Who is the highest-paid NFL player?

With the salary cap placing restrictions on spending, NFL franchises must carefully allocate money for players. The most important position in the game is quarterback. The best players at that position usually make the most money.

In April 2019, the Seattle Seahawks made quarterback Russell Wilson the highest-paid player in NFL history. Wilson signed a four-year, $140 million extension. Entering his eighth season in the NFL, Wilson will make $35 million a year, the highest average annual salary in the league. The deal includes a $65 million signing bonus and $107 million in guaranteed money.

Who are the highest-paid NFL stars?

With his contract extension, Wilson eclipsed quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers and Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers in annual salary. Their salaries are about $34 million a year. According to sportrac, 13 of the 15 highest-paid players in the NFL are quarterbacks. Defensive linemen Khalil Mack of the Chicago Bears and Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams are outliers.

In terms of total salary, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is scheduled to earn $150 million from 2018 and 2023. Annually, however, Ryan makes $30 million, behind the average salary of Wilson, Roethlisberger and Rodgers. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is fifth in annual average salary ($27.5 million).

How does the NFL compare with other leagues?

Unlike the NFL, Major League Baseball isn’t restricted by a salary cap. Baseball's top stars are typically given longer contracts than football’s biggest stars. As of May 2019, 21 MLB players earn more than Matt Ryan in total salary, with Anaheim Angels star Mike Trout topping the list. In March 2019, Trout signed a 12-year, $426.5 million contract extension.

Like the NFL, the NBA operates under a salary cap, so the length of basketball contracts is comparable to NFL deals. The highest-paid NBA player in 2019 is Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry ($37,457,154), according to the USA Today salary database.