning approximately $28.3 million in cap and cash this season in 2023.
8. Kirk Cousins
Moving up the list, Kirk Cousins is an American quarterback who plays for the Minnesota Vikings.
Kirk signed for the Vikings in the 2018 season, earning an enormous annual average salary of $33 million. Moreover, the Vikings brought a talented quarterback to get them over the line.
Despite being unable to do so, the 34-year-old has posted some impressive numbers.
Cousins threw a career-high 35 TD passes last year. On the other hand, he had 13 interceptions to go along with his career-high passes.
7. Jared Goff
Yet another quarterback on the list, Jared Goff, is an American national who plays for the Detroit Lions.
Moreover, having signed for the Lions on March 18, 2021, Goff earns an impressive $33.5 million. Additionally, with significant numbers under his belt, Jared has established himself as one of the best in the league.
Furthermore, the 28 has averaged 4,215 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions in the 16 games he has played.
6. Aaron Rodgers
Born on December 2, 1983, Aaron Charles Rodgers is the oldest player to feature on our list. Moreover, the 39-year-old plays as a quarterback for the Green Bay Packers.
Rodgers had a stellar 2020, as he was awarded the MVP for the season. Furthermore, he completed an NFL-high 70.7 percent of his passes for 4,299 yards. What’s more, he had a league-best 48 touchdowns and five interceptions.
So it is no surprise that the 2020 MVP has one of the highest annual salaries in the league. Earning a massive $33.5 million, Rodgers hopes to repeat his 2020 heroics.
The new contract Rodgers and the Packers signed changes things significantly. The deal is officially seen as a three-year $150.815 million contract renewal. That includes a report, a great, fully guaranteed base salary of $59.5 million in 2023 and $49.3 million non-guaranteed in 2024.
5. Russell Wilson
Russell Carrington Wilson is an American quarterback who plays for the Seattle Seahawks. Moreover, known for his steady approach, Wilson has consistently performed for the Seahawks.
Furthermore, the 34-year-old has never missed a start in nine seasons. He has averaged 30 pass TDs, 3,772 passing yards, and nine interceptions per season.
Earning a colossal average annual salary of $35 million, Wilson has justified his name time and again. He won a Super Bowl in 2013 and subsequently was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year for 2020.
4. Deshaun Watson
To add to the long list of quarterbacks on our list, Derrick Deshaun Watson is an American national who plays for the Houston Texans.
Watson is considered one of the most promising young quarterbacks in the game. As a result, the 27-year-old earns an average annual salary of $39 million.
However, it is difficult to say whether he will play again with 22 civil lawsuits and ten criminal sexual misconduct and sexual assault complaints.
3. Dak Prescott
Rayne Dakota Prescott, or Dak Prescott, is an American quarterback who plays for the Dallas Cowboys.
Moreover, Prescott has been the cornerstone behind the ongoing Cowboys rebuild. However, he had a horrific injury during the 2020 season, breaking his ankle.
Despite a promising start to the season, where he was en route to a 6,000-yard passing season, the unfortunate ankle injury stopped his progress. In the hopes of rebuilding their defense, the Cowboys extended Dak’s contract on a four-year deal.
As a result, the 29-year-old earns a mammoth annual average salary of $40 million.
2. Josh Allen
Moving into the top 2, Joshua Patrick Allen is an American quarterback who plays for the Buffalo Bills.
After signing a behemoth of a contract on August 2021, Josh Allen became the second-highest-paid player in terms of annual salary for 2021. Moreover, the 26-year-old earns a yearly average salary of $43 million.
On the other hand, he has improved in each of his three seasons. Additionally, he led the Bills to an AFC Championship Game in 2020.
Furthermore, his numbers rack up to 4,544 yards throw, 37 touchdowns, and ten interceptions. Additionally, he made 421 yards and eight TDs on the ground.
1. Patrick Mahomes
Lastly, topping the list, Patrick Lavon Mahomes is an American quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Mahomes is the highest-paid NFL player in terms of average annual salary. Moreover, the marquee man for the Chiefs earns a colossal yearly wage of $45 million.
Justifying the behemoth of a contract, Mahomes has led his team to the last two Super Bowls. Likewise, 27-year-old has managed to win one.
Also, his numbers on the field are a spectacle to witness. Furthermore, Mahomes has averaged 41 pass TDs, 4,931 passing yards, and just eight interceptions.
Conclusion
NFL is a grueling sport of power, speed, and stamina. However, the best of the best garner a hefty return for their time and effort.
Moreover, with NFL franchises wanting to win the Superbowl yearly, dishing out millions for players is a no-brainer.
Finally, the players mentioned above mark the end of our coverage on the 15 highest-paid NFL Players’ Salaries in 2023.
