Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is already one of the best players in franchise history and a perennial MVP candidate. Soon, he could land one of the largest contracts in the history of professional sports.
Selected with the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Burrow’s career got off to a rocky start. Cincinnati went 2-7-1 with him as a starter, and he suffered a torn ACL midway through his rookie year. He’s been one of the best NFL quarterbacks ever since.
Burrow is eligible for a contract extension this summer after completing his third NFL season. Coming off consecutive trips to the AFC Championship Game, with one Super Bowl appearance, he has already accomplished more than any quarterback in Bengals history.
The Bengals, a franchise known for being more cash-poor than other NFL teams, are now staring down contract talks with their superstar quarterback. With the New York Giants signing Daniel Jones to a multiyear extension worth $40 million per season, Burrow’s asking price will likely climb even further.
On the "You Pod to Win the Game" podcast, Yahoo Sports NFL insider Charles Robinson addressed Burrow’s upcoming contract extension. Speaking to people around the league, he said there is an expectation Burrow lands the largest contract in NFL history.
“I have a chance to talk to people now, they’re already saying Burrow is going to get 55, Joe Burrow is going to get $55 million, he might get $60 (million) by the time this all ends up.”
For context, Aaron Rodgers is the only NFL quarterback with an average salary of $50 million per season. While Patrick Mahomes signed the longest contract in NFL history — 10 years, $450 million — he sits behind Rodgers, Russell Wilson ($49 million AAV), Kyler Murray ($46.1 million AAV) and Deshaun Watson ($46 million AAV) when it comes to salary.
Even signing a deal for $55 million per season would set a new mark for quarterbacks. With Lamar Jackson seeking a new deal worth more than $50 million AAV and Los Angeles Chargers star Justin Herbert also eligible for an extension, the price tag could climb even further.
The NFL salary cap climbed to $224.8 million for the upcoming 2023 season, nearly $20 million more than the cap in 2022. There is also an expectation among teams that the salary cap will keep climbing by approximately $20 million every year through 2030.
While Burrow could be open to a more team-friendly deal, helping the Bengals keep Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, there are other ways to accomplish that without lowering his contract AAV. Whether an extension happens this offseason or next year, he will likely become the NFL’s highest-paid player.
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