There’s never a shortage of eye-popping headlines detailing the lucrative contracts of some of the NFL’s most well-known and best players. It’s also not uncommon to see a few high-profile games of chicken being played between players and their teams during the off-season.
So, which players have been able to negotiate the biggest big of cash? Let’s take a look at the top-paid NFL players in the league.
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Who are the Highest Paid NFL Players in 2024?
So, with all of that money flying around the NFL, which players haul in the most money?
Quarterback is the most important role on an NFL team and one of the hardest positions to play. A good franchise QBs like Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen can make or break a team’s success and, as such, tend to be some of the highest paid players.
Unsurprisingly, that means the top 15 most lucrative contracts in the NFL all belong to quarterbacks:
| Player | Team | Total Contract | Per Year |
| Dak Prescott | Cowboys | $240 | $60M |
| Joe Burrow | Bengals | $275M | $55M |
| Trevor Lawrence | Jaguars | $275M | $55M |
| Jordan Love | Packers | $220M | $55M |
| Tua Tagovailoa | Dolphins | $212.4M | $53M |
| Jared Goff | Lions | $212M | $53M |
| Justin Herbert | Chargers | $262.5M | $52.5M |
| Lamar Jackson | Ravens | $260M | $52M |
| Jalen Hurts | Eagles | $255M | $51M |
| Kyler Murray | Cardinals | $230M | $46.1M |
| Deshaun Watson | Browns | $230M | $46M |
| Kirk Cousins | Falcons | $180M | $45M |
| Patrick Mahomes | Chiefs | $450M | $45M |
| Josh Allen | Bills | $258M | $43M |
| Matt Stafford | Rams | $160M | $40M |
Interestingly, many of the top paid quarterbacks have not exactly enjoyed a successful 2024-25 season thus far. Dak Prescott, the NFL’s highest paid player, suffered a season-ending injury in Week 9, while the Dolphin’s Tua Tagovailoa has been sidelined at various points due to repeated concussions. Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence’s squads just can’t seem to get it together on offense this season, either.
Clearly, it pays to be behind center in the NFL, but what about the other positions? You can’t have a football team without a fully staffed offense and defense, and the teams with true grade-A talent in those positions pay them well.
Here are some of the top-earning players in the league who are not quarterbacks:
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings: Justin Jefferson, the Minnesota Vikings’ standout #1 wide receiver, is the highest paid non-quarterback player in the NFL, and for good reason: He’s easily the best at the position playing right now. Jefferson has secured some truly astounding and improbable catches and has nearly 6,000 receiving yards in his first four years, more than any other player ever.
Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers: Edge rusher Nick Bosa is a force to be reckoned with and the bane of many a star quarterback. The second highest paid non-QB player in the league, he was the second overall pick by the 49ers in 2019 and the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year.
A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles: Another of the league’s best wideouts, Brown joined the Eagles on a trade from the Tennessee Titans in 2022. Since then, he’s been a dominant force on the field, helping in no small part lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance (though they lost to the Chiefs) that year.
Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs: Jones has been a Chief since he was drafted by the team in 2016, and he’s been a critical piece of their defense ever since, helping the team cement its dynasty status and netting himself three Super Bowl rings along the way. He’s the third highest-paid non-QB player in the league.
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions: St. Brown has been the clear top offensive weapon for the ascendant Detroit Lions franchise since he was drafted by the team in 2021. A fourth-round pick, he began to show his true potential in the 2022 season and helped take the team all the way to the NFC Championship with over 1,500 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He was rewarded for his efforts with a four-year, $120 million contract extension.
Here’s a look at the rest of the top 20 non-QB players with the highest pay:
| Player | Team | Position | Total Contract | Per Year |
| Justin Jefferson | Vikings | Wide Receiver | $140M | $35M |
| Nick Bosa | 49ers | Edge Rusher | $170M | $34M |
| A.J. Brown | Eagles | Wide Receiver | $96M | $32M |
| Chris Jones | Chiefs | Interior Defensive Lineman | $159M | $32M |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | Lions | Wide Receiver | $120M | $30M |
| Tyreek Hill | Dolphins | Wide Receiver | $90M | $30M |
| Jaylen Waddle | Dolphins | Wide Receiver | $85M | $28M |
| Joshua Hines-Allen | Jaguars | Edge Rusher | $141M | $28M |
| Brian Burns | Giants | Edge Rusher | $141M | $28M |
| Tristan Wirfs | Buccaneers | Right Tackle | $141M | $28M |
| T.J. Watt | Steelers | Edge Rusher | $112M | $28M |
| Penei Sewell | Lions | Right Tackle | $112M | $28M |
| Davante Adams | Raiders | Wide Receiver | $140M | $28M |
| D.J. Moore | Bears | Wide Receiver | $110M | $28M |
| Christian Wilkins | Raiders | Interior Defensive Lineman | $110M | $28M |
| Cooper Kupp | Rams | Wide Receiver | $80M | $27M |
| Christian Darrisaw | Vikings | Left Tackle | $104M | $26M |
| DeVonta Smith | Eagles | Wide Receiver | $75M | $25M |
| Laremy Tunsil | Texans | Left Tackle | $75M | $25M |
| Myles Garrett | Browns | Edge Rusher | $125M | $25M |
As it turns it, playing wideout and defense are also pretty lucrative choices in NFL football.
There you have it: Those are the players whose football prowess have landed them some of the sweetest deals in all of sports.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the highest-paid NFL player?
The Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow makes the most money at $55 million per year.
Who is the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL?
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson has the highest pay of any non-QB at $35 million per year.
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