Highest-paid NFL players after Patrick Mahomes signs record contract

Patrick Mahomes has once again cashed in big, becoming the first player in league history to earn a contract worth at least a half-billion dollars.

Mahomes inked a two-year extension worth $239.05 million in new money. That - coupled with the six seasons remaining on the 10-year extension the star signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020 - brought the total value of the three-time Super Bowl champion's contract to $504.5 million.

Mahomes' latest extension is sure to have a ripple effect on the NFL's ever-burgeoning quarterback market. His raise will likely result in raises for several other top-end quarterbacks - including Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and more - and could further accelerate the average annual value (AAV) arms race at the position.

Where does Mahomes rank among the NFL's highest-paid players after his new deal? Here's an in-depth look at the NFL's highest-paid players for the 2026 season and of all time.

Who is the highest-paid NFL player?

Patrick Mahomes became the highest-paid player in the NFL after signing a two-year extension with the Chiefs.

Mahomes is set to make a base value of $504.5 million over the eight seasons remaining on his contract with the Chiefs. His average annual value (AAV) of just under $63.1 million is greater than the previous record, $60 million, which was held by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

In terms of total contract value, Mahomes has held the top spot since signing his initial 10-year, $450 million extension with the Chiefs in 2020. He has now blown by that original figure by $54.5 million and could add another $17.75 million in contract incentives.

Highest-paid NFL players: Full list

There are two primary ways to assess the highest-paid player in the NFL at any given time. One is by measuring the AAV of a player's deal while the other is to look at the total contract value.

Below is a look at how the NFL's top talents stack up across each category.

AAV

A total of 13 NFL players are making at least $50 million in AAV. Here's a look at the 15 highest-paid players by that metric.

• 1. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs: $63.1 million
• 2. Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys: $60 million
• T-3. Josh Allen, QB, Bills: $55 million
• T-3. Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals: $55 million
• T-3. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jaguars: $55 million
• T-3. Jordan Love, QB, Packers: $55 million
• T-3. Matthew Stafford, QB, Rams: $55 million
• T-8. Jared Goff, QB, Lions: $53 million
• T-8. Brock Purdy, QB, 49ers: $53 million
• 10. Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers: $52.5 million
• 11. Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens: $52 million
• 12. Jalen Hurts, QB, Eagles: $51 million
• 13. Will Anderson, edge, Texans: $50 million
• 14. Micah Parsons, edge, Packers: $46.5 million
• 15. Deshaun Watson, QB, Browns: $45 million

Total contract value

Mahomes isn't just the NFL's only $500 million man. He's also just one of two NFL players to make at least $300 million on a single contract, alongside Josh Allen.

Below is a look at the 15 highest-paid NFL players in terms of total contract value.

• 1. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs: $504.75 million
• 2. Josh Allen, QB, Bills: $330 million
• T-3. Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals: $275 million
• T-3. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jaguars: $275 million
• 5. Brock Purdy, QB, 49ers: $265 million
• 6. Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers: $262.5 million
• 7. Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens: $260 million
• 8. Jalen Hurts, QB, Eagles: $255 million
• 9. Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys: $240 million
• 10. Deshaun Watson, QB, Browns: $230 million
• 11. Jordan Love, QB, Packers: $220 million
• 12. Jared Goff, QB, Lions: $212 million
• 13. Myles Garrett, edge, Rams: $208.2 million
• 14. Micah Parsons, edge, Packers: $186 million
• 15. Aidan Hutchinson, edge, Lions: $180 million

NFL career earnings leaders

While Mahomes is currently the NFL's highest-paid player, he still has a ways to go before he can become the top-earning player in the league's history. The Chiefs star currently ranks 16th all-time in career earnings, a list topped by current Rams starting quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Here's a full look at the NFL's top-ever earners, per Spotrac.com:

1. Matthew Stafford: $408.3 million
2. Aaron Rodgers: $394.8 million
3. Tom Brady: $333 million
4. Kirk Cousins: $321.7 million
5. Russell Wilson: $315.9 million
6. Matt Ryan: $303.7 million
7. Dak Prescott: $297.9 million
8. Drew Brees: $271.5 million
9. Ben Roethlisberger: $267.3 million
10. Jared Goff: $259.6 million

While Mahomes isn't yet a top-10 earner, that is expected to change rapidly thanks to his new contract. Spotrac.com projects that by the 2030 NFL season, Mahomes will rank third in all-time career earnings behind only Stafford and Allen.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who are highest-paid NFL players? Patrick Mahomes stands alone