Top 20 richest NFL players of all-time
Being a high NFL draft pick does not guarantee success in the NFL, but it does go a long way in guaranteeing a loaded bank account.
Of the 20 players who have earned the most playing in the NFL, six were the No. 1 overall pick, seven more were taken between picks No. 2-4 and a total of 14 were first round picks. Those who were the exceptions to the rule earned their millions by earning a lucrative second contract and sometimes a third contract after they outplayed their initial rookie deal.
Quarterbacks command the biggest dollars with 11 of the top 13 richest players in NFL history, so parents have your kids grow up to signal-callers. The players who chase after them, defensive ends/3-4 outside linebackers were second with five, wide receivers took three spots and one offensive lineman rounded out the list.
After reading through the list of players, please leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below and let us know which player you were most surprised to see on the list and who you would have guessed cracked the top-20.
Without further ado, here are the 20 players who have earned the most money during their playing careers.
Contract information courtesy of spotrac.com.
Next: Jared Allen
20. Jared Allen – $85,319,136
Allen, 32, likely signed his last contract in the NFL this offseason after the Minnesota Vikings let him walk in free agency where he ultimately signed a four–year deal worth up to $32 million and includes $15.5 million in guaranteed money and could void after three seasons and $24 million.
The former fourth round pick out of Idaho State in the 2004 NFL draft has proven to be one of the best and most consistent defensive ends in NFL history. Allen entered the 2014 season with 128.5 career sacks, 12th most in NFL history. After an 11.5-sack season in 2013, Allen posted his seventh straight season with at least 10 sacks.
Allen’s career-year came in 2011 when he nearly broke the single-season sack record with 22 and when he finishes his career should be enshrined in Canton in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Next: Terrell Suggs
19. Terrell Suggs – $88,170,000
Suggs, 31, has been a mainstay on the Baltimore Ravens defense since they made the former Arizona State Sun Devils defensive end their first pick (1oth overall) in the 2003 draft.
As one of the premier outside linebackers in a 3-4 scheme, Suggs entered the 2014 season with 94.5 career sacks, 25 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries and seven interceptions.
His contract runs through the 2018 season so it is likely the four-year $20.7 million deal he signed that included an $11 million signing bonus and $16 in guaranteed money is his last big payday.
When Suggs finally retires, the Ravens defense we came to know and respect will be gone with Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Suggs and likely Haloti Ngata off that once dominant unit.
Next: Andre Johnson
18. Andre Johnson – $88,934,470
Johnson, 33, entered the league and was instantly one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL after the Houston Texans made him the No. 3 overall pick in the 2003 draft. A decade later and Johnson is destined to end up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and his numbers may never be approached by another Texans receiver in their franchise history.
The former Miami Hurricanes standout has five seasons with at least 100 receptions and has twice led the NFL in receptions, including a career-high 115 in 208. Johnson has twice led the league in receiving yards and has seven seasons with more than 1,000 yards, including a career-high 1,598 in 2012.
A seven-time Pro Bowl selection, Johnson has been one of the best receivers of his generation and with $10 million in a base salary this season is one of the highest-paid players this year.
Next: Joe Thomas
17. Joe Thomas – $89,850,000
The perennial Pro Bowler, Joe Thomas, 29, is making $10.9 million this season in the middle of the seven-year, $80.5 million extension that will all but guarantee the former Wisconsin Badgers left tackle plays his entire career in a Cleveland Browns uniform.
Cleveland made Thomas the No. 3 overall pick in the 2007 draft and he has lived up to the billing by being selected to seven Pro Bowls and has been one of the most dependable and consistent players at his or any other position in the league by starting all 114 games since entering the league out of Wisconsin.
You have to wonder how Thomas’ perception would be different if Thomas played for a team in a bigger market or for a team who experienced some success compared to the Browns who have consistently been among the poorer teams in the NFL during his Hall of Fame career.
Next: Dwight Freeney
16. Dwight Freeney – $93,578,822
Freeney, 34, is still hanging around with the San Diego Chargers and is in his second year with the AFC West team after spending the first 11 years with the Indianapolis Colts after they spent the No. 11 pick on the former Syracuse Orange defensive end.
How quickly we forget about Freeney and how dominant he was on that turf in Indy based on how his time in San Diego has turned out, but for a decade he was one of the most-feared defenders in the NFL. His speed off the snap and explosiveness made him a nightmare for big offensive tackles who did not have the foot speed to keep up with him and his deathly spin move.
Freeney has 109 career sacks, 107.5 of them with the Colts, and 43 forced fumbles as the premier end in a Cover 2 scheme that placed an emphasis on speed rather than size and at 6-1, 268-pounds with a lightning-quick first step was the perfect fit in that role.
Next: Mario Williams
15. Mario Williams – $97,900,000
Mario Williams, 29, signed one of the biggest free agent deals in NFL history when he left the Texans to sign with the Buffalo Bills in 2012 when he signed a six-year, $96 million deal, including $31.4 million in guaranteed money.
The Texans made him the No. 1 overall pick in 2005 and recorded 43.5 sacks in his six seasons that had some ups and downs, including a 4.5-sack rookie season followed up with a 14-sack season that remains his career-high in his second season and ultimately came to an end after five games due to injury in 2011 when he played outside linebacker in the 3-4 front.
His first two seasons in Buffalo saw the former NC State standout produce 10.5 and 13 sacks and is on his way to another double-digit sack season with two sacks in his first two games in the 2014 season. It is possible that we are witnessing a Hall of Fame player, but he still has some work to do to get there, but at 29-years-old has some good years left in him.
Next: Calvin Johnson
14. Calvin Johnson – $101,309,162
Johnson is arguably the best receiver of his generation and when his career wraps up could be in the conversation with the likes of Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and others for the second-best receiver in the history of the NFL behind Jerry Rice.
The No. 2 pick in the 2007 draft out of Georgia Tech, Johnson signed a seven-year, $113.45 million contract extension with the Detroit Lions, including $48.75 million guaranteed, essentially a lifetime contract for the 6-5, 239 receiver who is the toughest matchup in the NFL.
Johnson had one of the finest seasons any receiver has ever had when he had the fourth-highest reception total in NFL history with 122 catches for an NFL record 1,964 yards in 2012 when he somehow only managed five touchdowns. Megatron has led the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns throughout his career that will see him enshrined in Canton.
Next: Matthew Stafford
13. Matthew Stafford – $101,670,000
Stafford is the first quarterback to make the list, but as you’ll soon see, he is far from the last. The former No. 1 overall pick out of Georgia in the 2009 draft has Johnson to thank for some of the dough he’s making. Stafford is a fine individual talent, but I’m skeptical he gets $41.5 million guaranteed if he didn’t have Megatron to help him look better.
As a former No. 1 overall pick before the rookie wage scale limited contracts, Stafford was one of the last first round picks to cash in before ever playing a down in the NFL. He turned his rookie contract in to the $100 million extension he is currently playing on and likely plays his entire career with Johnson at his side, so he’s got that goin’ for him.
Considering Stafford has yet to make a Pro Bowl team or win a single playoff game, he may retire as one of the more overpaid players in NFL history, albeit one with impressive regular season passing statistics courtesy of Johnson.
Next: Ben Roethlisberger
12. Ben Roethlisberger – $105,279,382
Roethlisberger is the 10th highest-paid player in the NFL this season based on his $12.1 million base salary but falls just outside the top-10 in career earnings.
The two-time Super Bowl champion is in the second-to-last year of the six-year, $87.99 million contract he signed with Pittsburgh and is coming off one of his most productive seasons as a passer with 4,261 yards and 28 touchdowns, both marks were the second-highest in his career.
His stats have been nice, but the wins that were so customary for Big Ben early in his career have not been as frequent as he is 16-15 over the last two seasons and the first two games of the 2014 season as the Steelers have missed the postseason each of the last two seasons for a franchise accustomed to getting in the playoffs and then winning in the playoffs.
Is there any chance he finishes his career in another jersey?
Next: Tony Romo
11. Tony Romo – $105,920,000
For all the criticism Romo receives, none is coming from his agent as the former undrafted free agent is the only player to appear on this list who was not drafted.
Romo, 34, is the object of Jerry Jones’ affection so his contract numbers are somewhat inflated considering he signed a six-year, $108 million contract with $55 million guaranteed despite a history of failing to come through in the clutch.
After a back injury ended his season one game early last year and surgery had him limited in the offseason, I wonder how much longer Romo will be able to produce numbers that this type of contract commands.
Romo is only 25-28 over his last four seasons entering the 2014 season and is two years removed from leading the NFL with 19 interceptions, but if he is ever going to live up to the money Jones and the Cowboys have paid him, he has to get the Cowboys to the playoffs and at least get to the NFC Championship Game.
Next: Matt Ryan
10. Matt Ryan – $106,450,000
Ryan is making $9.5 million this season for the Falcons as one of the top 25 highest-paid players in the league this season after he signed a five-year deal worth $103.75 million in July of 2013 as Atlanta locked up their franchise quarterback through the prime of his career.
The former No. 3 overall pick out of Boston College struggled along with the rest of the team in 2013 when he was clearly affected by the injuries to Pro Bowl receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones. Ryan threw a career-high 17 interceptions last year and his 26 touchdowns were the lowest since 2009, his second year in the NFL.
Ryan, however, did complete 67.4 percent of his passes and 4,515 yards, both marks were the second-best of his career. With White and Jones back in the lineup this season, Ryan began the season with a career-high 448 yards and led the league with 679 yards through two games.
After a three-interception game led to a loss in Week 2 against the Bengals, Ryan rebounded exceptionally well in Week 3 against the Buccaneers with 284 yards and three touchdowns on 21-of-24 passing in the 56-14 win.
Next: Michael Vick
9. Michael Vick – $107,741,000
The third former No. 1 overall pick to make this list, Vick is done as one of the big earners in the NFL after signing a one-year deal worth $4 million this season with the New York Jets where he is the backup to Geno Smith.
Vick was a dynamic and revolutionary player who helped usher in the era of the running quarterback we are currently seeing with the likes of Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick and even Aaron Rodgers.
His time with the Atlanta Falcons earned him a 10-year, $130 million extension that made him the richest player in the league at the time, but that was voided when he went to jail for his role in a dog fighting scandal.
Vick went to prison and later signed with the Philadelphia Eagles where he signed a six-year, $100 million deal to become the only player in NFL history to sign two separate $100 million contracts.
Next: Carson Palmer
8. Carson Palmer – $117,627,242
The second former No. 1 pick in a row and the fourth of that special club to make the list (notice a trend) is done as a top earner in the NFL, but unlike Vick is still a starter in the league with the Arizona Cardinals, when he’s healthy anyway.
Palmer is making $9 million this season in the first year of a two-year, $16 million deal to stay with the Cardinals after leading them to a 10-win season in 2013 in what was a career renaissance for him as he got away from the Oakland Raiders.
Under the guidance of head coach Bruce Arians, Palmer completed 63.3 percent of his passes, the highest mark he’s had since the 2007 season, threw for a career-high 4,274 yards and his 24 touchdowns were the most since his last year with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010.
Palmer was off to a fine start in 2014 with 304 yards and two touchdowns in the Cardinals’ regular season opener before getting injured in the opener and missing Week 2, and perhaps more, with nerve damage in his throwing arm
Next: Larry Fitzgerald
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7. Larry Fitzgerald – $118,282,500
Fitzgerald, 31, is in the third year of a seven-year, $113 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals, including a $27 million guaranteed for the former No. 3 overall pick in the 2004 draft out of Pittsburgh.
Much like the two receivers already mentioned on this list, Calvin and Andre Johnson, Fitzgerald has been the best or one of the top-three best receivers of his generation and a surefire Hall of Famer.
An eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Fitzgerald has two seasons with more than 100 receptions, including 103 in his second year that led the NFL and five seasons with at least 90 receptions. He has six seasons with at least 1,000 yards and twice led the NFL in touchdown receptions from 2008-2009.
His numbers in the last two years haven’t been up to his standards, which could result in his current deal being reworked to lower his cap number and prevent him from being a salary cap casualty.
Next: Philip Rivers
6. Philip Rivers – $119,910,000
Rivers, 32, is making $13.8 million this year in the second-to-last year of his six-year, $91.8 million dollar extension. The former No. 4 overall pick had a rebound season in 2013 when he led the NFL with a 69.5 completion percentage.
He also threw for 4,478 yards, threw 32 touchdowns — the second highest mark in his career — and his 11 interceptions were the fewest he has thrown since the nine he tossed in the 2009 season.
Rivers led the Chargers to the playoffs and a win against the Bengals in the first round and led San Diego to an impressive home win over the Seahawks when he tossed three touchdowns to tight end Antonio Gates.
After he was arguably overpaid from 2011-2012, Rivers has bounced back nicely and reasserted himself as one of the game’s better signal-callers, but would you have guessed he is one of the top-six earners in NFL history? I don’t think I would have.
Next: Drew Brees
5. Drew Brees – $131,455,000
Remember when the Chargers let Brees, 35, walk in free agency because of the presence of Rivers? You can’t blame the Chargers too much considering Brees just had his right shoulder shredded by a hit from John Lynch, but you think they’d like to have that one back knowing hindsight is 20/20.
Brees has since won a Super Bowl, two AP offensive player of the year awards, led the NFL in yards and touchdowns on four occasions and four seasons with at least 5,000 yards passing. No other quarterback has more than one season with that many yards.
Just think the Miami Dolphins decided to sign Daunte Culpepper instead of Brees in 2006 when they thought his surgically repaired knee would be a better gamble than the shoulder of Brees.
The Dolphins are still reeling from that decision and the Saints have fielded one of the best offenses for the past eight seasons with the former second round pick out of Purdue behind center.
Next: Julius Peppers
4. Julius Peppers $138,428,000
Peppers never saw the end of his six-year, $91.5 million deal he signed with the Bears after playing on the franchise tender in his last season with the Carolina Panthers, but he did get $42 million guaranteed after signing the richest contract in the franchise’s history.
In four seasons in Chicago, Peppers had 38 sacks in 64 games to bring his career total to 119 after he recorded 81 in the first eight years of his career with the Panthers after they made him the No. 2 overall pick in the 2002 draft.
Peppers signed a three-year deal in the offseason with the Green Bay Packers worth up to $26 million with $7.5 in guarantees after the Bears released him in a salary cap move and signed Allen to replace him.
The eight-time Pro Bowl selection is clearly past his prime, but if he can manage 21 sacks over the three years and finish with 140 career sacks, he will end up in the Hall of Fame after being one of the more consistent pass-rushers of his era and one of the most athletic defensive end of all-time.
Next: Eli Manning
3. Eli Manning – $150,770,000
Manning, 33, is the second highest-paid player in the NFL in 2014 with a $15.15 million base salary, but the New York Giants’ signal-caller is not playing like he’s worthy of the money and he could find it difficult to get his career back on track with the lack of weapons surrounding him.
Nevertheless, Manning has two Super Bowl rings on his resume and the former No. 1 overall pick by the Chargers who was traded to the Giants in a draft day trade should be viewed as a worthy investment because of the championships he brought the city of New York.
He is struggling now but Manning could always cheer himself up by looking at his bank statement after the Giants lose another game after he tosses two or three interceptions.
Next: Tom Brady
2. Tom Brady – $152,779,500
Brady is the fourth player to make this list who was not a first round pick — a high first round pick at that — as the former sixth round pick out of Michigan will go down as one of the best draft bargains of all-time.
The New England Patriots rewarded Brady with a significant pay raise but his unselfish nature that placed the betterment of the team ahead of his financial gains keeps him from the top spot.
Brady has taken less money than he could have received so the Patriots could use the savings to build the roster around him, including the recent five-year, $70.6 million extension he signed in 2013 when he easily could have demanded more than $100 million.
Playing much, if not his entire career, as one of the most underpaid players in the NFL, Brady has never complained about that one time or threaten to holdout for more money like some entitled players have made routine practice in the NFL.
A future Hall of Famer and one of the best to ever play the position, Brady is a two-time MVP, has a 3-2 record in Super Bowls, is a two-time Super Bowl MVP, holds the record for playoff starts and wins and is a nine-time Pro Bowl selection.
Next: Peyton Manning
1. Peyton Manning – $229,732,000
Arguably the greatest quarterback to ever play the game, Manning is also the player who has earned more money playing in the NFL than anyone to ever suit up and play on Sunday’s. In fact, he has made $76,952,500 more than Brady and his younger brother Eli who are way back in a tie for second.
Manning is the rare player who could command a lucrative deal after his age-35 season when many players are already forced out of the league. Even more impressive is that Manning was able to command the five-year, $96 million contract he signed with the Broncos after the Colts let one of the game’s best players of all-time walk amid concerns over his surgically repaired neck.
The sixth former No. 1 pick on this list led the Broncos to the Super Bowl last season when he had the best regular season any quarterback has ever had in league history when he led the league in completions, attempts, yards and touchdowns with a league record 55 en route to his fifth MVP.
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