What is an average NFL kicker’s salary and who is highest paid? (2024)
While Americans abroad will endure the unending jibes of those who point out that the name “football” is unsuited to a game where the foot is rarely in contact with the ball, the fact is that the name of the game, and ALL football games worldwide, stems from the fact that the players are on foot, i.e. not on a horse, rather than touching the ball with their feet. The same holds true for rugby football, association football, Australian football, Gaelic football, and any other variant of game that features the name.
Having said that, it is true that when Americans were first introduced to rugby, they immediately began changing the rules, gently at first, and then with more gusto, so that the kicking element has gradually been eroded in the American version, separating it from its rugby roots to the point where it is now seen as an almost anachronistic part of the game.
ROOKIE KICKER CADE YORK GIVES THE BROWNS THE W FROM 58 YARDS OUT 🔥
Originally, kicking a goal was the only way to score and the touchdown, known in rugby as a “try”, gave the offensive team the right to “try” and score a point by kicking the ball through the uprights. Realizing that the touchdown was the more difficult of the two elements in the game, points were then attached to it, while still leaving the original kicking try, now known as the “point after touchdown”, intact.
The drop kick has been rarely used in recent decades due to the reformation of the shape of the ball to allow for more streamlined forward passes, although it is still a legal play. There is a movement underway to remove the kickoff from the game altogether, which would leave only the punt and field goal as the remaining elements connecting the NFL to its own past.
Don't recall the 84' Browns vs Bengals, Steve Cox dropped 60yd kick. But 91' Saints vs 'Da' Bears, Morten Andersen with the 2nd 60 in nfl history. https://t.co/gGazo4Fd3apic.twitter.com/XdPocWOZcc
After a terrible first week, the Indianapolis Colts have cut their ties with former All-rookie kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, leading us to take a look at this often overlooked element of the game. While kicking is seen as an afterthought, teams still need to get the best talent on the market. And while not a marquee position in the squad, the top kickers can still have a pretty hefty payday in the NFL.
We all know the names of the clutch placekickers in history: Morten Andersen, Adam Vinatieri, John Carney. Like the unknown stuntman of Hollywood, he is often the one that makes a star out of the quarterback, saving games and clawing out wins in they dying seconds.
Thecurrent high-earner in the NFL kicking profession is Baltimore Ravens place kicker Justin Tucker, who has signed a 4 year, $24,000,000 contract, including a $5,500,000 signing bonus and $17,500,000 guaranteed money.
With a league minimum salary of $660,000 per year, the NFL’s punters, who are often the least-sung of the kickers, are able to have a decent salary. But the highest-rated members of this lowest-rated profession can have a salary that is both surprising in how much it is, while simultaneously being shocking for how low it is.
The top ten highest paid kickers in the NFL
Rank
Player
Contract value
Yearly average
Guarantee
1
Justin Tucker
$24 million
$6 million
$17.5 million
2
Chris Boswell
$20 million
$5 million
$12.5 million
3
Younghoe Koo
$24.25 million
$4.85 million
$11.5 million
4
Graham Gano
$14 million
$4.67 million
$9.5 million
5
Daniel Carlson
$18.4 million
$4.6 million
$11.14 million
6
Ka’imi Fairbairn
$17.65 million
$4.41 million
$9 million
7
Jason Sanders
$22 million
$4.4 million
$10 million
8
Mason Crosby
$12.9 million
$4.3 million
$5.2 million
9
Brandon McManus
$17.2 million
$4.3 million
$9.5 million
10
Harrison Butker
$20.275 million
$4 million
$9.1 million
Just as in all NFL contracts, the total dollar amount is not as important as the guaranteed amount or even the yearly average income. But it is important to remember that these are simply the tip of the iceberg. There are 32 place kickers and 32 punters around the league, plus guys on the practice squads, many of whom who are earning the league minimum, bringing the average salary for an NFL kicker to $860,000.
For someone who determines the outcome of most games on most weeks, it is a shockingly low amount of money. But for a football player who will walk away at the end of their career with their health relatively intact, it is a decent payday, if you can get it.
In total, the 44 kickers on the books in the NFL for the 2022-23 season make around $110 million combined. That puts the average kicker salary at around $2.5 million.
The minimum expected amount that a kicker makes is $610,000 per year. Their salary varies according to their input and the teams they represent. The minimum wage for NFL kickers is $660,000 per year, according to Over the Cap.
NFL cheerleaders are paid as little as $5 an hour, while the league made $11 billion last year. According to reports, a professional cheerleader i.e., the kind that will feature in the Super Bowl can make up to $75,000 a year.
He also holds the record for the longest successful field goal at 66 yards. The lowest-paid NFL kickers both belong to the Detroit Lions. Riley Patterson is the lowest-paid kicker in the NFL with an annual salary of $660,000, followed closely by his teammate, Austin Seibert, who has an annual salary of $695,114.
Lowest average salary in the NFL? Special teams are at the bottom of the salary list, averaging $2.775 million. Second-lowest paid players are the running backs, to many's surprise.
Players on NFL practice squads earned a minimum of $11,500 per week, or $207,000 for an entire season, in 2022. However, that minimum was for players who had accrued less than two seasons. That number increased to $15,400 per week or $277,200 for 18 weeks if the player had accrued two or more seasons.
The current high-earner in the NFL kicking profession is Baltimore Ravens place kicker Justin Tucker, who has signed a 4 year, $24,000,000 contract, including a $5,500,000 signing bonus and $17,500,000 guaranteed money.
As for how Brady's contract breaks down, Pro Football Network reports that Brady will earn $15 million salaries for each season, with $10 million roster bonuses. According to the site, Brady's salary counts for 14.1 percent of the Buccaneers' salary cap, which is estimated at more than $30 million for 2021.
NFL waterboys typically make between $53,000 and $58,000 per year. However, not every waterboy you see on TV is paid. Many waterboys and assistants are unpaid or are working at a discounted rate on an internship for high school or college.
For instance, Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, aka America's Sweethearts, who happen to be one of the most popular groups in the NFL, earn about $15-20 per hour, or $500 per match. Therefore, their yearly salary comes out to about $75,000.
How much do winners of the Super Bowl get paid? Get ready for this: In 2023, players on the winning team—the Kansas City Chiefs—will receive $157,000, according to NBC Sports! This is more than last year, which saw each member of the winning team receive $150,000, according to the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Less than 1% of high school senior kickers, punters & snappers around the nation are fortunate enough to earn a college football scholarship. Over the years, it's become common place for college football programs to only offer 'preferred walk on' spots to high school specialists.
Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams, $14 million per year
The Los Angeles Rams have missed the playoffs just twice ever since. In 2022, he became the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl LVI, earning him a raise. Now, McVay is reportedly the highest-paid NFL coach.
You might want to sit down before reading this: the average salary of an NFL waterboy is a whopping $53,000 a year, according to Stack.com. Some are unpaid or work as stipend interns, per reference.com, but the full-time water and towel boys are considered part of the training staff.
The NFL players must play for three seasons to get a pension. They are eligible to receive benefits negotiated under the collective bargaining agreement. They earn credit for each season they play. The amount of pensions depends upon their credit.
NFL team values have soared over the past 35 years from around $100 million on average to $4.14 billion in Sportico's 2022 NFL Team Valuations. During that time coaching pay has jumped from less than $300,000 on average to more than $7 million.
Per the CBA, players that were on the winning team's practice squad at the time of the Super Bowl victory are also entitled to a ring, but it can be one of lesser value.
Also, unlike active roster players, practice squad players receive no bonus for playing postseason games. “Last year, the bonus for winning the Super Bowl was like over $100,000, and we still got the regular pay!” says Davis, laughing.
During the NFL's regular season, it's not unusual for players to work about 10 to 12 hours a day, six days a week. This includes practice, meetings, film sessions, and travel. During the offseason, players may have less structured schedules, but typically still put in about five to six hours a day, six days a week.
Everyone on the winning roster, along with coaches, executives, and practice squad players, receives a coveted Super Bowl Ring. The players on the practice squad often get one of lesser value. The owner of the teams can also award rings to whomever they choose.
Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the player in gridiron football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals and extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist or punter.
Joe Burrow is in the third season of a four-year contract with the Bengals. The four-year deal is worth a total of $36,190,137. He currently has the 15th most expensive contract among quarterbacks (total value). For the 2022 season, his base salary is $1,010,000, and he has a cap hit of $9,870,037.
With a $600 billion market cap, it controls 43% of the global sports market. The Premier League made $5.43 billion in revenue in the 2021-22 season, and other leagues like La Liga, Serie A, and Bundesliga also made a sizable amount of money.
Aaron Rodgers signed a 4 year, $134,000,000 contract with the Green Bay Packers, including a $57,500,000 signing bonus, $98,700,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $33,500,000.
The two-time Super Bowl MVP signed a 10-year, $450 million contract extension worth up to $475 million with incentives. Mahomes dramatically raised the bar for quarterback salaries with his $45 million average yearly salary.
In March, not long after his second retirement in as many years, Brady acquired an ownership stake in the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces, who are primarily controlled by Davis. Now, the latter has agreed to sell a minority share of the Raiders to the future Hall of Famer and submitted the agreement to the NFL for approval.
That said, Thieneman was sure to point out the benefits of the role. As he explained, water boys also get to travel with the team and spend time with players, in addition to other perks. More from In The Know: What is the 'WTF was that?
Waterboy - Thanks to Adam Sandler almost everyone knows what a waterboy is. Even though the role itself is sometimes forgotten, they still get paid an average of $53,000 and on top of that have an amazing view of any NFL game.
Thieneman also explained that waterboys enjoy other benefits such as travelling with an NFL team and spending time with some of the stars. Waterboys are also said to be getting free tickets for NFL games, while the majority of them receive free merchandise.
A Marist graduate just became the second-highest paid kicker in the NFL after signing new contract. Jason Myers is coming off one of the best seasons of his career in which he made 34 of 37 field goal attempts, led the NFL in scoring with 143 points and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career.
The deal is worth $21.1 million over the next four years, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. It also includes incentives that could take the deal up to $22.6 million, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Myers is now the NFL's second-highest-paid kicker behind the Baltimore Ravens' Justin Tucker.
Elliott signed a five-year, $19.3 million contract extension ($3.86 million average annual value) in November 2019 (figures per Spotrac). The deal also includes voidable years in 2025 and 2026. His base salary in 2022 was $1 million, with a cap hit of $2.9 million thanks to bonuses and a restructure.
The San Francisco 49ers' Trent Williams is second, at $23.01 million per year. The Green Bay Packers' David Bakhtiari is third, at $23 million per season. The Atlanta Falcons' Chris Lindstrom is fourth with an average annual salary of $20.5 million, followed by the Philadelphia Eagles' Lane Johnson at $20.2 million.
It's a 5-year deal for $260M for Lamar Jackson, source said. The new highest paid QB. Rodgers is next on the board, followed by Arizona's Kyler Murray, Cleveland's Deshaun Watson and Mahomes.
George Frederick Blanda (September 17, 1927 – September 27, 2010) was an American professional football player who was a placekicker and quarterback in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL).
He signed a six-year, $90 million contract in 2019. There was guaranteed money in the contract for the first three years; there is no guaranteed money in the final three years, beginning in 2023. Elliott is set to count $16.4 million against the 2023 salary cap with a non guaranteed $10.4 million base salary.
Introduction: My name is Twana Towne Ret, I am a famous, talented, joyous, perfect, powerful, inquisitive, lovely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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