Who Is the Highest Paid NFL Player 2023? Top 20 Highest-paid Players

In a previous article, we mentioned the generous salaries of NFL referees. So, what about NFL stars? Are you curious about how much they earn? 

Who is the highest paid NFL player? Patrick Mahomes is the highest-paid NFL player with an annual salary of up to $45 million per year.

In this article, Scott Fujita will provide you with the accurate data. Here are the top 20 of the best paid football players in the NFL. Let’s read on to discover!

Patrick Mahomes is 1st of the highest paid players as the NFL stats

Who Is the Highest Paid NFL Player? Top 20 Highest Paid NFL Players

Below is the list of 20 top paid NFL players in the NFL.

1. Patrick Mahomes 

• Position: QB
• Team: Kansas City Chiefs.
• Average annual salary: $45 million.

Patrick Mahomes is the highest paid football player in the NFL stats. 

According to ESPN, Patrick Mahomes will stay with the Kansas Chiefs until 2031. The 25-year-old star will pocket at least $ 450 million and up to $ 503 million from the defending NFL champion.

It is the “biggest” contract ever in the sports industry. Its value surpasses even the record million deal of baseball star Mike Trout with the Los Angeles Angels ($426.5 million). 

Boxer Canelo Alvarez with streaming service company DANZ also signed a contract worth only 365 million USD.

Kansas City picked Patrick Mahomes in 10th place in the 2017 NFL Draft. He quickly became a football star as well as a world-famous sports star.

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2. Josh Allen

• Position: QB.
• Team: Buffalo Bills.
• Average annual salary: $43 million.

Allen and the Buffalo Bills agreed to a six-year, $258 million NFL contract extension. The guaranteed NFL record is $150 million, according to ESPN analyst Adam Schefter.

An average annual value of $43 million makes Josh Allen the second highest-paid player in NFL history. Allen is the second only to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Mahomes. Accordingly, Allen is the highest-paid player in the history of the Buffalo Bills.

3. Dak Prescott 

• Position: QB.
• Team: Dallas Cowboys.
• Average annual salary: $40 million.

Dak Prescott- a two-time Pro Bowler, is the player who twice dodged a long-term contract. He signed a 1-year franchise tag for $31.4 million for the 2020 season.

4. Deshaun Watson 

• Position: QB.
• Team: Houston Texans.
• Average annual salary: $39 million.

Deshaun Watson has agreed to a four-year, $160 million contract extension with the Houston Texans.

Houston traded to pick Watson with the 12th overall pick in the 2017 draft. He appeared in 38 games with 37 appearances in his first three seasons with the Texans. It gives stability in midfield after years of problems in the position.

The 25-year-old led the Texans to the knockout stages of the knockout round. Watson threw 9,716 yards and 71 touchdowns, ran 1,233 yards and 14 points in his three-year career.

5. Russell Wilson

• Position: QB.
• Team: Seattle Seahawks.
• Average annual salary: $35 million.

Russell Wilson is playing on a contract in 3rd NFL season with the Seattle Seahawks. This contract started in 2019. It is valid for four years with a $140 million deal.

6. Aaron Rodgers

• Position: QB.
• Team: Green Bay Packers.
• Average annual salary: $33.5 million.

Aaron Rodgers is also one of the best-paid players in the NFL. He currently plays for the Green Bay Packers with a deal of $134 million in 2018. His contract expires in 2023.

7. Jared Goff 

• Position: QB.
• Team: Detroit Lions.
• Average annual salary: $33.5 million.

Jared Goff has decided to join the Detroit Lions. It ended the first five years of his career in the uniform of the Rams.

While in Los Angeles, Jared Goff won the Pro Bowl berths twice. He is also “credited” with leading the Rams to the Super Bowl LIII.

8. Kirk Cousins

• Position: QB.
• Team: Minnesota Vikings.
• Average annual salary: $33 million.

Kirk Cousins signed a 2-year contract with the Vikings in March 2020. The contract value is up to $66 million including a $30 million signing bonus.

9. Carson Wentz

• Position: QB.
• Team: Indianapolis Colts.
• Average annual salary: $32 million.

Carson Wentz signed a contract extension in June 2019. It is worth a $128 million contract included $38M in bonuses for the NFL 2020 season.

Carson Wentz has a deep “endorsement portfolio” with NRG, Nike, Bobcat, Amazon, Bose, BlackRidge Bank, and Scheels.

10. Matt Ryan

• Position: QB.
• Team: Atlanta Falcons.
• Average annual salary: $30 million.

He finished his 5-year contract extension ($103.8 million) in 2018. Matt Ryan then signed a 5-year contract extension worth $150 million (including a signing bonus of $46.5 million).

11. Ryan Tannehill

• Position: QB.
• Team: Tennessee Titans.
• Average annual salary: $29.5 million.

Ryan Tannehill was initially just a backup for the Tennessee Titans in 2019. After that, he put on a good show after six games.

He helped the Tennessee Titans into the knockout stages and topped the league’s passing rating category.

Ryan Tannehill deserves a 4-year contract with the Tennessee Titans. It is a $118 million contract. He also gained the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Ryan Tannehill earns an average annual salary of USD 29.5 million.

12. Jimmy Garoppolo

• Position: QB.
• Team: San Francisco 49ers.
• Average annual salary: $27.5 million.

Jimmy Garoppolo is in the 4th season of the five-year. His contract with the San Francisco 49ers reached $137.5 million.

13. DeAndre Hopkins

• Position: WR.
• Team: Arizona Cardinals.
• Average annual salary: $27.25 million.

DeAndre Hopkins becomes the best-paid wide receiver in the NFL 2023 season.

His average annual salary is $27.25 million.

14. Matthew Stafford

• Position: QB.
• Team: Los Angeles Rams.
• Average annual salary: $27 million.

Stafford currently has a base salary of $9.5M in 2023, a base salary of $12.5M in 2023, and a roster bonus of 10M.

15. Joey Bosa

• Position: DE.
• Team: Los Angeles Chargers.
• Average annual salary: $27 million.

Joey Bosa has successfully signed a contract with the LA Chargers. Accordingly, the contract value is 135 million USD. It will last for five years. That $135 million includes $102 million guaranteed and 27M average annual salary.

16. Derek Carr 

• Position: QB.
• Team: Las Vegas Raiders.
• Average annual salary: $25.005 million.

Derek Carr’s average annual salary is more than 25 million dollars. 

17. Myles Garrett 

• Position: Defensive Player.
• Team: Cleveland Browns.
• Average annual salary: $25 million.

The defensive player Myles Garrett has decided to sign a five-year, $125 million contract with the Cleveland Browns in 7.

The contract will end in the 2026 season.

18. Tom Brady 

• Position: QB.
• Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• Average annual salary: $25 million.

The highest-paid player in Super Bowl 2023 earns $25 million per year.

Tom Brady got a raise this season after parting ways with the New England Patriots. The England Patriots is the team he spent his entire career with before moving to the Buccaneers last March. During the 2019 season, Brady earned about $23 million.

Brady earns an average salary of $25 million under his current two-year contract. What he makes varies.

In July, full-back Mahomes signed a record 10-year contract extension. Accordingly, he will receive an average annual salary of $ 45 million, starting next season.

Despite being the highest-paid player in this year’s Super Bowl, Tom Brady is the eighteenth highest salary in the NFL overall.

19. Khalil Mack

• Position: DE.
• Team: Chicago Bears.
• Average annual salary: $23.5 million.

Khalil Mack signed a six-year, $141 million deal with signed with the Chicago Bears. It is “included” a $34M signing bonus, $90M guaranteed, plus 23.5M average annual salary.

Khalil Mack is in Chicago Bears uniform.

20. Trent William

• Position: LT.
• Team: Francisco 49ers.
• Average annual salary: $23.01 million.

Trent Williams has signed a six-year contract with the Francisco 49ers. Accordingly, he will receive a $138.06 million deal to continue with the Francisco 49ers.

According to a source from Williams’ agent, the 6-year contract consists of $55.1M in fully guaranteed money plus a $30.1M signing bonus.

Besides, this video also provides you with more detailed data related to the highest-paid NFL player in 2023.

Final Thoughts

Who is the highest paid player in the NFL? – Patrick Mahomes is at the top of this list with an average annual NFL salary of $45 million.

The exact earnings of NFL players vary from year to year, depending on many factors. These include their primary contract, NFL salary cap, bonuses, and others.

The above article is for reference only. Should you want to know the exact number, please update the NFL news more often.