The Highest Annual Salaries in American Professional Sports in 2023
Sports entertainment has a price, and the four major North American sports have made plenty of athletes very wealthy.
During the respective 2023 seasons in the NBA and NFL, eight players hold contracts with average salaries north of $50 million.
MLB and NHL numbers are considered but fall below the mark. Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer share the MLB's top annual mark at $43.3 million, while Nathan MacKinnon is the NHL leader at $12.6 million.
Looking ahead to 2024, newly signed Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani may hold the No. 1 spot thanks to his average $70 million deal. (Of course, since 97 percent is deferred for a decade, maybe that's more a conversation in 2034, anyway.)
All contract data is from Spotrac.
Soccer (world football) players and golfers are not included, though the influx of money from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund have significantly altered the context of both sports.
Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns
1 of 8
Annual average: $50.2 million
For the first 11 years of his career, Bradley Beal played a leading role for the Washington Wizards. This offseason, though, a blockbuster trade shipped the veteran guard to the Phoenix Suns.
And his contract is a notable part of that.
Beal is currently in the second season of a five-year, $251 million extension he signed in July 2022. Between his recent injury woes and Washington's overall struggles lately, the franchise basically shed his contract to the Suns while embracing a difficult rebuild.
Phoenix, on the other hand, paired Beal with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in hopes of chasing an NBA title.
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
2 of 8
Annual average: $51 million
Not a bad deal for a system quarterback, huh?
Quick technicality: Jalen Hurts' contract doesn't formally kick in until 2024, relative to term. Because of NFL salary-cap rules, the deal is already influencing his earnings. It's a common trend you'll see.
Since taking over as the Philadelphia Eagles' starter in 2021, he's developed into a star. Hurts guided the Eagles to the playoffs in his QB1 debut before helping them reach the Super Bowl in 2022—a season in which he finished as the MVP runner-up.
Following that campaign, Hurts signed a five-year, $255 million extension that briefly stood as the NFL's highest-ever annual salary.
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
3 of 8
Annual average: $52 million
Ten days after Hurts signed his extension, Lamar Jackson swiped the annual value record—and, once again, very temporarily owned the mark.
Jackson, who represents himself in negotiations, inked a five-year, $260 million agreement with the Baltimore Ravens. He secured $135 million of guaranteed money, including a hefty $72.5 million signing bonus.
Baltimore has been a perennial playoff contender in five-plus seasons with Jackson, one of the most electric dual-threat quarterbacks ever. He won the league MVP in 2019.
Jackson's contract runs through 2027.
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Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
4 of 8
Annual average: $52.5 million
The trend continues with Justin Herbert.
Jackson's mark lasted for three months until Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers worked out a five-year, $262.5 million pact.
The term of his extension starts in 2025, but—like Hurts and one QB to come—the contract increased Herbert's salary immediately in 2023. His yearly cash jumped from $4.2 million to $17.1 million.
Herbert, the 2020 AP Rookie of the Year, has consistently been among the NFL's most productive quarterbacks. That hasn't always led to success; Los Angeles made the playoffs in 2022 and endured a historic collapse to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The team's disappointing 2023 campaign led to the firing of head coach Brandon Staley, too.
No matter how the Chargers decide to approach the future, though, they'll be building around Herbert.
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
5 of 8
Annual average: $53.3 million
Fortunately for Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers, his miserable injury run during his first three seasons is in the past.
Yes, I knocked on wood, Sixers fans.
Philly took a calculated risk in 2017, signing Embiid to a five-year deal worth $147.7 million—despite him having a mere 31 appearances to that point. The decision paid off incredibly well; he's since been a five-time All-NBA player, three-time All-Defensive Team selection and earned last season's league MVP.
Before the 2021 season, Embiid agreed to a four-year, $213.2 million supermax extension that kicked in this year.
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
6 of 8
Annual average: $53.8 million
Perhaps the single-most impactful part of the Golden State Warriors' dynasty is they had Stephen Curry on a four-year, $44 million contract from 2013-14 to 2016-17. That inexpensive deal played a key role in the Dubs having the space to add Kevin Durant in 2016.
Two championships later, however, the legendary long-range shooter rightfully became a very expensive player. Twice.
Curry recently completed a five-year, $201.2 million agreement that included his third and fourth championships. That contract ended in the summer of 2022, when he signed a four-year extension for $215.4 million.
As of 2023-24, the only players with higher career earnings than Curry's $354.7 million are LeBron James, Durant and Chris Paul.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
7 of 8
Annual average: $55 million
Herbert had a six-week reign. At least for now, Joe Burrow holds the single-largest annual value in NFL history.
The first overall pick of the 2020 draft, Burrow has quickly elevated the Cincinnati Bengals into a Super Bowl contender. He took the franchise to the biggest stage during the 2021 season, and the Bengals made the AFC Championship Game in 2022.
Cincinnati has traditionally been a cost-conscious—and occasionally straight-up cheap—franchise. Burrow became an exception to the relative rule, landing a five-year, $275 million deal with $219 million guaranteed.
Injuries hampered him in 2023, but Burrow will return in 2024 as one of the NFL's most respected quarterbacks.
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
8 of 8
Annual average: $55.2 million
Nikola Jokić, the most unassuming superstar, plays a slow-paced and devastating brand of basketball.
A second-round pick of the Denver Nuggets in 2014, he debuted the following year and rapidly showed off his versatility. In 2018, Jokić signed a five-year, $147.7 million extension that proved to be an absolute bargain.
Jokić collected five All-NBA honors, two MVPs, one Finals MVP and one championship during those five seasons. He averaged a ridiculous 23.5 points, 11.4 rebounds and 8.0 assists along the way.
In the summer of 2023, Jokic signed a record-breaking $276.2 million contract for the next five seasons.
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