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Top-paid NFL player earns $137 million, has never won a Super Bowl; it's not Joe Burrow or Josh Allen
Top-paid NFL player earns $137 million, has never won a Super Bowl.
The highest-paid NFL player in 2025 was revealed by Forbes on Thursday. The publication revealed that the 31-year-old quarterback is the fourth-highest-paid athlete this year, with a whopping earnings of $137 million. He beats the likes of Lionel Messi and LeBron James.
Highest-paid NFL player in 2025
Forbes noted that the highest-paid NFL player this year is the Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott. According to the publication's list, the 31-year-old quarterback makes $127 million via his contract, and his off-field sponsorships will fetch him $10 million.
Dak Prescott's contract
Prescott signed a four-year, $240 million extension with the Cowboys in September last year. His annual contract value came up to $60 million, with $231 million guaranteed money. His signing bonus was a whopping $80 million.
However, it was the NFL salary system that helped him get into the highest-paid list. In March, he agreed to restructure his contract to free up some salary-cap space for the Cowboys - $45.75 million of his base salary for 2025 was converted into a signing bonus.
The money got into his pocket quicker, with Prescott essentially collecting two seasons of paychecks in the 12-month window.
Dak Prescott's off-field earnings
The Dallas quarterback has been working companies including Nike’s Jordan Brand, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Lowe’s. He also collaborates with a Crunch Fitness franchisee to open new locations in Texas.
The World’s 50 Highest-Paid Athletes list included 13 NFL players, the second-highest for a sport, just behind the NBA (16). Soccer has eight players in the list and is followed by Golf (five), baseball (three), boxing (three), and Formula 1 auto racing (two).
Who is the highest-paid athlete in 2025?
This was an obvious pick - Cristiano Ronaldo. The 38-year-old Portuguese soccer star leads the list with earnings of $275 million. The 40-year-old became the first player to score 900 times in official games after he struck for his national team in the UEFA Nations League last year.
