NFL’s Big Bucks Players In 2020

We all know that ball players aren’t exactly on the breadline and, if you’ve been betting on the big bucks scorers for this year, we’ve just had confirmation of the 25 highest paid players in 2020. In this article, we’ll give you the lowdown on who earned what during this extraordinary year. The figures shown represent the average annual salary for a player, rather than the guaranteed sum on signing so, let’s take a look at who scored big in 2020: 

NFL’s highest paid players in reverse order:  

Jalen Ramsey, Cornerback, Rams 

NFL’s first defensive back to secure a deal worth $100 took home $21 million dollars this year.  

Laremy Tunsil, Left Tackle, Texans 

After signing a three year contract extension with the Texans this year, Laremy Tunsil scored a 2020 payday of $22 million.  

Julio Jones, Wide Receiver, Falcons 

Matching Laremy’s Tunsil’s salary, in his second season with the Falcons, Julio Jones earned $22 million.  

Aaron Donald, Defensive Lineman, Rams 

Donald, who is signed up with the Rams until 2024, had a pay packet of $22.5 million in 2020.  

Alex Smith, Quarterback, redskins 

After being traded by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018, Alex Smith’s third season with the Redskins saw him cashing in to the tune of $23.5 million this year.  

Khalil Mack, Defensive End / Outside Linebacker, Bears 

Khalil Mack will almost certainly be able to afford more than the bear necessities on this year’s salary of $23.5 million.  

Philip Rivers, Quarterback, Colts 

Philip Rivers has proved to be more than a shot in the dark for the Colts and, this year, he was rewarded with a $25 million salary.  

Drew Brees, Quarterback, Saints 

Signed with the Saints through 2021, Drew Brees earned an angelic $25 million in 2020.  

Tom Brady, Quarterback, Buccaneers 

Another $25 million earner, Tom Brady is currently in his first year with the Buccaneers. 

Myles Garrett, Defensive End, Browns 

Another player in his first year with a team, Myles Garrett took away $25 million in his inaugural season with Browns.  

Matthew Stafford, Quarterback, Lions 

Veteran, Matthew Stafford, took home the lion’s share this year with a salary of $27 million.  

Joey Bosa, Defensive End, Chargers 

The highest paid defender within NFL, Joey Bosatook too home $27 million this year.  

DeAndre Hopkins, Wide Receiver, Cardinals 

After extending his contract with the Washington team, DeAndre Hopkins received $27.25 million in 2020. 

Jimmy Garoppolo, Quarterback, 49ers 

This year, the numbers added up for 49ers star, Jimmy Garoppolo, to the tune of $27.5 million.  

Ryan Tannehill, Quarterback, Titans 

In 2020, Ryan Tannehill took home a salary of $29.5 million.  

Matt Ryan, Quarterback, Falcons 

In his third season with the Falcons, Matt Ryan earned a cool $30 million.  

Dak Prescott, Quarterback, Cowboys 

Louisiana born Dak Prescott earned $31.41 million with the Dallas Cowboys this year.  

Carson Wentz, Quarterback, Eagles 

In his second season with the Eagles, Carson Wentz enjoyed a salary of $32 million.  

Kirk Cousins, Quarterback, Vikings 

The Vikings’ star Quarterback, Kirk Cousins, took home a ship shape $33 million in 2020.  

Jared Goff, Quarterback, Rams 

Jared Goff took the bull by the horns in 2020 with a salary of $33.5 million.  

Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback, Packers 

Californian Aaron Rodgers packed a punch this year with a pay packet of $33.5 million.  

Ben Roethlisberger, Quarterback, Steelers 

In his second season with the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger earned $34 million. 

Russell Wilson, Quarterback, Seahawks 

Having signed with the Seahawks through 2023, Russell Wilson took home $35 million in 2020.  

Patrick Mahomes, Quarterback, Chiefs 

The highest scorer in 2020 by a country mile was the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes with a salary of $45 million. 

One team which is conspicuous by its absence from this list is the Miami Dolphins who lead the NFL in salary cap space to the tune of $88,520,426, $66,056,703 of which is allocated to defense. The Miami team had a break from free agency in 2019 in order to get its salary cap in order.  

On average, each NFL team spends approximately $220 million on player salaries every year. While this article highlights some pretty darn huge salaries, its worth noting that the average rookie will earn a much more modest $450,000 a year at the beginning of his career.