This Is How Much Some Of The NFL’s Highest-Paid Players Actually Earn

We all know that some NFL stars can earn more in a month than some of us will in our entire lives. But exactly how much do your favorite quarterbacks, defensive ends and offensive guards get for helping to move a ball up and down a playing field? From A.J. Green to Trent Brown, here’s a look at the 2020 earnings of 40 of the richest men currently plying their trade in America’s most lucrative sports league.

40. Patrick Mahomes ($10.8 million)

Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to their first Super Bowl in half a century in 2020. The franchise subsequently rewarded the quarterback with the most lucrative deal in the history of the National Football League. That’s right: Mahomes was offered a ten-year extension to his contract worth an eye-watering $450 million! Expect to see Mahomes near the top of the 2021 list.

39. Matthew Stafford ($15.5 million)

In 2017 Matthew Stafford smashed NFL contract records when he was offered a five-year deal worth $135 million. The quarterback has spent every single season of his professional football career with the Detroit Lions. And during his long-running spell with the franchise he completed 3,000 successful passes in fewer games than any other player in history.

38. Alex Smith ($16 million)

Alex Smith will have earned $94 million by the time his contract extension with the Washington Football Team ends in 2022. The quarterback was offered such a fruitful deal after helping to guide the Kansas City Chiefs to no fewer than four postseason appearances. Yet soon afterwards, Smith suffered an injury which not only threatened his career but his life as well. Thankfully, he made a full recovery and went on to win Comeback Player of the Year.

37. Aaron Donald ($17 million)

In his first five seasons in the NFL, Aaron Donald achieved two Defensive Player of the Year accolades, four first-team All-Pro selections and five Pro Bowl picks. It’s no surprise, then, that the Los Angeles Rams felt he was worth a $135 million, six-year extension deal in 2018. This made the defensive tackle one of the highest-paid players in his position.