The biggest NFL contracts are dominated by quarterbacks, which is hardly a surprise given their impact on winning. But what football players signed the biggest deals in the NFL?
I break down the highest NFL contracts signed by players based on the total contract value. After analyzing the largest deals, I also highlight the highest-paid players based on their average annual value (AAV).
Top 6 Biggest NFL Contracts in 2025
| Player | Team | Contract Value | Duration | Year Signed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City Chiefs | $450 million | 10 years | 2020 |
| Josh Allen | Buffalo Bills | $330 million | 6 years | 2025 |
| Joe Burrow | Cincinnati Bengals | $275 million | 5 years | 2023 |
| Trevor Lawrence | Jacksonville Jaguars | $275 million | 5 years | 2024 |
| Brock Purdy | San Francisco 49ers | $265 million | 5 years | 2025 |
| Justin Herbert | Los Angeles Chargers | $262.5 million | 5 years | 2023 |
1. Patrick Mahomes: 10 Years, $450 million
Patrick Mahomes is the highest-paid player in NFL history. After winning Super Bowl 54 in 2020, Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450 million deal.
Other players have higher AAV, but no one has come within $100 million of the deal Mahomes signed a half-decade ago.
The investment worked out for KC, as Mahomes has led them to four more Super Bowls since and won two more Lombardis for the Chiefs. Mahomes has also restructured his deal multiple times, clearing up cap space for the team while increasing his yearly cash value.
Mahomes was just 24 when he signed his decade-long deal. The contract does not expire until the 2030s and will last through the prime of Mahomes’ career. However, thanks to frequent restructuring, the Chiefs’ QB can earn even more than the $450 million he is owed.
2. Josh Allen: 6 Years, $330 Million
Buffalo’s Josh Allen signed a six-year, $258 million contract extension in 2021. However, after years of success capped by an MVP season in 2024, the Bills agreed to tear up the quarterback’s old contract.
Allen signed a new contract extension in 2025 worth $330 million over six years. The contract includes $250 million in guaranteed money, the most in history at the time of signing.
He has not carried the Bills to the Super Bowl yet, but Buffalo have made two AFC Championship games with Allen under center and are consistently among the Super Bowl favorites at top football betting sites. Allen has also led the Bills to five straight AFC East division titles.
3. Joe Burrow: 5 years, $275 Million
Another top young QB rewarded for the MVP-level play is Joe Burrow. The former LSU Tiger signed a five-year, $275 million contract in 2023.
Burrow lived up to his deal in 2024, racking up impressive numbers, including:
- 4,918 passing yards (1st)
- 43 passing TDs (1st)
- 1 QBR (3rd)
Joe Burrow has already been sacked 27 MORE TIMES than Andrew Luck despite playing 15 FEWER GAMES 🤯
Luck retired at 29 years old due to injuries… Burrow is 28 😳 pic.twitter.com/yHo4mwFXVr
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 16, 2025
Unfortunately for Burrow and company, the team finished just 9-8 and missed the playoffs. Missing the postseason also cost him the chance to win the MVP last year.
To make matters worse, Burrow was unable to follow up on his MVP campaign in 2025. He suffered a Grade 3 turf toe injury and will miss the majority of the season.
When healthy, Burrow is one of the best QBs in the league and well worth the money. However, his frequent injuries mean the Bengals are often rewarding him handsomely for sitting on the bench.
4. Trevor Lawrence: 5 years, $275 Million
The Jacksonville Jaguars signed Trevor Lawrence to a five-year, $275 million deal in 2024. Like Burrow, Lawrence was a highly rated first overall pick who won a national championship in college.
The quarterback was drafted first overall one year after Burrow, so it came as no surprise that they signed similar contracts.
What has been surprising, though, is that Lawrence has not had nearly the success in the NFL that Burrow has. Lawrence was 22-38 as a starter entering the 2025 season and had only taken the Jaguars to the playoffs once.
For the 2025 season, Jacksonville’s front office surrounded Lawrence with multiple first-round picks on offense, including Travis Etienne, Brian Thomas Jr., and Travis Hunter. Simply put, Lawrence is running out of excuses for not living up to his $275 million price tag.
5. Brock Purdy: 5 years, $265 Million
From Mr. Irrelevant to one of the highest-paid NFL deals, Brock Purdy inked a five-year, $265 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers ahead of the 2025 season.
Kyle Shanahan on Brock Purdy’s injured toe:
“He reaggrevated it. He’s week-to-week. Don’t know how it will heal.” pic.twitter.com/PPHKKaBzt4
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) October 3, 2025
Purdy helped the 49ers make deep playoff runs in his first two seasons, including an appearance in Super Bowl 58. He struggled to replicate his early success in year three, but many of the 49ers’ other stars were injured.
Despite missing the playoffs in 2024, San Fran signed Purdy to one of the richest deals in NFL history. So far, the deal hasn’t worked out. The quarterback has been injured for most of the 2025 season and has been unable to help the team.
6. Justin Herbert: 5 years, $262.5 Million
Rounding out the top six biggest contracts in the NFL is Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. He was picked sixth overall in the 2020 draft and was the third QB taken that year. Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa were selected ahead of Herbert.
However, he won Rookie of the Year in 2020 and made the Pro Bowl in 2021. Following the 2022-23 season, the Chargers signed Herbert to a five-year, $262.5 million contract.
LA’s quarterback is one of the most divisive players in the NFL. On one hand, his talent is undeniable. Herbert has over 23,000 passing yards and 150+ passing TDs as of November 2025.
However, Herbert is also just 47-41 as a starter and 0-2 in the postseason. As nice as his regular-season performances have been, Herbert’s contract will be a bust if he does not start playing better in the playoffs.
What Are the Highest-Paid NFL Players per Year?
Total value is not the only way to evaluate the highest-paid players in NFL history. Here are the five largest NFL contracts based on AAV:
- Dak Prescott: $60 million/year
- Jordan Love: $55 million/year
- Joe Burrow: $55 million/year
- Trevor Lawrence: $55 million/year
- Josh Allen: $55 million/year
Quarterbacks are not the only ones who get paid the big bucks, either. In the weeks leading up to the 2025 season, Micah Parsons was traded to the Green Bay Packers and promptly signed a deal worth up to $46.5 million AAV. It was the largest contract signed by a non-QB in NFL history.
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