Why Justin Herbert is guaranteed to lose $28 million of his Chargers contract

Justin Herbert is one of the top-paid quarterbacks in the NFL. The LA Chargers' signal-caller deserves every penny of his $52.5 million average annual salary, which actually seems like a bargain compared to other quarterback contracts given out. While Herbert's average annual salary is gaudy, as anyone in California knows, his actual take-home is going to be much less than that $52.5 million figure. In fact, thanks to the littany of California taxes, Herbert will actually take home less than half his average annual salary. The exact number per year fluctuates depending on his prorated bonuses and guaranteed salary in particular seasons. If Herbert were to make exactly his $52.5 million average salary, he would end up paying over $28 million in total taxes (h/t Mike Moraitis, Chargers on SI). Nobody is going to bat an eye about how much a multi-millionaire athlete is taxed but it still is staggering to see just how much of Herbert's massive salary ends up going to him. Herbert will pay the United States and C