It’s another episode of “As the Money Turns,” this time it’s featuring Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers. Earlier on Friday, it was Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins. However, the highest-paid QB arms race started with Slim Sh…, I mean Joe Burrow, back in Sept. 2023. The $55 million AAV (average annual value) still sits atop the salary throne in the NFL.
Jared Goff‘s extension came next (May 13, 2024) at a $53 million/year clip; Trevor Lawrence wasn’t far behind (June 20, 2024), agreeing to an extension at $55 million/year to join Burrow.
Burrow made the Super Bowl. Goff made the NFC Championship Game. Love won in Dallas and darn near ousted the San Francisco 49ers. Nonetheless, is the QB market so ballooned that postseason success isn’t leading to the highest-paid swell?
Will We Look at the $50+ Million QB Club Favorably Down the Road?
The choice is maddeningly difficult — elite QBs are your quickest ticket to a Lombardi Trophy. But can your elite QB go toe to toe with all the other elites out there, possibly in cold weather in the dead of winter? Another layer to the struggle: Can you find out who can become elite before they actually are?
Many a general manager and coach have tied their ships to talented players, hoping the surrounding cast can come together as quickly as the signal-caller.
MORE: Simulate the NFL Season With PFN’s Playoff Predictor
A quick peek at the box score stats reveals the company they keep (Burrow’s injury-shortened season is an outlier). In terms of passing yards, they occupy four of the top 10 slots (Tua No. 1, Goff No. 2, Love No. 7, Lawrence No. 10); they occupy four of the top 15 slots in passing TDs (Love No. 2, Goff No. 4, Tua No. 29, Lawrence tied for No. 15).
Some nuanced stats could reflect even more favorably on the cohort, but much like legacies are defined by postseason success, a team’s finances are viewed through a “What have you done for me lately?” If the answer doesn’t involve postseason wins, the anxiety and doubt creep up.
Salary Breakdowns by Passing Category
Eight NFL quarterbacks are making $50+ million per year (average annual value): Love, Burrow, Lawrence, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, Goff, and Tagovailoa. If you were to pay them the same rate as their statistical production in 2023, here’s what you’d see …
Per pass attempt:
- Burrow – $150,684.93 (keep in mind, only played in 10 games last year)
- Lawrence – $97,517.73 (missed one game)
- Jackson – $113,785.55 (missed one game)
- Herbert – $115,131.58 (didn’t play a full 17-game slate)
- Hurts – $94,795.54
- Goff – $87,603.30
- Tagovailoa – $94,821.43
- Love — $94,991.36
Per TD pass:
- Burrow – $3.67M
- Lawrence – $2.62M
- Jackson – $2.17M
- Herbert – $2.63M
- Hurts – $2.22M
- Goff – $1.77M
- Tagovailoa – $1.83M
- Love — $1.72M
Per yard thrown:
- Burrow – $23,819.84
- Lawrence – $13,695.22
- Jackson – $14,138,19
- Herbert – $16,751.75
- Hurts – $13,219.28
- Goff – $11,584.70
- Tagovailoa – $11,483.56
- Love – $13,224.33
