NBA and NFL superstars are regularly among the highest paid athletes in the world.
Soccer icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, golf great Jon Rahm, boxing powerhouse Canelo Alvarez and baseball unicorn Shohei Ohtani frequently top highest earning sportsman lists.
But so too do the NBA and NFL’s best.
Last week, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was handed a massive four-year contract extension, making him the highest-paid player in NFL history.
But how does that compare with the NBA’s biggest earners?
Here, talkSPORT breaks down the 2024-25 NFL and NBA season’s ten highest paid players and sees how they compare.
Every player featured on the NFL’s list is a quarterback, speaking to the importance of the position in the modern game.
Dak’s mega contract makes him the highest NFL’s earning player this season, according to data by the NFL.
The $10 billion Dallas Cowboys rewarded the 31-year-old’s career-year last season with a $240 million extension over four years – that works out an average salary of $60 million a year.
The second highest earning NFL player in 2024-25 is split between three of the league’s brightest young signal callers.
Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals), Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars), and Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers) are all set to make a whopping $55 million this campaign.
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‘Joe Cool’ led the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI and returns after a season-ending wrist injury in 2023.
Lawrence is the Jags’ former No.1 overall pick yet to truly live up to his billing and Love is the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers replacement who was an early favorite for MVP but is now out for ‘3-6 weeks’ after an MCL injury suffered in Green Bay’s season opener.
Fifth on the list is Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Handed a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension with $167.1 million guaranteed this offseason, he will rake in $53.1 million in 2024-25 alone.
Sixth is Detroit Lions man Jared Goff, deemed surplus to requirements by the Los Angeles Rams, who swapped signal callers in a blockbuster trade involving former Lions QB Matthew Stafford.
Now, Goff leads one of the best offenses in the NFL and is being paid $53 million in 2024-25.
Justin Herbert comes in next with $52.5 million a year. The 2020 sixth overall pick already looks like a revitalised man and surprisingly vocal leader under new Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Reigning MVP and supreme rusher Lamar Jackson is the eighth best-paid NFL player this season. Action Jackson is being given $52 million a year to find a way to overcome the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC.
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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, beaten in Super Bowl LVII by the Chiefs, is ninth with $51 million per year.
Arizona Cardinals dual-threat QB Kyler Murray is the tenth highest NFL earner this season. Don’t let his diminutive frame deceive you – he’s earning a whopping $46.1 milllion a year to make the Cards relevant.
Interestingly, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, widely regarded as the best player in football, doesn’t crack the top ten.
The reigning Super Bowl MVP has the biggest total contract by far of any player – a 10-year, $450 million deal he signed in 2020.
But his AAV — average annual value — is ‘only’ $45 million per year, tying him in twelfth place on the highest paid NFL players list for this season with Falcons free agency arrival Kirk Cousins.
The highest paid non-quarterback in the NFL is Minnesota Vikings superstar WR Justin Jefferson. The wide receiver has an annual contract value of $35 million.
1. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys – $60 million
T2. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals – $ 55 million
T2. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars – $55 million
T2. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers – $55 million
5. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins – $53.1 million
6.. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions – $53 million
7. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers – $52.5 million
8. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens – $ 52 million
9. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles – $51 million
10. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals – $46.1 milllion
TOTAL: $532.7 million
The NBA’s highest grossing individuals are just as handsomely rewarded for their services as their NFL counterparts.
Golden State Warriors star and four-time NBA champion Steph Curry recently agreed to sign a one-year, $62.6 million extension.
It will keep him in Warriors uniform through the 2026-27 season, and will make him the first NBA player to make $60 million – although this year he will earn $55.8 million, according to Sportrac.
Philadelphia Sixers center Joel Embiid and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic are tied for second with $51.4 million for the upcoming NBA season.
Phoenix Suns duo Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant are fourth and fifth, respectively. Beal will make $50.2 million in 2024-25 while KD will make $49.8 million.
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Four players are tied for sixth on the list which rounds out the top ten NBA earners this season.
Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics), Karl-Anthony-Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves), Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers), and Paul George (Philadelphia 76ers) will also see $49.2 million drop into their bank accounts over the next year.
Los Angeles Lakers star and NBA legend LeBron James somewhat surprisingly fails to crack the top ten.
The 39-year-old King will earn $48.7 million for the upcoming season – good enough for 14th on the list.
However, in terms of total career earnings, LeBron leads the way by a country mile. James has the highest cumulative career earnings in NBA history with a total of $479.47 million.
Durant is second all-time with $396.71 million.
The top ten NFL earners are collectively earning $532.7 million for the 2024-25 season, while the NBA’s ten highest earners are making slightly less, $504.6 million.
Combined, that comes out at more than $1 billion in salaries for this season alone for two of the biggest sports leagues in the world.
1. Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors) – $55.8 million
T2. Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) – $51.4 million
T2. Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) – $51.4 million
4. Bradley Beal (Phoenix Suns) – $50.2 million
5. Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns) – $49.8 million
T6. Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns) – $49.2 million
T6. Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics) – $49.2 million
T6. Karl-Anthony-Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves) – $49.2 million
T6. Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers) – $49.2 million
T6. Paul George (Philadelphia 76ers) – $49.2 million
TOTAL: $504.6 million
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