In Week 10 of the NFL season, the Jacksonville Jaguars moved Mac Jones to the starting quarterback role, replacing Trevor Lawrence, who’s on the inactive list due to an injury. Bryce Young for the third week is QB1 at the Carolina Panthers, in place of an injured Andy Dalton.
The Kansas City Chiefs are undefeated and seek a Super Bowl three-peat, but other teams with their talented quarterbacks are vying to knock future Hall-of-Famer quarterback Patrick Mahomes from his perch. While some quarterbacks, such as Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers, are a bargain (because he’s still in his rookie contract), other teams are spending heavily for their quarterbacks to get them to “the big game.”
The Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars have never won a Super Bowl. Still, they are spending tens of millions of dollars on average this year for their quarterbacks to get them to a championship.
Quarterbacks with lucrative contracts get signed amid confidence from the team’s management that their signal callers will get them a championship ring. This season’s starters include 8 Heisman Trophy winners.
Find out how much starting quarterbacks on the NFL’s 32 teams are getting paid on average this year, based on data from Over the Cap, which compiles contract information.
Chris Unger/Getty Images
32. Brock Purdy
- Team:San Francisco 49ers
- Age: 24
- 2024 average salary: $934,253
- 4-year contract total:$3,737,012
- Years into contract: 3
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive):3
Purdy led the 49ers to Super Bowl LVIII, but they lost to the Chiefs. He is eligible to negotiate for a new contract in 2025, which some reports say could be at least $60 million a season.
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Justin Berl/Getty Images
31. Russell Wilson
- Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
- Age: 35
- Salary: $1,210,000
- 1-year contract total: $1,210,000
- Years into contract: 1
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 13
While Wilson is being paid a base salary of $1.2 million by the Steelers, he is still being paid $39 million for the season by the Denver Broncos as part of the terms of his guaranteed $124 million contract.
Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images
30. Will Levis
- Team: Tennessee Titans
- Age: 25
- 2024 average salary: $2,385,541
- 4-year contract total: $9,542,162
- Years into contract: 2
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 2
Levis started as quarterback for the first time in an opening season game.
Rich Storry/Getty Images
29. Mac Jones
- Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Age: 26
- 2024 average salary: $2,785,410
- 1-year contract total: $2,785,410
- Years into contract: 1
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 4
Mac Jones starts in place of an injured Trevor Lawrence, who is in the first year of his 5-year, $275 million contract.
Jason Miller/Getty Images
28. Jameis Winston
- Team: Cleveland Browns
- Age: 30
- 2024 average salary: $4,000,000
- 1-year contract total: $4,000,000
- Years into contract: 2
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 10
Winston took over quarterback duties from Deshaun Watson, who injured himself in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Winston led the Browns in an upset victory against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8 and was then named QB for the remainder of the season.
Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images
27. Bo Nix
- Team: Denver Broncos
- Age: 24
- 2024 average salary: $4,653,292
- 4-year contract total: $18,613,166
- Years into contract: 1
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 1
Nix is in his rookie season after having played seven years of college football.
Tim Warner/Getty Images
26. Joe Flacco
- Team: Indianapolis Colts
- Age: 39
- 2024 average salary: $5,000,000
- 1-year contract total: $5,000,000
- Years into contract: 1
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 18
Journeyman quarterback Flacco became the Colts’ starter in Week 9, replacing Anthony Richardson, who was benched in what the Colts said was “in the best interest of the team.”
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
25. Jacoby Brissett
- Team: New England Patriots
- Age: 31
- 2024 average salary: $8,000,000
- 1-year contract total: $8,000,000
- Years into contract: 1
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 9
Brissett first played for the Patriots in 2016 but has also played for four other NFL teams before taking on the starting quarterback position this season under new head coach Jerod Mayo.
Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
24. C.J. Stroud
- Team: Houston Texans
- Age: 22
- 2024 average salary: $9,069,812
- 4-year contract total: $36,279,246
- Years into contract: 2
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 2
Stroud starts with the Texans for the second season. He was the number 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
23. Jayden Daniels
- Team: Washington Commanders
- Age: 23
- 2024 average salary: $9,436,663
- 4-year contract total: $37,746,650
- Years into contract: 1
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 1
Daniels starts his rookie season with the Commanders, which have not had a winning season since 2016. He was awarded the Heisman Trophy in 2023.
Matt Kelley/Getty Images
22. Bryce Young
- Team: Carolina Panthers
- Age: 23
- 2024 average salary: $9,488,769
- 4-year contract total: $37,955,074
- Years into contract: 2
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 2
Young gets his starting job back, in place of Andy Dalton, who moved up from the backup role in Week 3 and stayed until Week 7, before an injury sustained off the field.
David Eulitt/Getty Images
21. Caleb Williams
- Team: Chicago Bears
- Age: 22
- 2024 average salary: $9,871,515
- 4-year contract total: $39,486,058
- Years into contract: 1
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 1
Williams starts his rookie season with the Bears after being the number 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Diamond Images/Getty Images
20. Sam Darnold
- Team: Minnesota Vikings
- “Age: 27
- 2024 average salary: $10,000,000
- 1-year contract total: $10,000,000
- Years into contract: 1
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 7
Darnold was the number 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft and first played for the New York Jets. The Vikings are his fourth NFL team.
Brooke Sutton/Getty Images
19. Gardner Minshew
- Team: Las Vegas Raiders
- Age: 28
- 2024 average salary: $12,500,000
- 2-year contract total: $25,000,000
- Years into contract: 1
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 6
Minshew starts in an opening game of the season for the first time in his NFL career since 2020 after largely playing as a backup in the previous five seasons.
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
18. Geno Smith
- Team: Seattle Seahawks
- Age: 33
- 2024 average salary: $25,000,000
- 3-year contract total: $75,000,000
- Years into contract: 2
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 11
Smith joined the Seahawks in 2020 but didn’t make a major impact until the 2022 season, when he started for all 17 games.
Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
17. Baker Mayfield
- Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Age: 29
- 2024 average salary: $33,333,333
- 3-year contract total: $100,000,000
- Years into contract: 1
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 8
Mayfield plays for a second season with the Buccaneers, after signing on as a free agent in 2023 for $4 million for one year.
Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
16. Aaron Rodgers
- Team: New York Jets
- Age: 40
- 2024 average salary: $37,500,000
- 3-year contract total: $112,500,000
- Years into contract: 2
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 20
Rodgers played for 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers. He was injured while playing for the Jets during the opening day of the 2023 season.
Ric Tapia/Getty Images
15. Derek Carr
- Team: New Orleans Saints
- Age: 33
- 2024 average salary: $37,500,000
- 4-year contract total: $150,000,000
- Years into contract: 2
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 11
Carr played his first nine seasons with the Raiders.
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
14. Daniel Jones
- Team: New York Giants
- Age: 27
- 2024 average salary: $40,000,000
- 4-year contract total: $160,000,000|
- Years into contract: 2
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 6
In Jones’ first year of his four-year contract, the Giants went 6-11 for the 2023–2024 season.
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Rob Carr/Getty Images
13. Matthew Stafford
- Team: Los Angeles Rams
- Age: 36
- 2024 average salary: $40,000,000
- 4-year contract total: $160,000,000
- Years into contract: 4
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 16
Stafford played his first 12 years with the Detroit Lions and led the Rams to a Super Bowl championship in 2022.
Cooper Neill/Getty Images
12. Josh Allen
- Team: Buffalo Bills
- Age: 28
- 2024 average salary: $43,000,000
- 6-year contract total: $258,000,000
- Years into contract: 4
- |Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 7
Allen led the Bills to the playoffs in the past five seasons, and the team is looking for more under his signal calling. The Bills had missed the playoffs from 2000 to 2016.
Perry Knotts/Getty Images
11. Patrick Mahomes
- Team: Kansas City Chiefs
- Age: 28
- 2024 average salary: $45,000,000
- 10-year contract total: $450,000,000
- Years into contract: 5
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 8
Mahomes is the only active starting quarterback with multiple championships. He led the Chiefs to their third Super Bowl win in five years in 2024.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
10. Kirk Cousins
- Team: Atlanta Falcons
- Age: 36
- 2024 average salary: $45,000,000
- 4-year contract total: $180,000,000
- Years into contract: 1
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 13
Cousins played for the Washington Commanders for his first six years and the Minnesota Vikings for his second six.
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
9. Kyler Murray
- Team: Arizona Cardinals
- Age: 27
- 2024 average salary: $46,100,000
- 5-year contract total: $230,500,000
- Years into contract: 3
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 6
Murray was the Heisman Trophy winner in 2018. He led the Cardinals to a winning season in 2021, but the past two seasons resulted in losing records and left the team last within their division.
Kathryn Riley/Getty Images
8. Jalen Hurts
- Team: Philadelphia Eagles
- Age: 26
- 2024 average salary: $51,000,000
- 5-year contract total: $255,000,000
- Years into contract: 2
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 5
Hurts led the Eagles to the 2022 NFC Championship, but they lost to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. The contract reflects the team’s confidence in continuing the playoff run into the coming seasons.
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Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
7. Lamar Jackson
- Team: Baltimore Ravens
- Age: 27
- 2024 average salary: $52,000,000
- 5-year contract total: $260,000,000
- Years into contract: 2
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 7
Jackson has spent his entire career with the Ravens, and his contract reflects the organization’s confidence in his ability to get the team into the playoffs and hopefully all the way to a Super Bowl win.
Ric Tapia/Getty Images
6. Justin Herbert
- Team: Los Angeles Chargers
- Age: 26
- 2024 average salary: $52,500,000
- 5-year contract total: $262,500,000
- Years into contract: 2
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 5
Herbert will play under a new coach, Jim Harbaugh, who left the University of Michigan for the pros.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
5. Jared Goff
- Team: Detroit Lions
- Age: 29
- 2024 average salary: $53,000,000
- 4-year contract total: $212,000,000
- Years into contract: 1
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 9
Goff proved his naysayers wrong after being traded from the Rams in 2021. He led the Lions to the 2023 NFC Championship Game before falling to the 49ers, and the organization has rewarded him with a lucrative salary.
Rich Storry/Getty Images
4. Tua Tagovailoa
- Team: Miami Dolphins
- Age: 26
- 2024 average salary: $53,100,000
- 4-year contract total: $212,400,000
- Years into contract: 1
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 5
Tagovailoa’s contract is the second largest for a four-year contract after Jordan Love’s, and his pay reflects the Dolphins’ expectations that he will continue to have winning seasons.
Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
3. Jordan Love
- Team: Green Bay Packers
- Age: 25
- 2024 average salary: $55,000,000
- 4-year contract total: $220,000,000
- Years into contract: 1
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 5
Love was a backup for Aaron Rodgers and took over as the Packers’ starting quarterback when Rodgers departed for the Jets in 2023.
Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images
2. Joe Burrow
Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Age: 27
2024 average salary: $55,000,000
5-year contract total: $275,000,000
Years into contract: 2
Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 5
Burrow won the 2019 Heisman Trophy. In his second year with the Bengals, he led the team to Super Bowl LVI in 2022 but lost to the Rams. In 2023, he signed a record contract for $275 million.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
1. Dak Prescott
- Team: Dallas Cowboys
- Age: 31
- 2024 average salary: $60,000,000
- 4-year contract total: $240,000,000
- Years into contract: 1
- Seasons in NFL (inclusive): 9
Prescott starts his ninth season with the Cowboys under a new, 4-year contract valued at $240 million. Of that, he is guaranteed $231 million.
2024–25 NFL starting quarterback pay at a glance
| Rank | Player | Team | Age | Average Annual Salary | Total Contract Value | Years Under Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dak Prescott | Dallas Cowboys | 31 | $60,000,000 | $240,000,000 | 4 |
| 2 | Joe Burrow | Cincinnati Bengals | 27 | $55,000,000 | $275,000,000 | 5 |
| 3 | Jordan Love | Green Bay Packers | 25 | $55,000,000 | $200,000,000 | 4 |
| 4 | Tua Tagovailoa | Miami Dolphins | 26 | $53,100,000 | $212,400,000 | 4 |
| 5 | Jared Goff | Detroit Lions | 29 | $53,000,000 | $212,000,000 | 4 |
| 6 | Justin Herbert | Los Angeles Chargers | 26 | $52,500,000 | $262,500,000 | 5 |
| 7 | Lamar Jackson | Baltimore Ravens | 27 | $52,000,000 | $262,000,000 | 5 |
| 8 | Jalen Hurts | Philadelphia Eagles | 26 | $51,000,000 | $255,000,000 | 5 |
| 9 | Kyler Murray | Arizona Cardinals | 27 | $46,100,000 | $230,500,000 | 5 |
| 10 | Kirk Cousins | Atlanta Falcons | 36 | $45,000,000 | $180,000,000 | 4 |
| 11 | Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City Chiefs | 28 | $45,000,000 | $450,000,000 | 10 |
| 12 | Josh Allen | Buffalo Bills | 28 | $43,000,000 | $258,000,000 | 6 |
| 13 | Matthew Stafford | Los Angeles Rams | 36 | $40,000,000 | $160,000,000 | 4 |
| 14 | Daniel Jones | New York Giants | 27 | $40,000,000 | $160,000,000 | 4 |
| 15 | Derek Carr | New Orleans Saints | 33 | $37,500,000 | $150,000,000 | 4 |
| 16 | Aaron Rodgers | New York Jets | 40 | $37,500,000 | $112,500,000 | 3 |
| 17 | Baker Mayfield | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 29 | $33,333,333 | $100,000,000 | 3 |
| 18 | Geno Smith | Seattle Seahawks | 33 | $25,000,000 | $75,000,000 | 3 |
| 19 | Gardner Minshew | Las Vegas Raiders | 28 | $12,500,000 | $25,000,000 | 2 |
| 20 | Sam Darnold | Minnesota Vikings | 27 | $10,000,000 | $10,000,000 | 1 |
| 21 | Caleb Williams | Chicago Bears | 22 | $9,871,515 | $39,486,058 | 4 |
| 22 | Bryce Young | Carolina Panthers | 23 | $9,488,769 | ||
| 23 | Jayden Daniels | Washington Commanders | 23 | $9,436,663 | $37,746,650 | 4 |
| 24 | C.J. Stroud | Houston Texans | 22 | $9,069,812 | $36,279,246 | 4 |
| 25 | Jacoby Brissett | New England Patriots | 31 | $8,000,000 | $8,000,000 | 1 |
| 26 | Joe Flacco | Indianapolis Colts | 39 | $5,000,.000 | $5,000,.000 | 1 |
| 27 | Bo Nix | Denver Broncos | 24 | $4,653,292 | $18,613,166 | 4 |
| 28 | Jameis Winston | Cleveland Browns | 30 | $4,000,000 | $4,000,000 | 1 |
| 29 | Mac Jones | Jacksonville Jaguars | 26 | $2,785,410 | ||
| 30 | Will Levis | Tennessee Titans | 25 | $2,385,541 | $9,542,162 | 4 |
| 31 | Russell Wilson | Pittsburgh Steelers | 35 | $1,210,000 | $1,210,000 | 1 |
| 32 | Brock Purdy | San Francisco 49ers | 24 | $934,253 | $3,737,012 | 4 |
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