The Mind-Boggling Salaries of NFL Players

The NFL playoffs are here and I can't wait. What about you? If your a Giants or Jets fan, I already know your answer. Good luck to Buffalo and let's go Commanders. So have you ever wondered how much NFL stars make per game?

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A recent study by sports data experts Lineups is letting us know all about it and it makes your average nine-to-five wage look like spare change. Taking the top spot is none other than Kyler Murray, the Arizona Cardinals quarterback, who rakes in  $2,889,305 per game.

Matthew Stafford, Dak Prescott, and Josh Allen are hot on his heels, earning $2,715,686, $2,551,920, and $1,785,664 per game, respectively. That's a lot but I wouldn't fret too much because on average, NFL athletes are bringing in over $150,000 for every game played.

So, how did we get these numbers? The study looked at the average yearly salaries of NFL players and divided it by the number of regular season games (17 this year), and included top-tier players, reserves, and even those on the practice squad.

The top dogs earning the most per game include Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Cooper Kupp. But what do these figures really mean?  According to FiveThirtyEight, the average NFL game lasts about three hours and 23 minutes. Kyler Murray would only need to play for only four minutes and 41 seconds to match the annual salary of your everyday American worker.

With the average NFL player earning over $2.5 million per year, that’s $152,765 for each game during the regular season. In fact, the average NFL athlete would only need to play for less than 90 minutes to match the annual earnings of your typical American worker.

So there you have it. The wallet-widening world of NFL player salaries, where big numbers aren’t just on the scoreboard, but also in the bank. But to be fair, the average NFL career is just over 3 years (3.3), so it's good that they can get it while they can.