While the offense and defense take on essential roles throughout the game, there’s one position that doesn’t get paid nearly as much but can be the deciding factor in a win or loss: kickers. With games on their foot, who has shown they can do the job reliably?
Here are the highest-paid NFL kickers in 2024.
The Highest-Paid Kickers in the NFL
Note: We’re using average annual salary (AAV) to determine these rankings, with all salary figures provided by Over The Cap.
10) Younghoe Koo, Atlanta Falcons | AAV: $4.85 Million
Younghoe Koo signed as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017. He would take the starting job from Josh Lambo, but that only lasted four weeks before he was waived and replaced by Nick Novak. Koo would spend some time in the Alliance of American Football before returning to the NFL.
In 2019, Koo jumped back into the NFL with a New England Patriots practice squad spot. While short-lived, he was quickly signed by the Atlanta Falcons to replace Matt Bryant.
Atlanta signed him to a five-year $24.25 million contract in 2022. Koo is scheduled to hit free agency in 2027.
9) Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh Steelers | AAV: $5 Million
Chris Boswell spent time with the Houston Texans and New York Giants practice squads before finally finding a home in Pittsburgh in 2015.
On Aug. 1, 2022, the Steelers signed Boswell to a four-year $20 million contract extension, which included $12.5 million guaranteed. Boswell is scheduled to hit free agency in 2027.
8) Tyler Bass, Buffalo Bills | AAV: $5.1 Million
Selected by the Bills in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Tyler Bass has enjoyed quite a successful career as Buffalo’s placekicker. He became the first Bill in franchise history to score at least 120 points in three seasons and set a franchise record for most points in a single season after scoring 141 points his rookie season.
In 2023, Bass and the Bills agreed to a four-year $21 million contract extension with $12.3 million guaranteed. Bass is scheduled to hit free agency in 2028.
7) Jason Myers, Seattle Seahawks |AAV: $5.275 Million
After attending a tryout at the 2015 Senior Bowl, Jason Myers signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He would take over placekicking duties after the Jaguars traded Josh Scobee to the Steelers.
He was released in 2017 after missing a few field goals in the season’s first six weeks. He signed with the Seahawks for his first stint in Seattle but was beat out by Sebastian Janikowski. After a year with the Jets, he returned to the Seahawks, where he’s kicked since 2019.
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Myers has the fourth-longest consecutive field goal streak after converting 37 straight. Following the 2022 season, Myers and the Seahawks agreed to a four-year $21.1 million contract extension with $12.3 million guaranteed. Meyers is scheduled to hit free agency in 2027.
6) Ka’imi Fairbairn, Houston Texans | AAV: $5.3 Million
Ka’imi Fairbairn signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent following the 2016 NFL Draft. However, after spending it on injured reserve with a quad injury, he would miss his rookie season.
While he has remained with the Texans for the last nine seasons, Fairbairn has missed quite a few games due to quad issues. Despite his missed time, Fairbairn’s kicks stay on point and consistent.
Fairbairn and the Texans agreed to a three-year, $15.9 million contract extension this past offseason with $11 million guaranteed. Fairbairn is scheduled to hit free agency in 2027.
T-5) Graham Gano, New York Giants | AAV: $5.5 Million
Graham Gano, the oldest man on this list, has been kicking in the NFL since 2009. While signed as an undrafted free agent by the Baltimore Ravens, he could not take over for Steve Hauschka.
After being waived, Gano spent a season with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. His field goal gave the Locomotives the first-ever UFL championship. Washington signed him, and he had an interesting tenure there, constantly battling kicking competitions.
An impressive stint with the Carolina Panthers ended due to injury, but Gano found another opportunity in 2020 to join the New York Giants.
With his dependability still at an all-time high, Gano and the Giants agreed to a three-year, $16.5 million contract extension in 2023 with $13.25 million guaranteed. Gano is scheduled to hit free agency in 2027.
T-5) Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals | AAV: $5.5 Million
On August 16, Evan McPherson’s representation and the Bengals agreed to a three-year, $16.5 million extension. He’ll earn $10 million in new money in the first year of the deal.
The Florida Gators alum went 26-31 in 2023 and didn’t miss a field goal inside 50 yards; he didn’t miss an extra point. McPherson finished 7-12 of 50+ yard field goals, including a long of 56. He’s a career 83.9% field goal kicker, not to mention that percentage involves kicking in the unfriendly outdoor winter stadiums of the AFC North.
4) Matt Gay, Indianapolis Colts | AAV: $5.625 Million
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Matt Gay in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He would play out his rookie season but was waived on Sept. 5, 2020, and was replaced by Ryan Succop. He would sign with the Indianapolis Colts practice squad 10 days later.
The Los Angeles Rams signed him off of the Colts practice squad when Kai Forbath went down. Gay would help the Rams finish their run and win Super Bowl 56. He would return to the Colts in 2023 when he signed a four-year, $22.5 million contract in free agency with $13 million guaranteed. Gay is scheduled to hit free agency in 2027.
T-2) Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens | AAV: $6 Million
The Baltimore Ravens signed Justin Tucker as an undrafted free agent following the 2012 NFL Draft. Throughout his 12 seasons in the NFL, Tucker has attempted over 430 field goals with a field goal percentage of 90.2%. He also has the record for the longest field goal in NFL history at 66 yards in 2021.
Tucker has been among the greatest NFL kickers of all time and will likely be among the few special teams’ first-ballot Hall of Fame selections in NFL history.
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In 2022, the Ravens and Tucker agreed to a four-year, $24 million contract extension, which included $17.5 million guaranteed. Tucker is scheduled to hit free agency in 2028.
T-2) Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles | AAV: $6 Million
The Cincinnati Bengals selected Jake Elliott in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Despite being the first of three kickers taken in 2017, he failed to beat out Randy Bullock for the Bengals starting job and was waived. While he signed to their practice squad, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Elliott to the roster after placing Caleb Sturgis on IR.
In his second week as Philadelphia’s kicker, Elliott nailed a 61-yard field goal to take down the Giants as time expired. His ability to consistently boot it through the uprights has been vital, especially last season when he completed a career-high 93.8% of his field goals.
The Eagles and Elliott agreed to a four-year, $24 million contract extension, which ties him with Tucker as the second-highest-paid kicker in the league. However, his guaranteed number is lower, at just $14.15 million. Elliot is scheduled to hit free agency in 2029.
1) Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs | AAV: $6.4 Million
After an eventful offseason that saw Butker make headlines for non-football reasons, the Kansas City Chiefs extended their star kicker for four more years. Butker signed a four-year, $25.6 million extension with Kansas City, which includes $17.75 million guaranteed, slightly more than Tucker received from the Ravens.
This extension will keep Butker in a Chiefs uniform through the 2028 season. Rather than using an agent, Butker represented himself in the contract negotiations. The three-time Super Bowl champion is now the highest-paid kicker in the NFL, beating out Elliot and Tucker.