An NFL quarterback is one of the most lucrative roles in all of sports. It's become quite clear a team can't contend for a championship without solid quarterback play. NFL front offices are willing to pony up a ton of money for guys they believe can lead them to a title.
To wit, 16 quarterbacks are making at least $40 million this year. That's half of the league paying their signal caller $40 million or more. For someone like Patrick Mahomes, who's won three Super Bowl titles in five years, a $45 million annual salary seems almost like a steal. But a guy such as Deshaun Watson, who's making $1 million more than Mahomes this year and has been injured, uneven, suspended, and is dealing with dozens of sexual misconduct lawsuits? Maybe the Browns would like a do-over on that one.
Sometimes the quarterback's supporting cast isn't strong, or their coach doesn't put them in a position to succeed. Other times, injuries lead to inconsistency and struggles. It's a gamble paying such a hefty contract.
Only one team will be celebrating when the Super Bowl wraps up, though plenty of guys will be happy financially. Here are the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL this season.
Dak Prescott (L) and Jalen Hurts (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys — $60 million
After what seemed like endless discourse this summer around the relationship between Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys, the two sides agreed to a record deal. Prescott will get $240 million from his new contract extension, which includes NFL records in both average annual value ($60 million) and total guaranteed money ($231 million). The Cowboys have looked shaky to start the season, and after this new deal, expectations are high in Dallas. Okay, they're always high—but a record-setting deal adds even more hype.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals — $55 million
Joe Burrow is in his fifth season as quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals, and in three of the previous four, the Bengals started 0-2. What did Burrow and the Bengals do this year? They dropped three straight to start the season. The slow start didn't hurt in 2022 when the Bengals eventually reached the AFC Championship, though it's generally not an advisable trend. Burrow also led the Bengals to the Super Bowl during the 2021 season, which was the first time in 33 years the team advanced that far. That's why he got a five-year, $275 million extension before last season.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars — $55 million
If you thought the Bengals' 0-3 start was bad — they did win their Week 4 game — Trevor Lawrence can do you one better. Or, in this case, one worse. The Jaguars were in cruise control last season, starting 8-3, before losing five of their last six and falling out of the playoffs entirely. The woes have continued this season as the Jaguars are 0-4 with some truly gut-wrenching losses. This June, Lawrence signed an identical deal to the one Burrow did.
Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers — $55 million
Burrow and Lawrence haven't had many wins this season, but at least they've played every game. Jordan Love got hurt in the first game of the year and only returned last weekend. The Packers have lost both games he started, though he likely rushed back his return this past game. In his absence, backup Malik Willis led Green Bay to two victories. Love signed a four-year, $220 million extension last season despite only playing one full season for the Packers; he spent three years sitting behind Aaron Rodgers.
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins — $53.1 million
Tua Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.4 million contract this offseason, but his NFL future is in jeopardy after three concussions in three years. The Dolphins have looked abysmal offensively without him, though his health and long-term well-being are the top priorities. Depending on how Tagovailoa's future shakes out, he may only receive some of the money he's owed.
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions — $53 million
Before the 2021 season, the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams swapped quarterbacks. The Rams sent Jared Goff to the Lions for Matthew Stafford (who's making $40 million this season if you're scoring at home). The Rams won the Super Bowl in Stafford's first season. Goff and the Lions haven't gotten there yet — though they were about as close as you could be last season, leading by double digits in the second half of the NFC Championship Game. The Lions should contend for a playoff spot again this season, and with another year of experience under their belts, maybe a Super Bowl appearance is in the cards. That would be a welcome sight for long-suffering Lions fans.
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers — $52.5 million
Justin Herbert signed a five-year, $262.5 million contract extension last summer. The move will keep him as a Charger through the end of the decade, and he'll still only be 31 years old when the deal is up. This season, he's welcomed a new coach in Jim Harbaugh, though he did lose some of his top offensive weapons, with Keenan Allen, Austin Ekeler, and Mike Williams departing to other teams.
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens — $52 million
Lamar Jackson signed his five-year, $260 million extension after the 2022 season, then promptly won MVP the following year. He also got the Baltimore Ravens to their first AFC Championship game in over a decade, though the team fell to the eventual Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs. The Ravens have had a couple of tough losses this year, but after obliterating the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football, they might be back on track.
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles — $51 million
We have Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles to thank for the term "tush push" entering the NFL's vocabulary. He signed his five-year, $255 million deal in April 2023. That was an NFL record for exactly ten days until Lamar Jackson surpassed it. Hurts's deal is unique in that it also includes a no-trade clause; he's the first Eagles player to ever have one in a contract. Hurts led the Eagles to the Super Bowl in 2022, but this is the first year he's playing without longtime Eagles center Jason Kelce, so there's been some adjustment.
Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals — $46.1 million
Kyler Murray is an avid chess player and a frequent gamer. The latter became a hot topic during contract negotiations, with rumors of an included clause that restricted Murray's time spent on gaming. Whether or not that was actually true, the Cardinals signed Murray for the long haul with a five-year, $230.5 million extension in April 2022. The team has struggled since then, as Murray missed several games in 2022 and 2023 due to injury. He appears to be healthy this season, so maybe the Cards can rebound from a slow start.
We mentioned Patrick Mahomes in the intro, but you'll notice he's not on the list of the top ten highest-paid quarterbacks. He sits in 12th, tied with Kirk Cousins, who just signed a big free agent deal with the Atlanta Falcons. Mahomes and Cousins will each be making $45 million.
There's a lot of money getting thrown around this year. Collectively, the ten highest-paid quarterbacks will make $532.7 million.
