After months of speculation and social media posts, the future first-ballot Hall of Famer, Aaron Rodgers, has officially signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the particulars of the deal itself remain unclear, all that matters for now is that the former Green Bay Packer will don the uniform of his former Super Bowl rival for what may be the final season of his storied career.
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The value of Rodgers’ contract with the Steelers projects to be in the range of $10 to $15 million. While that’s perfectly fine from a market standpoint, it does see the signal caller stop just shy of being the first player in NFL history to secure $400 million or more in career earnings.
With his current total career earnings resting at $380,658,010, it seems as if he’ll need to find one more contract in 2026, should he hope to bank his own bit of history.
Nevertheless, Rodgers has already outpaced the likes of his contemporaries. Both Matthew Stafford and Tom Brady, who are the next highest two earners in league history, trail him by at least $16 million in total earnings.
The aforementioned trio of Rodgers, Stafford, and Brady, in addition to Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan, are the only players to ever receive more than $300 million in career earnings. Given the current state of each and every single one of their respective careers, it’s very possible that Rodgers could retain his title as the most-paid man in football for quite some time.
Unfortunately, that honor may not come with as much cash as some fans would expect. When comparing Rodgers’ earnings to those of the NBA, the reality of the NFL’s dealings with its players immediately comes to light.
While his $380-million total might be the best in NFL history, Rodgers would barely see the top 10 with those same earnings in the NBA. Within two years, he’s projected to be passed up in earnings by Bradley Beal.
The NBA has seen a total of six different players eclipse the $400-million threshold. Two of those players, LeBron James and Kevin Durant, have both secured more than $500 million in contracts. While the disparity in pay between NBA stars and NFL quarterbacks is influenced by several factors such as international appeal and various business dealings, it’s certainly not a good look for a league that has routinely done its best to stiff players wherever they can.
Either way, should Rodgers manage to prove himself worthy of an extension by reigniting the playoff hopes of Pittsburgh, then he’ll manage to set a bar for future athletes to strive for. Not only would it further the game of football, but it would also help to cement the lasting impact that Rodgers has had on the game of football throughout the past 20 years.
Given that he’s always ensured to take care of his career first and foremost, it would be a rather fitting end to what has undoubtedly been one of the most polarizing careers in NFL history.
