Super Bowl success usually brings glory and payday \u2014 but this time there was a strange twist for Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold. After leading the Seattle Seahawks to a 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, Darnold\u2019s financial \u201cwin\u201d didn\u2019t look so golden on paper \u2014 at least in the short term. Former NFL QB Boomer Esiason addressed the issue and believes that California shouldn\u2019t host Super Bowls in the future. Here is why:<\/p>\n
What Darnold Made for the Win<\/p>\n
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Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi trophy on the podium after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi\u2019s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Every player on a Super Bowl\u2013winning team receives a bonus from the NFL, and for Super Bowl LX, that amount was $178,000 per player. This is separate from a player\u2019s regular salary or any incentives already earned during the season.<\/p>\n
In addition to that league bonus, Darnold has a lucrative contract with the Seahawks \u2014 a three-year, $100.5 million deal signed in March 2025. He\u2019s also earned millions in bonuses and salary throughout the season.<\/p>\n
MORE: NBA Power Rankings ahead of 2026 All-Star Break<\/a><\/p>\n The California \u201cJock Tax\u201d Surprise<\/p>\n But because Super Bowl LX was hosted in Santa Clara, California, that\u2019s where the financial twist comes in. California imposes what\u2019s commonly called a \u201cjock tax\u201d \u2014 a state income tax on out-of-state athletes whose workdays take place in the state. That includes practices, media events, and game day itself.<\/p>\n Because Darnold and the Seahawks were in California for about eight workdays leading up to the game, the state calculated a portion of his income as taxable. And because California\u2019s income tax rates are among the highest in the nation, the resulting bill was steep.<\/p>\n How He Lost Money<\/p>\n According to multiple reports:<\/p>\n Super Bowl bonus: ~$178,000<\/p>\n Estimated California tax bill: ~$249,000<\/p>\n That means, on the specific bonus from the Super Bowl alone, Darnold ended up about $71,000 in the red \u2014 paying more in taxes than he earned from the game bonus itself.<\/p>\n Why It Happens<\/p>\n Professional athletes are taxed not only in their home state but also in any state where they play \u201cduty days.\u201d In years when they have multiple away games in high-tax states like California, that tax bill can add up fast. Super Bowl week magnifies that because of the extra practices, media obligations, and events that count as taxable workdays.<\/p>\n Notably, this doesn\u2019t mean Darnold lost money on the entire season \u2014 he still made a huge amount from his contract and other bonuses. But when isolating the Super Bowl bonus itself, the tax hit was larger than what the league paid out for that game.<\/p>\n \u2014 Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead <\/a>\u2014<\/p>\n OLYMPICS: Norway skier goes viral after displaying insane Winter Olympics speed<\/a><\/p>\n SUPER BOWL: Ranking the last 10 NFL Super Bowl champions<\/a><\/p>\n MLB: Texas Rangers\u2019 Nolan Ryan jersey giveaway is a bloody mess<\/a><\/p>\n MEDIA: Photos of potential suspect in Nancy Guthrie disappearance released by FBI<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Seattle](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/default-129-1024x683.jpg\")
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates on the podium after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi\u2019s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n