It’s official – Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson are the two highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL. In fact, they’re the two highest-paid players in NFL history after signing two massive contracts with their respective teams this offseason. They certainly earned it and they now have the contract to prove it.
Jalen Hurts signed a five-year, $255 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles on April 17. The deal includes $179.304 million in total guaranteed money, as well as $110 million fully guaranteed at signing and $126.5 million fully guaranteed by March 2024. It made him the highest-paid player in NFL history.
It didn’t last long, though. Lamar Jackson signed a five-year, $260 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens on April 27 – ending an intense contract negotiation that lasted several years. The deal includes $185 million in total guaranteed money and makes him the new highest-paid player in NFL history.
Who Are the Highest-Paid Quarterbacks in the NFL?
There’s no debate about it – Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts are the highest-paid quarterbacks in the entire NFL, but who are the others? It might surprise you to see how the best quarterbacks in the league stack up at the moment – especially considering the greatest QB in the league ranks just 7th on that list.
Taking a look at the highest-paid players in the league right now, the top-14 players are all quarterbacks. The only two non-quarterbacks making at least $30 million per year are defensive tackle Aaron Donald (No. 14 at $31.7 million per year) and wide receiver Tyreek Hill (No. 15 at $30 million per year).
It goes to show just how much quarterbacks are paid these days – the 14th highest-paid quarterback makes more money per year than any other position. It makes sense, though, considering how difficult it is to find a good quarterback. When you find one that puts you in a position to win, you pay them.
With that said, let’s take a look at the 15 highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL, as it stands right now:
15. Ryan Tannehill – $29.5 million
Ryan Tannehill signed a four-year, $118 million contract on March 15, 2020 that pays him $29.5 million per year with the Tennessee Titans – the contract also included a $20 million signing bonus, $62 million guaranteed at signing, and $91 million in practical guaranteed money. He’s in the final year of the deal.
Tannehill is entering his 11th season in the NFL and fifth season with the Titans after spending the previous six years with the Miami Dolphins. He has a career record of 78-65-0 as a starter, throwing for 33,265 yards, 212 touchdowns, and 108 interceptions in 145 games played – he has 26 rushing TDs.
14. Jared Goff – $33.5 million
Jared Goff signed a four-year, $134 million contract on September 6, 2019 that pays him $33.5 million per year with the Detroit Lions – the contract also included a $25 million signing bonus, $57.042 million guaranteed at signing, and $110.042 million in practical guaranteed money. He has two years remaining.
Goff is entering his eighth season in the NFL and third season with the Detroit Lions after spending the previous five seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. He has a career record of 54-45-1 as a starter, throwing for 25,854 yards, 155 touchdowns, and 70 interceptions in 100 games – he has 10 rushing TDs.
13. Kirk Cousins – $35 million
Kirk Cousins signed a one-year, $35 million contract on March 13, 2022 that pays him $35 million next season with the Minnesota Vikings – the contract included a $25 million signing bonus and was fully-guaranteed. The Vikings are currently talking to Cousins about a potential contract extension.
Cousins is entering his 11th season in the NFL and sixth season with the Vikings after spending the previous six years with the Washington Commanders. He has a career record of 72-63-2 as a starter, throwing for 37,140 yards, 252 touchdowns, and 105 interceptions in 142 games – he has 19 rushing TDs.
12. Derek Carr – $37.5 million
Derek Carr signed a four-year, $150 million contract on March 6, 2023 that pays him $37.5 million next season with the New Orleans Saints – the contract included a $28.5 million signing bonus, $60 million guaranteed at signing, and $100 million in practical guaranteed money. He has four years remaining.
Carr is entering his 10th season in the NFL and first season with the Saints after spending the previous nine years with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders. He has a career record of 63-79-0 as a starter, throwing for 35,222 yards, 217 touchdowns, and 99 interceptions in 142 games – he also has six rushing TDs.
11. Daniel Jones – $40 million
Daniel Jones signed a four-year, $160 million contract on March 7, 2023 that pays him $40 million next season with the New York Giants – the contract included a $36 million signing bonus, $81 million guaranteed at signing, and $92 million in practical guaranteed money. He has four years remaining.
Jones is entering his fifth season in the NFL since being drafted by the Giants with the No. 6 overall pick in 2019. He has a career record of 21-31-1 as a starter, throwing for 11,603 yards, 60 touchdowns, and 34 interceptions in 54 games played – he has 12 rushing TDs and one career playoff appearance thus far.
10. Matthew Stafford – $40 million
Matthew Stafford signed a four-year, $160 million contract on March 19, 2022 that pays him $40 million next season with the Los Angeles Rams – the contract included a $60 million signing bonus, $63 million guaranteed at signing, and $130 million in practical guaranteed money. He has four years remaining.
Stafford is entering his 15th season in the NFL and third season with the Rams after spending the previous 12 years with the Detroit Lions. He has a career record of 89-101-1 as a starter, throwing for 52,082 yards, 333 touchdowns, and 169 interceptions in 191 games played – he has 15 rushing TDs.
9. Dak Prescott – $40 million
Dak Prescott signed a four-year, $160 million contract on March 8, 2021 that pays him $40 million next season with the Dallas Cowboys – the contract included a $66 million signing bonus, $95 million guaranteed at signing, and $126 million in practical guaranteed money. He has two years left on the deal.
Prescott is entering his eighth season in the NFL since being drafted by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He has a career record of 61-36-0 as a starter, throwing for 24,943 yards, 166 touchdowns, and 65 interceptions in 97 games – he also has 1,642 rushing yards and 26 rushing TDs.
8. Josh Allen – $43 million
Josh Allen signed a six-year, $258.034 million contract on August 6, 2021 that pays him $43.006 million next season with the Buffalo Bills – the contract included a $16.5 million signing bonus, $100.038 million guaranteed at signing, and $150 million in practical guaranteed money. He has six years left on the deal.
Allen is entering his sixth season in the NFL since being drafted by the Bills with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He has a career record of 52-24-0 as a starter, throwing for 18,397 yards, 138 touchdowns, and 60 interceptions in 77 games – he also has 3,087 rushing yards and 38 rushing TDs.
7. Patrick Mahomes – $45 million
Patrick Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450 million contract on July 6, 2020 that pays him $45 million next season with the Kansas City Chiefs – the contract included a $10 million signing bonus, $63.082 million guaranteed at signing, and $141.482 million in practical guaranteed money – he has nine years left.
Mahomes is entering his sixth season in the NFL since being drafted by the Chiefs with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He has a career record of 64-16-0 as a starter, throwing for 24,241 yards, 192 touchdowns, and 49 interceptions in 80 games – he also has 1,547 rushing yards and 12 rushing TDs.
6. Deshaun Watson – $46 million
Deshaun Watson signed a five-year, $230 million contract on March 20, 2022 that pays him $46 million next season with the Cleveland Browns – the contract included a $44.97 million signing bonus and was fully-guaranteed at signing. The deal came on the heels of his trade and he has five years left on the deal.
Watson is entering his sixth season in the NFL and second season with the Browns after spending the previous four years with the Houston Texans. He has a career record of 31-28-0 as a starter, throwing for 15,641 yards, 111 touchdowns, and 41 interceptions in 60 games – he has 1,852 rushing yards and 18 rushing TDs.
5. Kyler Murray – $46.1 million
Kyler Murray signed a five-year, $230.5 million contract on July 21, 2022 that pays him $46.1 million next season with the Arizona Cardinals – the contract included a $29.035 million signing bonus, $103.3 million guaranteed at signing, and $160 million in practical guaranteed money. He has six years left on the deal.
Murray is entering his fifth season in the NFL since being drafted by the Cardinals with the No. 1 overall pick in 2019 NFL Draft. He has a career record of 25-31-1 as a starter, throwing for 13,848 yards, 84 touchdowns, and 41 interceptions in 57 games played – he has 2,204 rushing yards and 23 rushing TDs.
4. Russell Wilson – $48.5 million
Russell Wilson signed a five-year, $242.59 million contract on September 1, 2022 that pays him $48.5 million next season with the Denver Broncos – the contract included a $50 million signing bonus, $124 million guaranteed at signing, and $161 million in practical guaranteed money. He has six years left.
Wilson is entering his 12th season in the NFL and second season with the Broncos after spending the previous 10 years with the Seattle Seahawks. He has a career record of 108-64-1 as a starter, throwing for 40,583 yards, 308 touchdowns, and 98 interceptions in 173 games – he has 4,966 rushing yards and 26 rushing TDs.
3. Aaron Rodgers – $50.3 million
Aaron Rodgers signed a three-year, $150.8 million contract on March 14, 2022 that pays him $50.3 million next season with the New York Jets – the contract included a $40.8 million signing bonus, $101.5 million guaranteed signing, and $150.8 in practical guaranteed money. He has two years left on the deal.
Rodgers is entering his 19th season in the NFL and first season with the Jets after spending the previous 18 years with the Green Bay Packers. He has a career record of 147-75-1 as a starter, throwing for 59,055 yards, 475 touchdowns, and 105 interceptions in 230 games – he also has 35 rushing TDs.
2. Jalen Hurts – $51 million
Jalen Hurts signed a five-year, $255 million contract on April 17, 2023 that pays him $51 million next season with the Philadelphia Eagles – the contract included a $23.3 million signing bonus, $110 million guaranteed at signing, and $179.4 million in practical guaranteed money. He has six years remaining.
Hurts is entering his fourth season in the NFL since being drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He has a 23-11-0 career record as starter, throwing for 7,906 yards, 44 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions in 45 games played – he also has 1,898 rushing yards and 26 rushing TDs.
1. Lamar Jackson – $52 million
Lamar Jackson signed a five-year, $260 million contract on April 27, 2023 that pays him $52 million next season with the Baltimore Ravens – the contract included $185 million in practical guaranteed money, though the rest of the details have yet to be confirmed. He has five years remaining on the contract.
Jackson is entering his sixth season in the NFL since being drafted by the Ravens with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He has a 45-16-0 career record as starter, throwing for 12,209 yards, 101 touchdowns, and 38 interceptions in 70 games – he also has 4,437 rushing yards and 24 rushing TDs.
QBs Who Will Be Among the Highest-Paid Quarterbacks in the NFL
The list above contains most of the biggest names at the quarterback position, but there are several quarterbacks out there that haven’t gotten paid yet – and when they do, they’ll land somewhere on this list. In fact, there are two names that come to mind immediately – Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert.
Burrow is currently in the final year of his four-year, $36.2 million rookie contract and is due to become a free agent in 2025. Meanwhile, Justin Herbert is in the final year of his four-year, $26.6 million rookie contract and is due to become a free agent in 2025. Both quarterbacks will garner a massive contract.
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Other quarterbacks who might find themselves on this list in the near future include Tua Tagovailova, Trevor Lawrence, and Justin Fields. All three of those quarterbacks are expected to be franchise QBs for their respective teams, which means the Dolphins, Jaguars, and Bears will have to fork up some cash.
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