The NFL salary cap for the current season is $180 million. The cap is related to revenue, which includes TV deals, ticket sales, food and beverage sales, and luxury box sales. Cap figures are not easy to calculate. Pay deals can be prorated over several seasons.
Players also range in their demands. Some may take pay cuts to play with other excellent players in the hopes of creating a championship team, while others aim to get every dollar that they are worth. In a sport that is as brutal as football, careers can be very short, and it is hard to blame anyone for trying to cash out while they can.
To determine the NFL franchise paying its players the most, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data from sports business website Spotrac. Teams were ranked based on the salaries being paid to players with active contracts for the 2021 NFL season. Data is accurate as of September 15, 2021.
Player pay can be influenced by player performance. A player who puts up huge statistics in one season may be able to ask for extraordinary compensation the next.
In 2013, Joe Flacco became the highest-paid quarterback at the time, signing a $120 million deal shortly after winning the Super Bowl. He had a great performance and year, but since then his performance has been mostly poor.
It can be difficult in a game as complicated as football to understand who is actually worth what and what impact they are having on the field. Technology has revolutionized sports with the introduction of analytics and advanced statistics. However, it also doesn’t hurt to look at who has had the most success over the years.
The NFL franchise paying its players the most is the Cleveland Browns. After seasons of disappointment, it had a good win/loss ratio last year. Here are the details:
- 2021 cap spending: $188,607,682
- Average salary value: $3,558,636
- Position group earning the most: Offensive line, $48.8 million
Click here to see all the NFL teams paying their players the most and least.