University of Kwazulu-Natal

Nfl Highest Paid Players 2025 Mahomes Allen Herbert Lead Top 20

Bonisiwe Shabane
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nfl highest paid players 2025 mahomes allen herbert lead top 20

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs came up short in their historic bid for a third straight Super Bowl win when the Philadelphia Eagles won the NFL crown in a rout in February. But the Kansas City QB did score one title in 2025: the NFL’s highest-paid player for the second time in three years. His $80 million—$50 million in salary from the Chiefs and an estimated $30 million in endorsements—tops a pair of his AFC rival quarterbacks in Josh Allen ($73 million) and Justin Herbert ($71 million). The top 20 will earn an estimated $1 billion this year on and off the field, down 10% versus last year when Dak Prescott, Jared Goff, Jordan Love, Joe Burrow and Kirk Cousins all... Herbert is the only player who will earn $60 million in salary this year. Mahomes is the NFL’s most marketable player, thanks to his three Super Bowl titles and two regular-season MVP awards while quarterbacking the NFL’s latest dynasty.

Last year, he was ubiquitous on TV, appearing in an NFL-high 423 ad spots during league games, per iSpot—the retired Peyton Manning was second at 318. Mahomes has more than a dozen endorsement partners, including Adidas, Coors Light, Invisalign, Oakley, State Farm and T-Mobile; he recently added new deals with Panini and Hublot. The Panini deal means his signatures will appear on trading cards for the first time since 2020 sets. A 2017 Mahomes card sold in 2021 for $4.3 million, marking the most expensive NFL card sale ever. After an off-season of acrimony with the Dallas Cowboys that ended last month with a blockbuster trade to the Green Bay Packers, defensive end Micah Parsons has a new four-year deal that sets NFL... That last qualifier is important because, as well paid as the 26-year-old edge rusher is about to be, football’s most important position remains in control of the financial huddle, claiming eight of the ten...

The ranking has now featured at least eight quarterbacks for four straight seasons. Parsons lands at No. 6 overall, due to make an estimated $48.2 million during the 2025 league year, including endorsements, licensing, memorabilia and other business endeavors in addition to his playing salary and signing bonus. Travis Kelce, who these days is perhaps better known as Taylor Swift’s fiancé but in his day job still suits up as a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, is the only other... 8 with an estimated $47.3 million before taxes and agent fees. At the top of the earnings ranking this year is Kelce’s teammate Patrick Mahomes, who claims the No.

1 spot for the first time ever with an estimated $78 million. The two Chiefs stars also lead the rest of the NFL by a considerable margin off the field, where Mahomes, with the sport’s best array of sponsorships, is collecting an estimated $28 million and... (The two longtime teammates will soon open a restaurant together in Kansas City, a steakhouse named 1587 Prime in a combination of their uniform numbers.) Together, the NFL’s ten highest-paid players this season are set to bring in $571 million—down 18% from last year’s record $693 million but still the second-highest total in the 16-year history of Forbes’ NFL... Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes claimed the top spot on Sportico's list of the highest earners in the NFL this year. Sportico's .css-wrcrjw{margin:0;font-size:1.6rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback Arial;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;line-height:1.92rem;color:var(--br--palette-foreground__link__secondary__default-mainChannel);font-size:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;white-space:normal;}.css-3nqh9c{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-color:rgba(var(--br--palette-primary-mainChannel) / 0.4);margin:0;font-size:1.6rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback Arial;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;line-height:1.92rem;color:var(--br--palette-foreground__link__secondary__default-mainChannel);font-size:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;white-space:normal;}.css-3nqh9c:hover{text-decoration-color:inherit;}.css-lu48cp{margin:0;font:inherit;color:var(--br--palette-primary-main);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-color:rgba(var(--br--palette-primary-mainChannel) / 0.4);margin:0;font-size:1.6rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback Arial;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;line-height:1.92rem;color:var(--br--palette-foreground__link__secondary__default-mainChannel);font-size:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;white-space:normal;}.css-lu48cp:hover{text-decoration-color:inherit;}Kurt Badenhausen estimated that Mahomes collected $30 million...

Thanks to the extension he signed this spring, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is second at $73 million in overall earnings. Here's the top five: .css-1582m2i{margin:0;font:inherit;font-weight:700;}Highest-Paid NFL Players in 2025 1. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs: $80 million Business is booming in the NFL, and the result was another sharp salary camp jump for the 2025 season.

The salary cap spiked from $255.4 million in 2024 to $279.2 million in 2025, so salaries for many of the league's stars will continue to rise beyond already record levels. Quarterbacks dominate the salary leaderboards in the NFL, to no surprise. Once you have a clear-cut solution at the position, you have to pay top dollar to keep him around. While 2025 figures to be a quieter year for quarterback extensions than 2024, most of the usual suspects continue to rank among the league's highest-paid players. Here's a look at the 25 highest-paid players in the NFL for 2025. MORE: Looking at the most, least valuable NFL franchises

Patrick Mahomes leads the NFL's highest-paid players for the second time in three years, earning $80 million in 2025 through $50 million in salary and $30 million in endorsements, according to Sportico's annual earnings... Mahomes edges AFC rivals Josh Allen ($73 million) and Justin Herbert ($71 million) atop a list where the top 20 players will earn a combined $1 billion this year. This marks a 10 percent decrease from 2024 when multiple quarterbacks signed lucrative new contracts. Mahomes remains the NFL's most marketable player following three Super Bowl titles and two MVP awards. He appeared in 423 commercial spots during league games last season, significantly more than any other active player. Teammate Travis Kelce ranks seventh at $49.3 million, earning just $17.3 million in salary while generating $32 million through endorsements and business ventures.

His off-field income includes the New Heights podcast deal with brother Jason Kelce worth over $100 million across three years. Kelce has reduced traditional endorsements to focus on ownership stakes in brands including Recover 180 and Garage Beer. His engagement to Taylor Swift has elevated his profile, contributing to his 8 million Instagram followers. Patrick Mahomes is the undisputed king of NFL earnings in 2025. His $50 million salary on the field isn’t the absolute highest, but when endorsements are added, he blasts past the competition with a staggering $80 million total. Mahomes turns his fame into fortune like no other, proving he’s more than just a quarterback—he’s a financial powerhouse.

The NFL money list is stacked with quarterbacks. Josh Allen claims second place with $73 million, including $15 million from endorsements with Snickers, New Era, and Corona. Justin Herbert isn’t far behind at $71 million, powered by deals with Nike, Verizon, and more. Dak Prescott brings in $57.8 million, while Tua Tagovailoa rounds out the top five at $54.5 million. The message is clear: if you throw touchdowns, the dollars follow. Not all money comes from throwing passes.

Travis Kelce proves that with $32 million in endorsements, fueled by his hit podcast “New Heights” and a high-profile relationship with pop star Taylor Swift. Kelce and his brother Jason signed a three-year, $100 million deal with Wondery for their podcast. His $17.25 million field salary is modest compared to top QBs, but off-field ventures push him to seventh place with $49.3 million total. Brock Purdy pulls in $50.1 million, ranking sixth. Micah Parsons earns $48.7 million, Jalen Hurts $48.5 million, and Matthew Stafford and Trevor Lawrence tie at $48 million. Deshaun Watson lands in 12th with $46.8 million, while two-time MVP Lamar Jackson grabs $46.3 million.

Linebacker T.J. Watt collects $46 million, and wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson make $44.7 million and $39.4 million, respectively. Geno Smith, Joe Burrow, Sam Darnold, and Baker Mayfield round out the list from 16th to 20th. Mahomes doesn’t just rely on his salary. He owns stakes in the Kansas City Royals, Sporting KC, KC Current, and the F1 team Alpine. These investments multiply his wealth and prove he’s as smart off the field as he is on it.

As the NFL continues to grow in global popularity and financial strength, the league’s top stars are cashing in both on and off the field. According to Sportico, the list of the highest-paid NFL players in 2025 reveals just how much today’s athletes are earning from contracts and endorsements combined. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes leads the way, with his total earnings exceeding $60 million. His salary and bonuses account for the bulk of his income, but Mahomes also commands one of the largest endorsement portfolios in sports. His partnerships with major brands make him not only the highest-paid player in the league but also one of the most marketable athletes in the world. The top of the list is packed with elite quarterbacks:

While QBs dominate, several non-quarterbacks cracked the list: Longtime stars are still raking in big checks:

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