The NFL salary cap explodes upward basically every year, providing all 32 NFL teams with millions of dollars in new cap space to sign new players.
Because of that inflationary dynamic, the list of highest-paid NFL players is a constantly moving target, with newly paid players reshuffling the deck every few months.
Some salary cap experts use these rankings to fade teams that are poorly constructed or overly top-heavy in the NFL futures markets.
More casual fans are just looking to keep up with the world of NFL finance.
Whatever your motivation, here are the top 40 highest-paid players in the NFL, as of Sept. 8, 2026.
Please note: The chart below is organized by total cash during the 2026 season, but it also includes data on the size and length of each players’ overall contract status.
Highest-Paid Players In the NFL
| Rank | Player (Team) | Total Cash In 2026 | Current Contract Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs) | $56,750,000 | Ten years, $450 Million |
| 2 | Jared Goff (Lions) | $55,009,180 | Four years, $212 Million |
| 3 | Josh Allen (Bills) | $55,000,000 | Six years, $330 Million |
| 4 | Lamar Jackson (Ravens) | $52,004,080 | Five years, $260 Million |
| 5 | Jalen Hurts (Eagles) | $51,500,000 | Five years, $255 Million |
| 6 | Jordan Love (Packers) | $51,010,880 | Four years, $220 Million |
| 7 | Daniel Jones (Colts) | $50,000,000 | Two years, $88 Million |
| 8 | Brock Purdy (49ers) | $46,996,000 | Five years, $265 Million |
| 9 | Deshaun Watson (Browns) | $46,010,880 | Five years, $230 Million |
| 10 | Charles Cross (Seahawks) | $43,060,000 | Four years, $104.4 Million |
| 11 | Micah Parsons (Packers) | $40,837,000 | Four years, $186 Million |
| 12 | Dak Prescott (Cowboys) | $40,009,520 | Four years, $240 Million |
| 13 | Matthew Stafford (Rams) | $40,000,000 | Two years, $84 Million |
| 14 | Fernando Mendoza (Raiders) | $38,996,344 | Four years, $57.3 Million |
| 15 | Chris Olave (Saints) | $37,653,000 | Four years, $124 Million |
| 16 | Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars) | $37,500,000 | Five years, $275 Million |
| 17 | David Bailey (Jets) | $37,108,436 | Four years, $54.67 Million |
| 18 | Myles Garrett (Rams) | $31,500,000 | Four years, $160 Million |
| 19 | Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks) | $36,500,000 | Four years, $168.8 Million |
| 20 | Jaelan Phillips (Panthers) | $36,240,000 | Four years, $120 Million |
| 21 | Jeremiyah Love (Cardinals) | $35,907,060 | Four years, $53.02 Million |
| 22 | Christian Gonzalez (Patriots) | $35,809,482 | Four years, $135 Million |
| 23 | Joe Burrow (Bengals) | $35,250,000 | Five years, $275 Million |
| 24 | Chris Jones (Chiefs) | $35,100,000 | Five years, $158.75 Million |
| 25 | Drake London (Falcons) | $34,880,520 | Four years, $141 Million |
| 26 | Christian Watson (Packers) | $34,750,000 | Four years, $92 Million |
| 27 | Carnell Tate (Titans) | $34,534,024 | Four years, $51.13 Million |
| 28 | Laremy Tunsil (Commanders) | $34,350,000 | Two years, $60.2 Million |
| 29 | Quinnen Williams (Cowboys) | $34,156,460 | Three years, $105.9 Million |
| 30 | Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals) | $33,830,000 | Four years, $161 Million |
| 31 | Jeffery Simmons (Titans) | $33,250,000 | Three years, $105.9 Million |
| 32 | Will Anderson (Texans) | $33,145,000 | Three years, $150 Million |
| 33 | Brian O'Neill (Vikings) | $32,810,000 | Four years, $96 Million |
| 34 | Danielle Hunter (Texans) | $32,500,000 | One year, $40.1 Million |
| 35 | Arvell Reese (Giants) | $32,131,228 | Four years, $47.8 Million |
| 36 | TJ Watt (Steelers) | $32,000,000 | Three years, $123 Million |
| 37 | Devon Witherspoon (Seahawks) | $31,094,702 | Four years, $132 Million |
| 38 | Trey Hendrickson (Ravens) | $31,010,880 | Four years, $112 Million |
| 39 | Maxx Crosby (Raiders) | $30,782,000 | Three years, $106.5 Million |
| 40 | Odafe Oweh (Commanders) | $30,004,420 | Four years, $96 Million |
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