Who is the highest paid player in the NFL?

Highest Paid NFL Players

The highest paid players in 2007 were:

• Dwight Freeney ($30,750,000)
• Marc Bulger ($17,502,040)
• Leonard Davis ($17,006,240)

Please note that NFL salaries are often extremely strange because of the way teams and players work around salary cap issues. For example, Dwight Freeney's contract is for 6 years and $72 million, or an average of $12 million per year. He received over $30 million of that in 2007, and the other $42 million spread (unevenly) over the other 5 years.

In 2006 the top salaries were:

• Richard Seymour ($24,691,160)
• Drew Brees ($22,000,000)
• Bryant McKinnie ($17,500,000)

None of those players are among 2007's highest paid players, since (as explained above) their 2006 salary does not represent the annual value of their contract, but rather the bonuses, options, and salary collected in one particular year, usually the first year of the contract.

The 2005 top salaries were:

• Michael Vick ($23,102,750)
• Matt Hasselbeck ($19,005,280)
• Orlando Pace ($18,000,000)

Source: http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/top25.aspx?year=2007

The data below is for 2004:

Through the end of the 2004 season, Peyton Manning was the highest paid player with a salary of $35,037,700. Second was Chad Pennington with a salary of $19,004,000. But other records show that Micheal Vick was the highest payed player in 2004.

Michael Vick signed a 10 year deal with the Atlanta Falcons for a reported $130,000,000.

For a single season, it is Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts. They signed him to a 7-year contract for 98 million dollars. According to Forbes magazine he was the third highest paid athlete in the world in 2004, earning $42 million dollars in 2004.

The next highest for 2004 is Chad Pennington of the New York Jets with $19 in 2004.

Brian Urlacher used to be the highest, with $15 million per year.

Mike Vick has the longest-term highest contract, with $130 million for 10 years.

Before Michael Vick, McNabb had the record with a $115 million dollar contract.

• Source: NFL Players Association

Cornerback Antoine Winfield of the Minnesota Vikings earned $12,400,000 and tops the earnings list of the NFL Player's Association.

NFL's Top 5 best-paid players by position for 2004 were:

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACKS Brett Favre, G.B.:$9,533,333; Peyton Manning,Ind.,$8,301,666; Michael Vick, Atl.,$7,892,857;Donovan McNabb, Phi.,$7,861,055;Brad Johnson, T.B.,$6,800,000.

RUNNING BACKS:Marshall Faulk, St. L.,$7,277,856;Edgerrin James, Ind.,$6,734,122 LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.,$6,666,666;Tiki Barber, NYG,$6,053,333;Ahman Green, G.B.,$4,882,000.

WIDE RECEIVERS:Randy Moss, Minn.,$8,630,327;Marvin Harrison, Ind.,$8,082,880; Isaac Bruce, St. L.,$7,640,709;Eric Moulds, Buf.,$7,245,000;Terrell Owens, Phi.,$7,243,333.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN:Jonathan Ogden, Balt.,$9,101,989;John Tait, Chi.,$8,535,000; Chris Samuels, Wash.,$8,349,920;Leonard Davis, Ariz,$5,575,416;Larry Allen, Dal.,$5,558,333.

TIGHT ENDS:Tony Gonzalez, K.C.,$3,831,370;Marcus Pollard, Ind.,$3,109,166;Kyle Brady, Jax,$2,846,250;Kellen Winslow, Cle.,$1,950,000;Freddie Jones, Ariz,$1,696,668.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE ENDS: Courtney Brown, Cle.,$7,549,666;Trevor Pryce, Den. ,$7,116,667; Michael Strahan, NYG,$6,578,285;Jevon Kearse, Phi.,$6,535,000;Simeon Rice, T.B.,$5,550,000.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES:Gerard Warren, Cle,$6,010,000;Kevin Carter, Tenn.,$5,881,669; Laroi Glover, Dal,$4,700,000;Orpheus Roye, Cle.,$4,687,500; Bryant Young, S.F,$4,388,549.

LINEBACKERS:Ray Lewis, Balt.,$6,928,571;Brian Urlacher, Chi.,$6,157,142; Jamie Sharper, Hou.,$6,125,000;LaVar Arrington, Wash,$5,630,877;Derrick Brooks, T.B,$4,907,083.

SAFETIES:Darren Sharper, G.B.,$5,833,332;Marcus Coleman, Hou.,$5,503,889; Mike Minter, Car.,$5,343,750;Shaun Williams, NYG.,$4,157,737;Lawyer Milloy, Buff.,$4,000,000.

CORNERBACKS:Antoine Winfield, Minn., $12,400,000;Ty Law, N.E,$9,601,365; Samari Rolle, Tenn.,$8,313,335;Patrick Surtain, Mia,$7,884,371;Daylon McCutcheon, Cle. ,$5,883,333.

PUNTERS/KICKERS: Adam Vinatieri, N.E.,$2,091,177;Ryan Longwell, G.B.,$1,900,000;Sebastian Janikowski, Oak.,$1,753,833;Mike Vanderjagt, Ind.,$1,608,500;Olindo Mare, Mia,$1,581,175.

• Source: Forbes Magazine

First answer by Rs2317. Last edit by Gilr. Contributor trust: 750 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 270 [recommend question]