It was only 22 months ago that Lamar Jackson signed a five-year contract worth $260 million, which consisted of $185 million guaranteed and a $72.5 million signing bonus.
That averaged an annual salary of $52 million, making the Baltimore Ravens franchise quarterback the highest-paid NFL player of all time. That status was very short-lived, though, as Jackson’s average annual wages have been surpassed a few times since.
However, it was still surprising that Jackson didn’t make it to Sportico’s list of the 100 highest-paid athletes.
It lists the 100 top-earning athletes in all sports by salary plus endorsement income. No Ravens member made the cut, but that’s due to how Jackson’s contract is structured. It’s heavily backloaded, and the two-time NFL MVP is set to make $51,250,000 in 2026 and 2027, according to Spotrac.
That number would place him 46th on this year’s list- between James Harden of the L.A. Clippers and Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was the highest NFL earner, coming in 12th at $100.4 million.
Soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo claimed the top overall spot, with his take-home pay of $260 million ($215m in salary, $45m in endorsements)