What Do Kickers Make In The NFL?
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Find out how much NFL kickers make in salary, bonuses, and more.
The Average Salary of an NFL Kicker
Kickers in the National Football League make an average salary of $1,017,000 as of 2009, according to the “Standard & Poor’s Sports Business Daily.” However, the top 25 percent of all kickers made over $2 million per year while the bottom 25 percent made less than $600,000.
The Highest-Paid Kickers in the NFL
Here are the highest-paid kickers in the NFL, as of the 2019 season:
1. Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens: $5.5 million
2. Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots: $4.3 million
3. Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers: $4.25 million
4. Matt Prater, Detroit Lions: $4 million
5. Wil Lutz, New Orleans Saints: $3.8 million
6. Brett Maher, Dallas Cowboys: $3.75 million
7. Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles: $3 million
8.. Dan Bailey, Minnesota Vikings: $2.7 million
9.. Jason Myers, Seattle Seahawks: $2 million
10.. Graham Gano, Carolina Panthers: $1.85 million
The Lowest-Paid Kickers in the NFL
Although annual NFL kicker salaries have increased in recent years, kickers still earn far less than most other professional football players. In fact, the lowest-paid NFL kicker made just $480,000 in 2019.
Since 2004, the average salary for an NFL kicker has been $1.26 million per year. In 2019, the average annual salary for an NFL kicker was $2.07 million. The highest-paid kicker in the NFL in 2019 was Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens, who made $5.2 million that year.
The lowest-paid kickers in the NFL make significantly less than even the league average salary for kickers. As of 2019, the league minimum salary for an NFL player is $495,000 per year. However, many rookies and players with little experience earn far less than this amount. For example, in 2019, Ravens kicker Kaare Vedvik earned just $48,000 while playing in two games for Baltimore.
While Vedvik is an extreme example, it is not unusual for young or inexperienced kickers to earn close to the league minimum salary. In general, NFLkickers with less than three years of experience make significantly less than veteran kickers with over ten years of experience in the league.
Kicker Salaries by NFL Team
With a few notable exceptions, NFL kickers tend to make slightly less than the league average salary. In 2019, the average salary for all NFL players was $2.7 million, while the average salary for an NFL kicker was $2.58 million.
However, there are a few kickers who are among the highest-paid players in the NFL. In 2019, Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker was the highest-paid kicker in the NFL with a salary of $4.72 million. New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski was second with a salary of $3.85 million, and Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby was third with a salary of $3.5 million.
In general, however, most kickers make slightly less than the league average salary. For example, in 2018, 19 of the 32 NFL teams had a kicker who was making less than $3 million per year. The lowest-paid kicker in the NFL that year was Cody Parkey of the Chicago Bears, who had a base salary of just $495,000.
How NFL Kicker Salaries Have Changed Over Time
Kickers in the National Football League (NFL) make an average salary of $1.07 million annually as of May 2020, which is equivalent to $514 per hour. The median salary for all kickers and punters is $985,000. The top 25 percent of NFL kickers earn an average salary of $1.48 million per year, while the bottom 25 percent make $665,000 on average.
