JJ McCarthy, Peyton Manning, Travis Kelce Among NFLPA's Top Licensing Payouts

Minnesota Vikings rookie JJ McCarthy didn't play during his rookie season after tearing his right meniscus, but he won't be hurting from a financial perspective.

According to Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico, McCarthy led all players with $4 million earned through NFLPA group licensing deals during the 2024 season. Per that report, group licensing deals are "negotiated by the NFLPA for multiple players, encompassing jerseys, trading cards, video games and other categories."

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce ranked second last season with $3.25 million in group licensing deal earnings, followed by Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert ($2.55 million), retired quarterback Peyton Manning ($2.2 million), reigning MVP Josh Allen ($2.1 million), San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey ($2 million) and McCarthy's teammate, Justin Jefferson ($1.7 million).

Clearly, fans are excited to see McCarthy in action, and he has the inside track to be the starter this season after Sam Darnold signed with the Seattle Seahawks. A big 2025 campaign could see McCarthy return near the top of this list.