The Largest Contract for Each NFL Team

Michael Ginnitti
Michael Ginnitti, Managing Editor & NFL/MLB ExpertMay 22, 2020
© USA TODAY Sports

A look at which player from each NFL franchise holds the title of largest total value contract in team history.

 

Team Player POS New $
Contract Value		 Result
ARI Larry Fitzgerald WR $113,000,000 Played out 3 of the 7 new years, earning $58.5M over that span. He was extended again in 2015 for cap purposes.
ATL Matt Ryan QB $150,000,000 The deal pays $169M over 6 years, through 2023. Ryan has earned $74M thus far, with another $20.5M guaranteed in 2020.
BAL Joe Flacco QB $120,600,000 Flacco actually owns Baltimore's Top 2 contracts. He earned $62M of the $120.6M deal, then restructured into an additional 3 years, $66.4M extension, of which he earned $80.5M more.
BUF Marcell Dareus DT $96,574,118 The Bills extending Dareus prior to his 5th-year option, then paid him $42.7M over the next 2 1/2 seasons, before miraculously trading him to the Jaguars. Dareus would earn another $16M of this contract from JAX.
CAR Cam Newton QB $103,800,000 Carolina extended Cam prior to his 5th-year option, then paid him $99M over the next 5 seasons. They released him this March, forgoing the remaining $19.1M.
CHI Khalil Mack OLB $141,000,000 Chicago gave up 2 1st round picks & then some for the chance to pay Mack $155M over 7 total seasons. He's earned $56.5M to date, with another $17.2M fully guaranteed in 2020.
CIN Carson Palmer QB $97,000,000 After completing just two years of his rookie contract, the Bengals extended Palmer to 6 new years, totalling 10. He played 6 more before demanding his way out of Cincy.
CLE Joe Thomas LT $80,500,000 After cashing in over $38M on his rookie contract, Thomas tacked on 7 new years, reeling in over $84M more. He's still the highest earning OL in history
DAL Tony Romo QB $108,000,000 Romo's 5th contract in Dallas added 6 new years, but he only saw 3 (earning $54M). It was a remarkable career for a UDFA.
DEN Von Miller OLB $114,100,000 Miller replaced a franchise tag with 6 new years. He's pulled in $78.5M from this deal to date, with another $18M to be earned in 2020.
DET Matthew Stafford QB $135,000,000 Stafford added 5 new years to his sophomore contract back in 2017, earning over $83M of new money already. He's due another $8.3M in 2020.
GB Aaron Rodgers QB $134,000,000 Rodgers holds the top 2 contracts in GB history. His latest added 4 years to his previous extension, totalling $176M over 6 years.
HOU J.J. Watt DE $100,005,425

For a minute, Watt stands as the only Texans player to reach the $100M mark. Houston extended Watt after 3 years on his rookie deal, & have now paid him out $75M over the past 5 seasons.
IND Andrew Luck QB $122,970,000 Luck is the only Colts player to eclipse $100M. Indy extended him prior to his 5th-year option, tacking on 5 new years. He reeled in $75M, then promptly retired.
JAC Nick Foles QB $88,000,000 The Jaguars largest contract in history is also one of their worst. Foles was paid $30.5M for 1 year of work under this deal, before being shipped to Chicago.
KC Frank Clark DE $104,000,000 Clarks' deal slightly outpaced Justin Houston's, cancelling a franchise tag offer in 2019. He'll see $62M of it through 2021, with options thereafter.
LVR/OAK Derek Carr QB $125,000,000 Carr holds the only $100M+ deal in Raiders history, of which he's earned $67M.It seems likely he'll earn another $19M in 2020, with options thereafter.
LAC/SD Philip Rivers QB $91,800,000 Rivers' last two extensions ($91.8M, $83.25M) are the highest in Chargers history. He earned $82.55M on the first, & the full $99M on the latter.
LAR/STL Aaron Donald DT $135,000,000 Donald's deal eclipses Goff's by $1M, with nearly $87M locked in through 2021, at which point the All-Pro will be just 30 years old. There's another mega deal forthcoming.
MIA Ndamukong Suh DT $114,375,000 The next highest Dolphins deal was signed this March (Byron Jones, $82.5M). Miami guaranteed Suh $60M at signing, and that's exactly what he made on this deal before a brisk release in March of 2018.
MIN Adrian Peterson RB $86,280,000 Minnesota extended AP after 4 seasons on his rookie deal, locking him in to $36M guaranteed. Despite injuries & off field incidents, AP reeled in $75M of a potential $95M full value.
NE Drew Bledsoe QB $103,000,000 This deal is $31M more than the next highest contract in Pats history (Brady, $72M). Speaking of, Brady entered the fold a few months after Bledsoe signed this deal. NE paid him $11.4M for one year, then traded him to division rival Buffalo, who paid him out just $19M more.
NO Drew Brees QB $100,000,000 Brees' second contract in NO paid him $40M in year one, and $80M total through 4 seasons. He's been extended 3 more times since.
NYG Eli Manning QB $97,500,000 The Giants have never penned a contract north of $100M, though Eli came close in 2010. He saw $82M of it before another extension was awarded.
NYJ Muhammad Wilkerson DT $86,000,000 Wilkerson's extension replaced a franchise tag in 2016. He reeled in $37M of it over 2 years before being outright released.
PHI Carson Wentz QB $128,000,000 The Eagles extended Wentz as soon as possible, after 3 years of his rookie contract. Instead of $26M over the past two seasons, Wentz will see $56M, with $82M locked in through 2021. He has a chance to make $157M through 2024.
PIT Ben Roethlisberger QB $87,986,500 Bens's last three contracts are the Steelers' Top 3 of all-time. His sophomore extension replaced two years of his rookie deal, totalling $100M over 8 years. Roethlisberger saw $85.5M of it before another deal kicked in.
SF Jimmy Garoppolo QB $137,500,000 3 months after being acquired by SF, Garoppolo locked in a deal that secure him $42M in year 1, and $86M through 2020. He'll have veritiable options thereafter.
SEA Russell Wilson QB $140,000,000 Wilson's last two deals are the Seahawks' highest with the latter guaranteeing him $107M through 2021.
TB Darrelle Revis CB $96,000,000 Noone maximized contracts like Revis, who demanded a new contract from TB after the Jets shipped him there. Unfortunately, he only saw $16M of this deal, and was released 11 months later.
TEN Ryan Tannehill QB $118,000,000 Tannehill's extension eclipsed Steve McNair's deal back in 2004, and will guarantee him $62M thru 2021, & a very likely $91M thru 2022.
WAS Albert Haynesworth DT $100,000,000 The Redskins signed Haynesworth away from Tennessee in 2009, and almost immediately regretted it. After an $11M payment in 2009, Washington restructured the deal to carry a $25.6M cap hit in 2010 (an uncapped year). They traded him to NE a few months later for a late round pick. Albert earned a total of $36M on this deal.

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