At the 2024 NFL Draft, when J.J. McCarthy was drafted 10th overall by the Minnesota Vikings, many expected the Michigan quarterback to make a big splash. But as it turned out, the quarterback ended up playing zero snaps. The culprit was a preseason meniscus tear that ruled him out for the whole of his rookie campaign.
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Yet somehow, McCarthy has already secured a major win from his presence last year in royalty earnings. And not just any win, but one that has fans stunned by who he beat.
As per NFLPA filings, McCarthy made a whopping $4 million in group licensing revenue — the most by any NFL player in the 2024 season. His figure tops veterans like Travis Kelce, who brought in $3.25 million. Needless to say, he left fellow rookie Jayden Daniels, the No. 2 pick in the Draft, biting the dust.
What makes this achievement even more impressive is that it’s the most earned by any player since Tom Brady’s $9.5 million windfall in 2021. That was back when his Bucs jersey dominated post-Super Bowl sales.
It’s also worth noting that McCarthy’s earnings were powered by not just merchandise — yes, jerseys — but also trading cards, video game appearances, and other NFLPA-licensed products.
In many ways, the Vikings star’s NFLPA earnings reflect his brand power, along with the influence of timing and narrative. After all, coming off winning a national title with Michigan, being drafted in a high-profile spot, and having a passionate fan base gave him the kind of commercial springboard most rookies can only dream of.
And while there’s no confirmed data yet on fellow rookie Daniels’ payout from the NFLPA, fans online couldn’t believe J.J. McCarthy — who hasn’t played a game — could be earning more than Daniels, last year’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.
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“How did he make more than Jayden Daniels?” one user wrote in disbelief. “Literally how?” chimed in another.
Others, meanwhile, expressed their awe at McCarthy clocking in $4 million despite being sidelined for the whole season. “All without starting a single NFL GAME,” wrote a fan.
This led one user to wonder how much Shedeur Sanders will end up earning next year, considering his hype, jersey sales, and never-ending media presence. “Sanders about to get a crazy pay day,” they penned.
McCarthy not just edged out other rookies. He also out-earned some of the game’s most marketable names. For context, Justin Herbert brought in $2.55 million, with Josh Allen earning $2.1 million and Christian McCaffrey getting a $2 million payout from the NFLPA. Only 21 NFL players — active or retired — earned more than $1 million from the NFLPA in 2024.
So for McCarthy, who also took home a $12.71 million signing bonus and a $795,000 base salary last season, the future seems financially secure even before he played a single regular-season snap.
