Top 10 Highest Paid American Football Players of All Time

September 2, 2021 By Sourav


Top 10 Highest Paid American Football Players of All Time

Originated from the game of rugby football, American football is the most popular sport in the United States. It is recognized as just football in the United States and gridiron in countries like Canada. About 70,000 college athletes and 1.1 million high school athletes participate in this game annually in the United States, according to a study in 2012. Besides, the NFL also houses some of the highest-paid American Football players of all time.

The first-ever match of American football was played between the two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton, on November 6, 1869. Now professional football and college football are the most popular forms of American football games in the United States.

 

Highest Paid American Football Players of All Time

The most popular American football championship is the National Football League which holds the record of the highest average attendance of any league all over the world. The NFL has an annual revenue of around $10 billion. American football players or the NFL participants are counted among the highest-paid athletes in the world. Let us look at the top 10 highest-paid American Football players.

 

10. Ben Roethlisberger

 

NFL star Ben Roethlisberger currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers as a quarterback in the National Football League. He started his college football career with Miami. He was drafted as a 1St Round 11th overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Ben Roethlisberger is now listed with 6 feet 5 inches in height and 241 lb. weight in the NFL. He is presently in a 1-year contract with his team Pittsburgh Steelers and will be a free agent in 2022.

The contract value with his team is a total of $87,986,500 including $25,200,000 signing bonus. He currently earns a $14,664,417 yearly average salary and has a total of $33,200,000 guaranteed income. Ben Roethlisberger earns a total cap hit of $18,895,000 in the 2020-21 season of NFL which includes $12,100,000 basic salary and $6,795,000 restructure bonus.

His current career earnings to date are $93.2 million with the present release value of $13,590,000. He now holds his place among the highest-paid American Football players of all time.

 

9. Ndamukong Suh

Ndamukong-Suh
Ndamukong-Suh

 

NFL star Ndamukong Suh currently plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a defensive tackle in the National Football League. He started his college football career with Nebraska. He was drafted as a 1St Round 2nd overall pick by the Detroit Lions in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Ndamukong Suh is now listed with 6 feet 4 inches in height and 307 lb. weight in the NFL. He is presently on a 1-year contract with his team Tampa Bay Buccaneers and will be a free agent next year.

The contract value with his team is a total of $64,502,000. He currently earns a $12,900,400 yearly average salary and has a total of $23,250,000 assured income. Ndamukong Suh earns a total cap hit of $22,412,500 in the last season of the NFL which includes a $12,550,000 basic salary and a $6,267,500 restructure bonus.

His current career earnings to date are $51.5 million with a present release value of $19,475,000. Without any doubt, he surely deserves his place among the highest-paid American Football players of all time.

 

8. Greg Hardy

Greg-Hardy
Greg-Hardy

 

NFL athlete Greg Hardy mainly played for the Carolina Panthers as a defensive end in the National Football League. He started his college football career with Mississippi. He was drafted as a 6th Round 175th overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Greg Hardy is now listed with 6 feet 4 inches in height and 290 lb. weight in the NFL. He last played for the Richmond Roughriders and is currently a free agent. However, he surely deserves his place among the highest-paid American Football players of all time.

The contract value with his team was a total of $13,116,000. He last earned a $13,116,000 yearly average salary and had a total of $13,116,000 guaranteed income.

Greg Hardy earned a total cap hit of $13,116,000 in the last season of the NFL which includes a $13,116,000 basic salary. His current career earnings to date are $2.7 million with a release value of $13,116,000.

 

7. Philip Rivers

 

NFL Star Philip Rivers currently plays for the Los Angeles Chargers as a quarterback in the National Football League. He started his college football career with NC State. He was drafted as a 1St Round 4th overall pick by the San Diego Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Philip Rivers is now listed with 6 feet 5 inches in height and 228 lb. weight in the NFL. He last had a 4 years contract with his team Los Angeles Chargers and became a free agent in 2021. He now also holds his place among the highest-paid American Football players of all time.

The last contract value with his team has a total of $91,800,000 including a $19,550,000 signing bonus. He had earned a $15,300,000 yearly average salary and had a total of $38,150,000 assured income.

Philip Rivers earned a total cap hit of $16,666,666 in his final season of NFL which includes $13,800,000 basic salary and $1,666,666 restructure bonus. His current career earnings to date are $106.1 million with the last release value of $4,533,334.

 

6. Sam Bradford

Sam-Bradford
Sam-Bradford

 

One of the most handsome Quarterbacks, Sam Bradford, mainly played for the St. Louis Rams as a quarterback in the National Football League. He started his college football career with Oklahoma. He was drafted as a 1st Round 1st overall pick by the St. Louis Rams in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Sam Bradford is now listed with 6 feet 4 inches in height and 224 lb. weight in the NFL. He is presently a free agent as of 2021. Although, he still holds his place among the highest-paid American Football players of all time.

The contract value with his team was a total of $78,045,000 including $17,975,000 signing bonus. He last earned a $13,007,500 yearly average salary and had a total of $50,000,000 promised income.

Sam Bradford earned a total cap hit of $17,610,000 in his final season of the NFL which includes a $14,015,000 basic salary and a $3,595,000 signing bonus. His current career earnings to date are $51 million with the last release value being $7,190,000.

 

5. Mike Wallace

Mike-Wallace
Mike-Wallace

 

NFL player Mike Wallace last played for the Miami Dolphins as a wide receiver in the National Football League. He started his college football career with Mississippi. He was drafted as the 3rd round 84th overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Mike Wallace is now listed with 6 feet in height and 200 lb. weight in the NFL. He is presently a free agent as of the 2021 NFL season. However, he still holds his place among the Highest Paid American Football Players of All Time.

The contract value with his team was a total of $60,000,000 including $11,000,000 signing bonus. He last earned a $12,000,000 yearly average salary and had a total of $30,000,000 assured income.

Mike Wallace earned a total cap hit of $17,250,000 in the last season of the NFL which includes a $15,000,000 basic salary and a $2,200,000 Signing bonus. His current career earnings to date are $16.6 million, the present release value being $26,850,000.

 

4. Peyton Manning

Peyton-Manning
Peyton-Manning

 

One of the most popular NFL players, Peyton Manning, mainly played for the Denver Broncos as a Quarterback in the National Football League. He started his college football career with Tennessee.

He was drafted as a 1st Round 1st overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1998 NFL Draft. Peyton Manning is now listed with 6 feet 5 inches in height and 230 lb. weight in the NFL. He is presently a free agent in 2021.

The contract value with his team is a total of $96,000,000. He last earned a $19,200,000 yearly average salary and had a total of $58,000,000 guaranteed income.

Peyton Manning earns a total cap hit of $17,500,000 in his final season of the NFL which includes a $15,000,000 basic salary and a $2,500,000 restructure bonus. His current career earnings to date is $242.7 million and had a $22,500,000 release value.

 

3. Eli Manning

 

NFL superstar Eli Manning currently plays for the New York Giants as a quarterback in the National Football League. He started his college football career with Mississippi. He was drafted as a 1st Round 1st overall pick by the New York Giants in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Eli Manning is now listed with 6 feet 4 inches in height and 218 lb. weight in the NFL. He had a 6 years contract with his team the New York Giants and became a free agent in 2020.

The contract value with his team was a total of $97,500,000 including $13,000,000 signing bonus. He last earned a $16,250,000 yearly average salary and had a total of $35,000,000 guaranteed income.

Eli Manning earned a total cap hit of $20,400,000 in his final season of NFL which includes $15,150,000 basic salary and $2,250,000 restructure bonus. His current career earnings to date are $135.1 million, with a release value of $7,500,000.

 

2. Gerald McCoy

Gerald-McCoy
Gerald-McCoy

 

NFL player Gerald McCoy currently plays for Las Vegas Raiders as a defensive tackle in the National Football League. He started his college football career with Oklahoma. He was drafted as a 1st Round 3rd overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Gerald McCoy now stands at 6 feet 4 inches in height and 300 lb. weight in the NFL. He is presently in a 1-year contract with his team Las Vegas Raiders and will be a free agent next year. Besides, he now also holds his place among the highest-paid American Football players of all time.

The contract value with his team is a total of $95,200,000 including $2,500,000 signing bonus. He currently earns a $15,866,667 yearly average salary and has a total of $51,500,000 assured income.

Gerald McCoy earns a total cap hit of $20,895,000 in the last season of the NFL which includes a $17,500,000 basic salary and a $1,100,000 signing bonus. His current Career Earning to date is $44.4 million, with the present release value of $20,247,308.

 

1. Jay Cutler

 

NFL legend Jay Cutler mainly played for the Chicago Bears as a quarterback in the National Football League. He started his college football career with Vanderbilt. He was drafted as a 1st Round 11th overall pick by the Denver Broncos in the 2006 NFL Draft.

Jay Cutler now stands at 6 feet 3 inches in height and 220 lb. weight in the NFL. He is presently a free agent as of 2021. However, he still holds his place among the highest-paid American Football players of all time.

The contract value with his team was a total of $126,700,000. He last earned an $18,100,000 yearly average salary and had a total of $54,000,000 guaranteed income.

Jay Cutler earned a total cap hit of $18,500,000 in his final season of NFL which includes $17,500,000 basic salary and $1,000,000 Restructure bonus. His current career earnings to date are $58.2 million with a release value of $38,000,000.

 

Final Words

Other star players of American football such as Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and Washington Redskins outside linebacker Brian Orakpo also deserve their places among the highest-paid NFL players in 2021. Adrian Peterson earns $14,400,000 in the current season while on the other hand, Brian Orakpo gets $11,455,000 from his team this year.

 

Highest-Paid American Football Players | Infographics

 

So, we hope that you liked our list of the Highest Paid American Football Players of All Time. Don't forget to send us your opinion in the comment box below.

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