What Is the Average Income of NFL Players?
Players in the National Football League have the potential to become rich--very, very rich. Since the average NFL salary first broke the $1 million mark in 2001, contracts have continued to skyrocket as lucrative contracts for stars such as San Diego Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning continue to drive player price tags skyward. According to a story by USA Today's Jarrett Bell, the average salary in 2009 topped out at $1.896 million a year, while the median salary came in at $790,000 a year. The gaudy seven-figure average can be misleading, however, as the salary of NFL players varies greatly due to a number of factors.
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Position
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Due to varying levels of demand, player salaries can vary greatly according to position on the football field. For example, according to Sports Illustrated, quarterbacks earned an average of $1.971 million a year in 2009 due, in part, to their importance on the field as leaders and the specialized skills it takes to play the position successfully. Punters and kickers, on the other hand, who arguably play one of the smallest roles on a team, earn an average of just $868,005 a year. In fact, three of the top four earners in 2009 were quarterbacks, with Rivers taking the top spot after earning $25.557 million. The highest-earning kicker, meanwhile, was Raiders punter Shane Lechler. He took in $6.402 million in 2009.
Skill/Potential
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While it may seem obvious, a player's skill also plays a large role in the salary he earns. Jarrett illustrates this in his analysis of player salaries, pointing out that, of the 118 players selected to the Pro Bowl last season, 15 of them averaged more than $10 million in 2009, while over half averaged at least $4 million. Players, more specifically rookie draft picks, can also earn large salaries due to the raw skill and potential they bring to the table. For instance, Detroit Lions rookie and first-overall draft pick Matthew Stafford hauled in $3.1 million in 2009 despite entering the season never having taken a snap as a pro player, according to USA Today.
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League Minimum
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While the salaries of some of the game's more notable names are impressive, most NFL players will never see that kind of money in one year. Of course, that doesn't mean they don't earn a nice living. According to the NFL Players Association's Collective Bargaining Agreement with the league, all players must be paid a minimum salary. That number increases with experience in the league. In 2009, all players with no experience earned at least $310,000 in 2009, while all players with more than 10 years of experience made at least $845,000.
Other Factors
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Some more nuanced items also go into determining each individual player's salary. Things like the salary cap, a team's need for a certain player or position or the contracts of other similar players can all drive the price of salaries up and down. For example, a player will often try to demand a similar salary to another player of similar skill who was just signed to a large contract. A one team may also pay more money to a wide receiver than normal if skill at that position is desperately needed.
Justification
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Even earning just the league minimum, NFL players earn a salary far above what is offered by the majority of other jobs. While playing in the NFL may be a good way to make money, the competition is fierce. According to the NFLPA, just 215 of 100,000 high school football players (0.2 percent) will make NFL rosters at some point in their lives. Thus, the justification for a high-level compensation often revolves around the level of commitment and difficulty to make it in the league.
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