Highest Paid American Football Players 2015
American football, one of the most popular sports in the United States, originates from the game of rugby. In the US, it is recognized as just football, and in countries like Canada, it is called gridiron. The first American football match was played between the college teams of Princeton and Rutgers on 6th November, 1869. Professional football and college football are the most popular of American football games in the US. Approximately 70,000 college athletes, and another 1.1 million high school athletes annually partake in the game in the US alone, as per a 2012 study. The National Football League is the most popular American football championship, holding a record of the highest average attendance of any league around the world. The annual income of the NFL is about $10 billion. The players of the American football, especially those who participate in the NFL, are considered among the highest paid athletes. Let us take a look at the Top 10 Highest Paid American Football Players 2015.
Top 10 Highest Paid American Football Players 2015
1. Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler now plays for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League as a quarterback. He played college football for the Vanderbilt. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos as a 1St Round 11th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. Jay Cutler presently has 6 feet 3 inches listed height and 220 lb. listed weight in the NFL. He is now in a contract of 7 years with his team Chicago Bears and in 2021 he will be a free agent. He has a total of $126,700,000 contract value with his team. He now earns $18,100,000 yearly average salary and has a total of $54,000,000 guaranteed income for his contract. Jay Cutler earns a total cap hit of $18,500,000 including $17,500,000 basic salary and $1,000,000 Restructure bonus in the 2014-15 season of NFL. His current Career Earnings are $58.2 million till date, the release value being $38,000,000 in the current season.
2. Gerald McCoy
Gerald McCoy now plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the National Football League as a defensive tackle. He played college football for the Oklahoma. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a 1St Round 3rd overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Gerald McCoy presently has 6 feet 4 inches listed height and 300 lb. listed weight in the NFL. He is currently in a contract of 6 years with his team Tampa Bay Buccaneers and in 2022 he will be a free agent. He has a total of $95,200,000 contract value with his team which includes $2,500,000 signing bonus. He now earns $15,866,667 yearly average salary and has a total of $51,500,000 guaranteed income for his contract. Gerald McCoy earns a total cap hit of $20,895,000 including $17,500,000 basic salary and $1,100,000 signing bonus in the 2014-15 season of NFL. His current Career Earnings is $44.4 million till date with the release value being $20,247,308 in the current season.
3. Eli Manning
Eli Manning now plays for the New York Giants in the National Football League as a quarterback. He played college football for the Mississippi. He was drafted by the New York Giants as a 1St Round 1st overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. Eli Manning presently has 6 feet 4 inches listed height and 218 lb. listed weight in the NFL. He is currently in a contract of 6 years with his team New York Giants and in 2016 he will be a free agent. He has a total of $97,500,000 contract value with his team which includes $13,000,000 signing bonus. He now earns $16,250,000 yearly average salary and has a total of $35,000,000 guaranteed income for his contract. Eli Manning earns a total cap hit of $20,400,000 including $15,150,000 basic salary and $2,250,000 restructure bonus in the 2014-15 season of NFL. His current Career Earnings is $135.1 million till date with the release value being $7,500,000 in the current season.
4. Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning now plays for the Denver Broncos in the National Football League as a quarterback. He played college football for the Tennessee. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts as a 1St Round 1st overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. Peyton Manning presently has 6 feet 5 inches listed height and 230 lb. listed weight in the NFL. He is currently in a contract of 5 years with his team Denver Broncos and in 2017 he will be a free agent. He has a total of $96,000,000 contract value with his team. He now earns $19,200,000 yearly average salary and has a total of $58,000,000 guaranteed income for his contract. Peyton Manning earns a total cap hit of $17,500,000 including $15,000,000 basic salary and $2,500,000 restructure bonus in the 2014-15 season of NFL. His current Career Earnings is $242.7 million till date with the release value being $22,500,000 in the current season.
5. Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace now plays for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League as a wide receiver. He played college football for the Mississippi. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers as a 3rd Round 84th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Mike Wallace presently has 6 feet 0 inches listed height and 200 lb. listed weight in the NFL. He is currently in a contract of 5 years with his team Miami Dolphins and in 2018 he will be a free agent. He has a total of $60,000,000 contract value with his team which includes $11,000,000 signing bonus. He now earns $12,000,000 yearly average salary and has a total of $30,000,000 guaranteed income for his contract. Mike Wallace earns a total cap hit of $17,250,000 including $15,000,000 basic salary and $2,200,000 signing bonus in the 2014-15 season of NFL. His current Career Earnings are $16.6 million till date with the release value being $26,850,000 in the current season.
6. Sam Bradford
Sam Bradford now plays for the St. Louis Rams in the National Football League as a quarterback. He played college football for the Oklahoma. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams as a 1st Round 1st overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Sam Bradford presently has 6 feet 4 inches listed height and 224 lb. listed weight in the NFL. He is currently in a contract of 6 years with his team St. Louis Rams and in 2016 he will be a free agent. He has a total of $78,045,000 contract value with his team which includes $17,975,000 signing bonus. He now earns $13,007,500 yearly average salary and has a total of $50,000,000 guaranteed income for his contract. Sam Bradford earns a total cap hit of $17,610,000 including $14,015,000 basic salary and $3,595,000 signing bonus in the 2014-15 season of NFL. His current Career Earnings are $51 million till date, with release value being $7,190,000 in the current season.
7. Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers now plays for the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League as a quarterback. He played college football for the NC State. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers as a 1St Round 4th overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. Philip Rivers presently has 6 feet 5 inches listed height and 228 lb. listed weight in the NFL. He is currently in a contract of 6 years with his team San Diego Chargers and in 2016 he will be a free agent. He has a total of $91,800,000 contract value with his team which includes $19,550,000 signing bonus. He now earns $15,300,000 yearly average salary and has a total of $$38,150,000 guaranteed income for his contract. Philip Rivers earns a total cap hit of $16,666,666 including $13,800,000 basic salary and $1,666,666 restructure bonus in the 2014-15 season of NFL. His current Career Earnings are $106.1 million till date, with the release value being $4,533,334 in the current season.
8. Greg Hardy
Greg Hardy now plays for the Carolina Panthers in the National Football League as a defensive end. He played college football for the Mississippi. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers as a 6th Round 175th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Greg Hardy presently has 6 feet 4 inches listed height and 290 lb. listed weight in the NFL. He is now in a contract of 1 year with his team Carolina Panthers and next year he will be a free agent. He has a total of $13,116,000 contract value with his team. He now earns $13,116,000 yearly average salary and has a total of $13,116,000 guaranteed income for his contract. Greg Hardy earns a total cap hit of $13,116,000 including $13,116,000 basic salary in the 2014-15 season of NFL. His current Career Earnings are $2.7 million till date with the release value being 13,116,000 release value in the current season.
9. Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Suh now plays for the Detroit Lions in the National Football League as a defensive tackle. He played college football for the Nebraska. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions as a 1St Round 2nd overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Ndamukong Suh presently has 6 feet 4 inches listed height and 307 lb. listed weight in the NFL. He is currently in a contract of 5 years with his team Detroit Lions and in 2015 he will be a free agent. He has a total of $64,502,000 contract value with his team. He now earns $12,900,400 yearly average salary and has a total of $23,250,000 guaranteed income for his contract. Ndamukong Suh earns a total cap hit of $22,412,500 including $12,550,000 basic salary and $6,267,500 Restructure bonus in the 2014-15 season of NFL. His current Career Earnings are $51.5 million till date with the release value being $19,475,000 in the current season.
10. Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger now plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League as a quarterback. He played college football for the Miami. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers as a 1St Round 11th overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. Ben Roethlisberger presently has 6 feet 5 inches listed height and 241 lb. listed weight in the NFL. He is currently in a contract of 6 years with his team Pittsburgh Steelers and in 2016 he will be a free agent. He has a total of $87,986,500 contract value with his team which includes $25,200,000 signing bonus. He now earn $14,664,417 yearly average salary and has a total of $33,200,000 guaranteed income for his contract. Ben Roethlisberger earns a total cap hit of $18,895,000 including $12,100,000 basic salary and $6,795,000 Restructure bonus in the 2014-15 season of NFL. His current Career Earnings is $93.2 million till date with the release value being $13,590,000 in the current season.
Stars like Adrian Peterson, the running back for the Minnesota Vikings, and Brian Orakpo, the outside linebacker of Washington Redkins, also deserve to be mentioned among the highest paid NFL players 2015. Peterson earns $14,400,000 in the current season, while Orakpo receives $11,455,000 from his team in the current year.