Rising NFL stars almost always begin on tiny rookie deals worth next to nothing. But once a player starts producing real results, the money can skyrocket. So who actually gets those huge contracts – and what makes teams hand them out? Find out more on this page.
The Quarterback Revolution: From Rookie Contracts to $55 Million AAV Deals
Quarterback is hands down the most important position in the NFL – and they get paid accordingly. Newcomers still can’t demand big money right off the bat, though. Over the last five years or so things have shifted heaps, and these deals are a bit like playing in a minimum deposit casino – team risks bugger all up front, but if the bloke turns out to be a gun, the payout’s massive.
Most casual fans don’t always clock how the cash moves around the league. It’s the players, the club’s reputation, the coaches – all that makes up what the franchise’s really about. When a quarterback performs well and racks up impressive stats, his name quickly becomes a brand in its own right. The more recognisable that brand gets, the more it boosts the profile of the whole franchise he’s playing for.
Once a talented bloke starts delivering – usually after three or four years – the club has to rework the deal. There’s really only one reason for it: a successful quarterback is worth his weight in gold to any team. His name ends up splashed across headlines, and the franchise becomes tied to him in the public eye. To keep that player around, teams rework the deals, and the numbers can be eye-watering.
Below is a list of the most successful quarterbacks in 2026 who’ve seen that kind of remarkable jump in pay:
- Josh Allen. Quarterback for the Buffalo Bills. Spent four years on his rookie contract worth $21.8 million overall. After a string of strong performances, the team signed him to a new six-year deal worth $330 million. Josh Allen stands today as one of the highest-paid relatively young quarterbacks in the NFL.
- Joe Burrow. Quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals and he’s built a really solid reputation. He’s now one of the NFL’s most successful players, despite starting with a $36.2 million contract. He’s still with the Bengals, now on a $275 million contract.
- Trevor Lawrence. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ quarterback signed a rookie contract worth $36.8 million in 2021. When that expired, they offered a new five-year deal worth $275 million.
- Jordan Love. Key quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. He started as Aaron Rodgers’ backup on a four-year, $12.4 million contract. By the time that contract ran out, he had taken over as starter, and signed a five-year, $220 million extension.
All three of these quarterbacks have stuck with the same team their whole career so far, and they’re textbook examples of how things work in the modern NFL. Sure, those huge deals might look like throwing a small stake into a minimum deposit casino, but those numbers come from years of proper graft and big results on the paddock.
Non-QB Breakouts: Defensive and Offensive Stars Cashing In Big
Big contracts aren’t just for quarterbacks – other positions get them too. The amounts are often a bit lower (due to the nature of the role), but both running backs and tight ends regularly sign deals worth hundreds of millions.
Non-QB stars don’t grab headlines as much (QB hogs the limelight), but they still make a huge difference to the club’s reputation. A team wins matches together, and to get everyone on the field fully committed to winning, the club has to look after what each player needs. So even with less public attention, strong performers earn new contracts with better terms. Like quarterbacks, they all start on rookie deals, then update the conditions as their results improve.
Some of the clearest examples appear in the list below:
- Aidan Hutchinson. Defensive end/edge rusher with the Detroit Lions. Started on a four-year rookie contract worth $35 million. Earned a record-breaking extension for a young non-quarterback edge player, and after his rookie deal ended, signed a new one. Now plays under a four-year contract worth $180 million.
- Micah Parsons. Edge defender/defensive end with the Green Bay Packers. Signed his rookie contract with the Dallas Cowboys – four years for $17 million. After a trade between the clubs, landed with the Packers on a four-year deal worth $188 million overall (some reports list it around $186–188 million). Currently one of the top non-quarterback players in the league.
- T.J. Watt. Top outside linebacker/edge rusher with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Began with a four-year rookie contract worth $9 million. At the end of that deal in 2021, signed a three-year extension for $123 million. Keeps extending, now on terms averaging $41 million per year.
- Ja’Marr Chase. Wide receiver with the Cincinnati Bengals. Started on a four-year rookie contract worth $9 million. After it finished, agreed to a four-year extension worth $161 million (with an option for more years). That made Ja’Marr Chase the first wide receiver to earn over $40 million annually.
As you can see, the figures fall short of what quarterbacks command, but they remain substantial all the same. For most players, though, this isn’t some minimum deposit casino game – it’s hard work and constant risk. Because they have less overall impact on results and the club’s reputation, these players get traded between teams more often.
A top defensive end, edge rusher or outside linebacker, however, is worth his weight in gold, and the club will pay whatever it takes to keep him.
