Who's the Highest-paid QB of the 2022 NFL Season? (2024)

Who’s the highest-paid QB in the NFL this season? If you guessed Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, or Aaron Rodgers, you’d be wrong — read on for all the big numbers from Boardroom.

They say that if you have two quarterbacks, it means you don’t have one. And if you don’t have one, well, you’re probably asking for a world of pain. Yes, QBs get all of the fame and glory, but also the criticism as the officially unofficial faces of their teams. In return, NFL signal-callers are the highest-paid position group in the league — and that won’t be changing anytime soon.

In 2021, NFL QBs averaged a salary of $6,888,927, beating out all 24 positions on the field by a wide margin. The only position group in striking distance was left tackle ($6,145,945) — the guys whose primary job is to protect a right-handed QB’s blind side. That year, Dallas Cowboys gunslinger Dak Prescott took the position to another level, earning more in athletic salary than all other football players, but morethan any other sports figure on the entire planet thanks to a gigantic signing bonus; more than LeBron James, Lionel Messi, Max Verstappen, or Cristiano Ronaldo.

And yet, when it comes to the NFL’s highest-paid QBs this year, Prescott doesn’t even crack the top 15.

With that in mind, Check out Boardroom’s list of the highest-paid NFL quarterbacks for the 2022 season — both by total cash compensation and overall salary cap hit.

Click here to read Boardroom’s roundup of 2022’s highest-paid NFL players overall.

Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.

Who’s the Highest-paid NFL QB of 2022?

All salary figures reflect total cash compensation as calculated by Spotrac.

As part of his contract extension this offseason, Aaron Rodgers received a $40.8M bonus that was due to be paid by December 31st.
Green Bay recently tweaked the deal, paying Rodgers $20.8M by June 20th and $20M more by September 30th.
Monday will be a great day for Rodgers.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) June 16, 2022

6. Kirk Cousins (Vikings): $40,000,000

Contract: 2 years, $66,000,000
Total guaranteed: $35,000,000
Click here to read more about Kirk Cousins’ contract details with the Vikings

NOTE: Cousins signed a one-year, $35,000,000 extension this offseason covering the 2023 season. His 2022 salary includes signing bonus money from that deal.

t-7. Tom Brady (Buccaneers): $30,000,000

Contract: 1 year, $15,000,000
Total guaranteed: $15,000,000
Click here to read more about Tom Brady’s contract extension with the Bucs

NOTE: Brady’s 2022 salary includes deferred bonus money from the previous deal he signed with Tampa Bay.

t-7. Kyler Murray (Cardinals): $30,000,000

Contract: 5 years, $230,500,000
Total guaranteed: $189,500,000
Click here to read more about Kyler Murray’s contract extension with the Cardinals

9. Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs):$29,450,000

Contract: 10 years, $450,000,000
Total guaranteed: $141,481,905
Click here to read more about Patrick Mahomes’ contract extension with the Chiefs

10. Ryan Tannehill (Titans): $29,000,000

Contract: 4 years, $141,481,905
Total guaranteed: $91,000,000

#Titans QB Ryan Tannehill
– '22 Cap Hit: $38.6M (1st)
– '22 Cash: $29M (16th)
– Career Earnings: $169M (16th)
Tannehill's contract holds a non guaranteed $27M in 2023, putting his Tennessee future in question.https://t.co/CbDwcS97QU
— Spotrac (@spotrac) September 19, 2022

11. Carson Wentz (Commanders): $28,294,119

Contract: 4 years, $128,000,000
Total guaranteed: $107,970,683
Click here to read more about Carson Wentz’s contract details with the Commanders

12. Jared Goff (Lions): $26,150,000

Contract: 4 years, $134,000,000
Total guaranteed: $110,042,682
Click here to read more about Jared Goff’s contract details with the Lions

13. Derek Carr (Raiders): $25,000,000

Contract: 3 years, $121,500,000
Total guaranteed: $65,277,519

14. Matt Ryan (Colts): $24,705,882

Contract: 5 years, $150,000,000
Total guaranteed: $100,000,000
Click here to read more about Matt Ryan’s contract details with the Colts

15. Lamar Jackson (Ravens): $23,016,000

Contract: 4 years, $9,471,648
Total guaranteed: $7,575,059
Click here to read more about Lamar Jackson’s contract details with the Ravens

And so Lamar Jackson and the Ravens didn’t agree to terms today, I wrote about the four possibilities that could come between today and when the two sides reconvene sometime next year.
Read more about it @boardroom #RavensFlock | #NFLTwitter | #NFL https://t.co/iDtnXB3Nrl
See Also
New England Patriots – NBC Sports Boston Troy Aikman salary breakdown: How much does ESPN announcer make under massive contract? | Sporting News Nick Saban Contract, Salary, & Buyout Breakdown Stan Van Gundy
— Avatar Randall (@randalIwilliams) September 9, 2022