With the NFL Divisional Round coming to an end, a surprising fact stands out: the eight highest-paid quarterbacks (by average annual value) are all watching from home. This stat sets the stage for an interesting conversation about the current state of quarterback salaries and where the remaining contenders stand.
In a league where the quarterback is king, their paychecks often reflect their importance to a team’s success. But the reality is that even the highest earners can fall short when it matters most.
Average Annual Value of Remaining Quarterback Contracts
Despite the teams with the eight highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL currently being eliminated from the playoffs, the remaining four quarterbacks include some notable names. Among them are Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Washington Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels.
Jalen Hurts: Ninth ($51,000,000)
Hurts, who has led the Philadelphia Eagles to four consecutive postseasons, continues to prove his worth as one of the league’s top signal-callers. The former MVP runner-up signed a five-year, $255 million deal with an average annual value (AAV) of $51 million.
Hurts’ deal includes $179 million in guaranteed money, reflecting his value as a cornerstone player. As his contract runs through 2028, Philadelphia is committed to him, hoping that Hurts will continue to grow not only in skill but also as a leader as adversity mounts on the path to a Super Bowl.
Patrick Mahomes: 12th, tied ($45,000,000)
Mahomes, the face of the Kansas City Chiefs’ dynasty, falls to 12th on the list with a more team-friendly deal, while arguably also having the most famous contract in the NFL.
While Mahomes’ 10-year contract extension is the most lucrative in NFL history, his AAV of $45 million currently ranks lower than other quarterbacks. The deal allows the Chiefs to keep their roster flexible while ensuring that Mahomes, with his rolling guarantees, remains at the heart of the franchise for years to come. At some point, he’ll likely renegotiate to improve his earnings.
Josh Allen: 14th ($43,000,000)
The Buffalo Bills’ path to a Super Bowl is headlined by, Josh Allen, who signed his contract extension in 2021. With the inflation of quarterback salaries, he now sits 14th in AAV at $43 million. Allen’s six-year, $258 million deal with the Bills includes $150 million in guarantees, and with restructures in place, he’s poised for future cap flexibility.
He leads the remaining passers in terms of PFN’s QB+ metric, where he currently ranks third. QB+ assigns a letter grade to every quarterback performance and factors in several stats such as success rate when pressured, third-down conversion rate, pocket production, and clutch performance.
Jayden Daniels: 24th ($9,436,663)
The most surprising name among the quarterbacks still left in the playoffs is Daniels, the 2023 Heisman winner. One of the NFL’s brightest young stars, Daniels was the second pick in the NFL Draft, securing a deal worth $37.75 million over four years, with a $24.3 million signing bonus. He ended his regular season as the league’s ninth-best passer by QB+.
Jayden Daniels on the Verge of Making History
Daniels is one NFC Championship Game win away from reaching Super Bowl LIX, becoming just the sixth rookie quarterback to reach a conference championship.
Historic: Only FIVE rookie QBs have ever made a conference championship in NFL history:
• 1999 Shaun King
• 2004 Ben Roethlisberger
• 2008 Joe Flacco
• 2009 Mark Sanchez
• 2022 Brock Purdy
• 2025 Jayden DanielsThe #Commanders drafted a STAR. pic.twitter.com/vuzSr0MzsK
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 19, 2025
This group includes Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers, 2022), Mark Sanchez (New York Jets, 2009), Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens, 2008), Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers, 2004), and Shaun King (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1999).
With the previous five all having lost, he could become the first rookie quarterback to win a conference championship game and make it to the Super Bowl in NFL history.
Who Are the Highest-Paid Quarterbacks in the NFL?
With quarterback salaries seemingly soaring every few years, the league’s highest-paid players are expected to carry their teams deep into the playoffs. But as we’ve seen this postseason, even the priciest contracts don’t always guarantee postseason success. Here’s a look at the eight highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL by average annual value (per Over the Cap).
- Dak Prescott: $60M
- Trevor Lawrence: $55M
- Joe Burrow: $55M
- Jordan Love: $55M
- Tua Tagovailoa: $53.1M
- Jared Goff: $53M
- Justin Herbert: $52.5M
- Lamar Jackson: $52M
In sports, big contracts don’t always lead to big wins. This year’s Divisional Round has shown that even the most expensive players can come up short.
With young stars like Jayden Daniels still in the running, it’s clear having a star quarterback on a rookie contract is the biggest cap advantage teams can ask for.
