The 10 highest-paid players in the National Football League
Breaking down the 10 highest-paid players in the NFL, with Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray as an honorable mention coming in at No. 11.
Brock Purdy was drafted with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers (No. 272 overall), a pick that is called “Mr. Irrelevant.”
But the former Iowa State and Arizona high school football star QB has proved to be anything but irrelevant in the NFL.
And the 49ers have now rewarded Purdy with a massive five-year, $265 million contract extension, first reported by NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
The deal reportedly has $181 million in total guarantees. Pelissero reported that $165.05 million is guaranteed in the first three years of the deal.
NFL’s highest paid players in 2025: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends | Offensive linemen | D-linemen | Cornerbacks | Safeties | Linebackers | Edge rushers | Highest paid NFL players: Overall | By position | By team
Where Brock Purdy ranks among highest-paid quarterbacks in NFL
Purdy made $3.74 million over his rookie contract.
The deal elevates Purdy to No. 7 on the list of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL in average annual salary, with Purdy’s deal putting him at $53 million, tied with the Detroit Lions’ Jared Goff.
Only the Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott, the Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow, the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen, the Green Bay Packers’ Jordan Love, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence and the Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa make more.
Not bad for a seventh-round pick.
Brock Purdy became relevant quickly with 49ers
Purdy has thrown for 9,518 yards and 64 touchdowns during his three-year NFL career. He has completed 67.5% of his passes and has had 27 passes intercepted.
In four seasons at Iowa State, Purdy threw for 12,170 yards, 81 touchdowns, with 33 passes intercepted. He completed 67.7% of his attempts.
Purdy was taken behind eight other quarterbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft: Kenny Pickett, Desmond Ridder, Malik Willis, Matt Corral, Bailey Zappe, Sam Howell, Chris Oladokun and Skylar Thompson.
He has defied lackluster projections. A CBS Sports ranking of all nine quarterbacks at the time had him as the No. 8 QB in the class, with Cody Benjamin writing: “Mr. Irrelevant won’t be threatening Trey Lance anytime soon, entering with questions about his build and athletic profile. But he’s drawn high reviews for his smarts, experience and timing-based success — all key traits for a Kyle Shanahan offense.”
Purdy is not behind any of those QBs now, on the field, or in salary.
Humble beginnings for Brock Purdy in Arizona
In just 10 games during his junior season at Perry High in Gilbert, Arizona, he passed for 3,333 yards and 42 TDs with 842 yards and six TDs rushing.
In a Player of the Year senior season in 2017, he passed for 4,405 yards and 57 TDs and ran for 1,017 yards and 10 scores, leading the Pumas to the 6A state championship game. Those passing yards and TD passes were 6A state records that still stand in Arizona.
Still, Purdy wasn’t highly recruited early. He “was everyone’s second choice,” his high school coach Preston Jones said. “He was their backup plan.”
Purdy ended up signing at Iowa State. Later, he became the first former Arizona high school QB to start the Super Bowl.
And now he has become one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL.
Nothing irrelevant about that.
Reach Jeremy Cluff at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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