Who are the highest-paid NFL players ever?

It is no secret that the quarterback position is the most important position in football, given their decision-making, skill complexity, and overall view of the field, forced to read both offenses & defenses at the exact same time. This is why quarterbacks are the highest-paid players in the NFL, a prelude that you must understand before we delve into our list of highest-paid NFL players ever.

Equally, all the players on our list are white men, a fact we feel like we must say given that the NFL is a diversity-filled league with many different ethnicities being represented. Luckily, we’re starting to see more and more players of different colors take on the quarterback position, such as Jameis Winston, Trey Lance, and Patrick Mahomes, guaranteeing this list shall change and evolve in the very near future.

Well, now that we’ve avoided getting canceled hopefully, here is our list of the top paid NFL players of all time.

Ben Roethlisberger

“Big Ben” Roethlisberger has certainly had an impressive NFL career, capped with two Super Bowl Championships as well as making six Pro Bowl appearances. In that time, Roethlisberger has done a rare thing in professional sports, and that’s play with one team throughout the duration of a career. Of course, we’re referring to the eighteen seasons Big Ben has played with the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

In that long career, Roethlisberger has made just over $253 million dollars according to Insider, which might best explain why Big Ben has taken seasons off in terms of sticking with an offseason workout regime, seemingly coming into multiple seasons out of shape and content with his fat wallet. However, can we blame him?

Tom Brady

It is estimated that Tom “the G.O.A.T.” Brady has made a whopping $263 million during his time playing QB in the NFL according to Insider, which is impressive given Brady’s history of reworking his own contract below his deserved earnings in order to help New England afford complementary pieces to fit around him, leaving an estimated $60 million on the table throughout the years.

However, even with a current salary of $30 million dollars, we must also remember that Tom Brady also makes roughly $6 million in endorsements, having contracts with UGG, Under Armour, Tag Heuer, Shields, Intel, and others, including the recent and cheesy Subway commercials. 

Equally, Tom Brady also just so happens to be married to Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen, who has a net worth of $400 million, so that surely helps when deciding whether or not to shop for groceries at Costco or Whole Foods. 

Drew Brees

Drew Brees, who started off his career with the San Diego Chargers before ultimately carving out his Hall of Fame legacy with the New Orleans Saints, made a total of $269.7 during his time playing quarterback, a career which lasted for twenty seasons and even featured one Super Bowl win before deciding to retire after the 2020-2021 season, which saw him lose to Tom Brady in the NFC semi-round. 

Brees, for now, is the undisputed highest-paid player in NFL history, according to Insider. After retiring after a disappointing exit last post-season to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brees immediately signed a deal to become a color commentator for NBC sports, a tactic that has worked well for fellow former NFL QBs such as Tony Romo and Troy Aikman. 

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Are there any names that you’re surprised are not on this list of the NFL’s highest-paid players? Who do you think belongs on this list? Are you shocked that Drew Brees is the NFL’’s highest-paid player of all time according to Insider? Comment below and let us know your thoughts!