As NFL contracts continue to soar, 2025 has marked a record-breaking year for player salaries across nearly every position.\n<\/p>\n
Quarterbacks and wide receivers remain the most recognizable and lucrative roles, but several offensive linemen, kickers and specialists have also set new benchmarks for their positions.\n<\/p>\n
While Dak Prescott\u2019s<\/a> history-making $240 million extension<\/a> with the Dallas Cowboys made him the highest-paid quarterback by annual salary, the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes<\/a> has the highest total contract valued at $450 million over 10 years.\n<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Saquon Barkley\u2019s<\/a> unprecedented $41.2 million two-year deal<\/a> redefined the running back market.\n<\/p>\n Beyond the gridiron, these stars are building empires through endorsement deals, philanthropic efforts and entrepreneurial ventures. Whether it\u2019s George Kittle<\/a> redefining the value of a tight end or Seattle\u2019s Michael Dickson proving the value of a precise punt, the NFL\u2019s top earners are shaping both the business and culture of the sport.\n<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a look at the highest-paid players at every position in 2025, based on annual salary.\n<\/p>\n The highest-paid quarterback: Dak Prescott <\/p>\n Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys looks to pass against the Green Bay Packers during the second half of the NFC Wild Card playoff game at AT&T Stadium on January 14, 2024 in Dallas, Texas.<\/p>\n Cooper Neill\/Getty<\/p>\n Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott leads the list with one of the NFL\u2019s most lucrative contracts and a growing list of endorsements.\n<\/p>\n After being drafted out of Mississippi State University in the fourth round in 2016, Prescott signed a four-year, $160 million deal<\/a> with Dallas in 2021, which included $126 million guaranteed and a then-record-breaking $66 million signing bonus.\n<\/p>\n He re-upped in 2024 with a four-year, $240 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid player in NFL history.\n<\/p>\n The highest-paid running back: Saquon Barkley <\/p>\n Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles smiles during the Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp at NovaCare Complex on July 28, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n Emilee Chinn\/Getty<\/p>\n Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley had his best season to date in 2024, culminating in a Super Bowl championship<\/a> in February 2025.\n<\/p>\n The former New York Giants star signed with the Eagles in March 2024 for three years and $38 million and made an immediate impact. He rushed for 2,504 yards in the combined regular and postseason and broke the single-season record.\n<\/p>\n His efforts were rewarded with a two-year, $41.2 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. The historic deal includes a guaranteed $36 million, which makes Barkley the first NFL running back to earn more than $20 million per year, according to ESPN<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n The highest-paid wide receiver: Ja\u2019Marr Chase <\/p>\n Ja’Marr Chase #1 of the Cincinnati Bengals lines up for a play in the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at Paycor Stadium on December 28, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio.<\/p>\n Dylan Buell\/Getty<\/p>\n Ja\u2019Marr Chase<\/a> has been electrifying fans at Paycor Stadium and around the league since he was drafted fifth overall<\/a> in the 2021 NFL Draft.\n<\/p>\n In 2025, the Cincinnati Bengals\u2019 star wide receiver signed a four-year, $161 million deal<\/a> that includes $112 million in guaranteed money. His record-setting annual average salary of $40.25 million was the highest for a non-quarterback at the time.\n<\/p>\n On Nov. 17, Chase was suspended for one game after he spit on another player, costing him his weekly paycheck and bonus, which amounted to $507,156, per CBS Sports<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n The highest-paid tight end: George Kittle <\/p>\n George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a touchdown on October 08, 2023 in Santa Clara, California.<\/p>\n Thearon W. Henderson\/Getty<\/p>\n George Kittle was a fifth-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2017 and has since proved his worth, becoming a six-time Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro in 2019 and 2023.\n<\/p>\n The 49ers recognized his feats with a whopping four-year $76.4 million extension, making him the highest-paid tight end ever.\n<\/p>\n The highest-paid offensive tackle: Rashawn Slater <\/p>\n Rashawn Slater #70 of the Los Angeles Chargers prior to an NFL football game on October 29, 2023 in Inglewood, California.<\/p>\n Kevin Sabitus\/Getty<\/p>\n Rashawn Slater<\/a> was selected 13th overall by the Los Angeles Chargers in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and the team has been reaping the rewards ever since.\n<\/p>\n The two-time Pro Bowl selection signed a four-year $114 million contract extension that includes $92 million guaranteed, per ESPN<\/a>, making him the highest-paid offensive lineman by average annual pay in NFL history.\n<\/p>\n The highest-paid guard: Tyler Smith <\/p>\n Tyler Smith #73 of the Dallas Cowboys prior to an NFL football game on September 22, 2024 in Arlington, Texas.<\/p>\n Cooper Neill\/Getty<\/p>\n Tyler Smith hit the ground running when the Cowboys drafted him in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft.\n<\/p>\n As a rookie, he started in all 17 games and was part of the PFWA All-Rookie Team. In September 2025, Smith signed a four-year contract extension<\/a> worth $96 million, including $81.2 million guaranteed.\n<\/p>\n The guard became the highest-paid interior lineman in NFL history with the most guaranteed money ever for a guard in the league.\n<\/p>\n The highest-paid center: Creed Humphrey <\/p>\n Creed Humphrey #52 of the Kansas City Chiefs walks off the field during a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on January 7, 2024 in Inglewood, California.<\/p>\n Ric Tapia\/Getty<\/p>\n Creed Humphrey<\/a> brought his talents from the University of Oklahoma to the Chiefs in 2021 as a second-round draft pick.\n<\/p>\n In Humphrey\u2019s tenure with the team, he made the 2021 PFWA All-Rookie Team, has been named to three Pro Bowls and is a two-time Super Bowl Champion. The Chiefs made him the highest-paid center in NFL history in 2024<\/a> with a four-year, $72 million contract extension, $50 million guaranteed.\n<\/p>\n The highest-paid cornerback: Sauce Gardner <\/p>\n Sauce Gardner speaks following the NFL 2025 game between Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts at Olympiastadion on November 09, 2025 in Berlin.<\/p>\n Maja Hitij\/Getty<\/p>\n Ahmad \u201cSauce\u201d Gardner<\/a> had a splashy NFL debut. The New York Jets made the cornerback the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he lived up to the hype.\n<\/p>\n While the Jets reaffirmed their commitment to Gardner with a four-year, $120.4 million extension<\/a> in July 2025, they traded the player to the Indianapolis Colts in a shocking move the following November.\n<\/p>\n Per ESPN<\/a>, the Colts are responsible for paying only a prorated amount of Gardner’s $1.25 million base salary in 2025, but their financial commitment will increase in 2026.\n<\/p>\n The highest-paid safety: Kyle Hamilton <\/p>\n Kyle Hamilton #14 of the Baltimore Ravens reacts during an NFL Football game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on November 25, 2024 in Inglewood, Califorina.<\/p>\n Michael Owens\/Getty<\/p>\n Safety Kyle Hamilton has established himself as one of the most versatile players in the game. The Baltimore Ravens\u2019 fourth-year star has made the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams each of the past two seasons.\n<\/p>\n His persistence paid off when the Ravens offered him a four-year, $100.4 million extension<\/a>, with $82 million guaranteed. It is the largest contract for a safety in NFL history, and the guarantee shatters the previous record of $45 million for a safety.\n<\/p>\n The highest-paid edge rusher: Micah Parsons <\/p>\n Micah Parsons #1 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates after the Packers beat the Detroit Lions 27-13 at Lambeau Field on September 07, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.<\/p>\n John Fisher\/Getty<\/p>\n The Cowboys pulled off a blockbuster trade in 2025<\/a> when they dealt their four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Micah Parsons<\/a> to the Green Bay Packers.\n<\/p>\n The Packers didn\u2019t waste any time in signing Parsons to a four-year, $188 million contract that includes $120 million of guaranteed money at signing and $136 million in total guarantees.\n<\/p>\n The large compensation package makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, surpassing Chase.\n<\/p>\n The highest-paid defensive tackle: Chris Jones <\/p>\n Chris Jones #95 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on December 15, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio.<\/p>\n Nick Cammett\/Diamond Images via Getty<\/p>\n Chris Jones<\/a> has been a powerhouse for the Chiefs ever since they drafted him as a second-round pick (37th overall) in 2016. He is a six-time Pro Bowl selection<\/a> and has also been named to the All-Pro team six times.\n<\/p>\n His production has helped lead the Chiefs to three Super Bowl championships. The Chiefs have continued to back him with big-money extensions over the years. The latest came in 2024: a five-year, $158.75 million deal<\/a> with $101 million guaranteed.\n<\/p>\n The highest-paid off-ball linebacker: Fred Warner <\/p>\n Fred Warner #54 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates a fumble recovery against the New Orleans Saints during the second half in the game at Caesars Superdome on September 14, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.<\/p>\n Sean Gardner\/Getty<\/p>\n Linebacker Fred Warner<\/a> has been a key piece in the 49ers\u2019 two most recent Super Bowl appearances in 2020 and 2024.\n<\/p>\n The 49ers acknowledged his strong performances with a three-year, $63 million contract extension in 2025<\/a>. The deal keeps the player in the Bay Area through the 2029 season.\n<\/p>\n The highest-paid kicker: Harrison Butker <\/p>\n Harrison Butker #7 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up prior to Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, NV.<\/p>\n Perry Knotts\/Getty<\/p>\n The Chiefs signed Harrison Butker<\/a> to a four-year, $25.6 million extension<\/a> in 2024, making him the highest-paid kicker in NFL history.\n<\/p>\n The deal includes $17.75 million guaranteed, averaging $6.4 million per year. Butker represented himself and confirmed the news on X<\/a>, writing, \u201cThere\u2019s no place I\u2019d rather be than with the Chiefs.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Since joining Kansas City in 2017, Butker has built a reputation for clutch postseason performances, including game-winning field goals in two Super Bowls.\n<\/p>\n The highest-paid punter: Michael Dickson <\/p>\n Seattle Seahawks punter Michael Dickson #4 looks on before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on November 23, 2023 in Seattle, Washington.<\/p>\n Jane Gershovich\/Getty<\/p>\n Michael Dickson has been a steady hand, or rather foot, for the Seattle Seahawks since they drafted him in the 2018 NFL Draft.\n<\/p>\n