Josh Allen has been a dominant playmaker in the NFL for years now, turning the Buffalo Bills into a perennial contender. While Allen has performed like one of the top quarterbacks in the league, is he paid like one?
With his current contract extending through the 2028 season, let’s dive into Allen’s salary, contract specifics, and overall net worth.
Josh Allen’s Contract and Salary
After showing a massive improvement in 2020, the Bills took a chance on Allen, assuming the increased production would continue. In 2021, the former Wyoming quarterback signed a landmark six-year, $258 million contract extension with the Bills, which included a $16 million signing bonus.
The deal featured $150 million guaranteed for injury and $100 million fully guaranteed at signing, with the opportunity to earn up to $30 million in incentives based on production and performance.
Ahead of the 2024 offseason, Allen and the Bills agreed to restructure his contract to free up $16.7 million in cap space. Allen’s cap hit, which was originally set to be $47 million, was cut to just over $30 million for the 2024 season. Believe it or not, Allen doesn’t rank among the top 10 highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL.
Allen is currently the 14th-highest-paid QB in the league, with an average annual value of $43 million. Some players making more than him include Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins ($45 million), Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson ($46 million), and Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence ($55 million).
Allen’s Net Worth and Career Earnings
While Allen’s exact net worth isn’t confirmed, it’s estimated to be around $70 million.
After Buffalo selected him No. 7 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, Allen has amassed approximately $113 million in earnings from his contract alone. His net worth is further bolstered by a range of endorsement deals and investments.
Allen’s endorsement portfolio includes major brands such as Nike, Microsoft, Paramount, Hyundai, and PepsiCo. His deal with PepsiCo even features a new Gatorade commercial, “Hello Coach,” to start the 2024 season, highlighting the signal-caller’s rocky road to the NFL.
Forbes estimates that these endorsements generate an additional $4 million annually for Allen, on top of partnerships with major companies like Gillette, Cash App, Verizon, New Era, Beats by Dre, and Frito-Lay. Notably, Allen was also featured as the cover athlete for the Madden NFL 2024 video game, earning him a pretty payday.
Beyond endorsements, Allen has made significant investments through division-rival Aaron Rodgers’ investment firm, RX3 Growth Partners. His investment interests include companies like Hydrant, TMRW Sports, OnCore Golf, and a fantasy sports publication called FL Newsletter, showcasing his strategic approach to securing financial stability beyond his football career.
Among traditional business endeavors, Allen has also set an ambitious goal of planting 1,000 acres of pistachios on his family’s farm back home in California, which could earn him up to $6.5 million annually, according to Profluence Sports.
As Allen looks to lead the Bills to their sixth consecutive playoff appearance and continue his dominance on the field, his strategic investments ensure he remains well-positioned for continued financial success off the field as well.
Denver Broncos vs. Buffalo Bills Game Preview
- Location: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
- Time: 1 p.m. ET
- Channel: CBS/Paramount+
Allen is trying to lead the Bills to a playoff win over the Denver Broncos in the Wild Card Round.
Denver leads the league in Defense+, with blitzing serving as a cornerstone of their identity. Vance Joseph’s unit has blitzed at the third-highest rate of any defense this season.
For the Broncos to pull off the upset, playing from ahead will be essential. Bo Nix has been an above-average quarterback this season when playing with a lead but significantly less effective when attempting to lead a comeback.
The challenge for them is that their blitzing hasn’t been particularly effective, despite its frequency. Denver ranks 16th in pressure rate (41%) and 25th in success rate (50%) when sending extra pass rushers. In contrast, when the Broncos refrain from blitzing, they rank second in pressure rate (39%) and first in success rate (64%).
However, that could play into Allen’s strengths. Allen thrives under pressure, ranking second in EPA per dropback when blitzed (0.30), trailing only Lamar Jackson. By traditional stats, Allen has thrown 15 touchdowns to just two interceptions when facing the blitz this season.
This is the sixth straight season in which Josh Allen is playing on Wild Card Weekend – he’s completed at least 70% of his passes in three of his past four, with multiple touchdown tosses in each of those contests (one touchdown pass for every 13.5 attempts across those four games).
Allen has experienced some incredible playoff highs but also some recent lows. According to PFN’s QB+ metric, which dates back to 2019, Allen delivered the single best postseason performance on record. He achieved a perfect 100 A+ score in 2021, throwing nine touchdowns and zero interceptions in just two games.
However, in every other postseason of Allen’s career, his performance has been graded at a C-level or lower. Apart from 2021, he has never ranked higher than eighth in a single postseason by PFN’s QB+ metric.
Despite some recent playoff struggles, Allen has still thrown 21 touchdowns to just four interceptions in his postseason career. Among the 51 quarterbacks to throw 10 or more playoff touchdowns, his TD-to-INT ratio is the second-best in history, trailing only Alex Smith.
Allen and this unit have as high of a ceiling as any offense in the playoffs.
Allen has a chance to win 2024 MVP honors and seemingly made history every week. Buffalo’s offense is operating at such a high level that the bar to clear for the defense is lower than it would be on nearly any other team.
The Bills have met that threshold against lesser competition but will be challenged in the playoffs to help the Allen-Sean McDermott combination reach its first Super Bowl.