Who Has The Highest Salary In The NFL?
We all know that professional athletes are some of the highest-paid people in the world. But did you know that the highest-paid player in the NFL isn’t a quarterback or a wide receiver? In fact, it’s a defensive end.
Tom Brady
Tom Brady, quarterback for the New England Patriots, is the NFL’s highest-paid player, with an annual salary of $15 million.
Drew Brees
As of September 1st, 2018, the highest paid player in the NFL is Drew Brees, quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. His five-year contract extension, signed in 2016, is worth $100 million. In total, Brees has earned $234.7 million over his 15-year career.
Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer is an American football quarterback who has a current annual salary of $24.125 million. He is the highest paid player in the NFL.
Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is the highest-paid player in the NFL, according to a list released by the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) on Thursday.
The 33-year-old Ryan, who was drafted by the Falcons in 2008 and led them to a Super Bowl appearance in 2016, will make $30 million in base salary this season. That includes a $2 million roster bonus he received in March.
Ryan’s salary is nearly $4 million higher than that of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is No. 2 on the list with a base salary of $26.5 million.
Packers linebacker Clay Matthews is the highest-paid non-quarterback, with a base salary of $13.2 million. He is followed by Detroit Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah ($17.1 million), Miami Dolphins defensive end Ndamukong Suh ($14.1 million) and Washington Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan ($11.6 million).
Kirk Cousins
As of September 1, 2018, Kirk Cousins is the highest-paid player in the NFL, with an annual salary of $28 million. He is followed by Matthew Stafford ($27.5 million), Jimmy Garoppolo ($27.5 million), and Derek Carr ($25 million).
