Winning the Super Bowl is supposed to be the ultimate reward in football. Glory. Legacy. Financial security. For Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks, Super Bowl LX delivered all of that on the field with a 29–13 win over the New England Patriots. Off the field, though, Darnold’s financial “victory” came with an unexpected twist.
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Despite earning a $178,000 bonus for winning the championship, Darnold actually ended up losing money on the game itself once California taxes were applied. And according to former MVP Cam Newton, that reality is far more common, and more dangerous, than most fans realize.
Playoff games, including the Super Bowl, are not part of a player’s base salary. The money players earn during the postseason is separate from their contracts. It is considered bonus income, paid on top of what they already make for the regular season.
“In the playoffs, that’s extra,” Newton explained. “That’s not part of your base salary. Anything postseason is extra.”
For Super Bowl LX, every player on the winning team received $178,000 from the league. On paper, that sounds like a massive reward. In reality, for star players with high salaries, it is relatively modest — and in certain states, it can quickly disappear.
Because the Super Bowl was played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, Darnold became subject to the state’s so-called “jock tax.” This tax applies to professional athletes who earn income while working in California, even if they do not live there.
The state calculates taxes based on “duty days,” which include practices, walkthroughs, media sessions, and game day. For Super Bowl week, the Seahawks spent roughly seven to eight days in California, all of which counted as taxable workdays.
Those duty days triggered California’s high income tax rate, which can reach more than 13 percent for top earners. When applied to Darnold’s salary and bonus, the result was a staggering bill.
According to estimates discussed publicly:
Darnold’s Super Bowl bonus: about $178,000
Estimated California tax bill: about $249,000
In other words, Darnold paid roughly $71,000 more in taxes than he earned from the Super Bowl bonus itself.
“That’s just stupid,” Newton said bluntly while reacting to the numbers.
And that figure may actually be conservative. Newton pointed out that because Seattle plays multiple road games in California every season, against teams like San Francisco and the Rams, Darnold likely accumulated even more taxable duty days throughout the year. When those are added together, the final tax burden could be even higher.
To fans, it may sound absurd that a Super Bowl MVP could “lose money” after winning a championship. But Newton says this is exactly how athletes get caught off guard.
“You get your money first, and then them taxes roll around,” he said. “So you think you’re good. Then you got to pay it back.”
Unlike regular employees who have taxes withheld consistently, athletes often receive large lump-sum payments throughout the year. That can create the illusion of endless wealth. Until tax season arrives.
Newton explained that players are hit from every angle: federal tax, state tax, income tax, duty-day tax, and sometimes local taxes. For high earners, those combined rates can push well beyond 40 percent.
“You’re taxed at the one percent level,” he said. “State tax, federal tax, duty tax. It’s tough.”
The danger, Newton warned, is that many young players spend their money as soon as it arrives. Luxury cars, designer clothes, jewelry, and massive homes are purchased before taxes are settled. When the bill finally comes due, the cash is gone.
“That money ain’t yours,” Newton said. “They give it to you first. Then they come get it.”
In Darnold’s case, this does not mean he is in financial trouble. He is still extremely wealthy. He signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract in 2025 and earns more than $30 million per season. Over the full year, the Super Bowl tax barely dents his overall income.
But when isolated to the championship bonus itself, the math is eye-opening. The game that crowned him a champion technically cost him money.
This is why some former players, including Boomer Esiason, have argued that California should not host Super Bowls as frequently. From a financial standpoint, high-tax states reduce the real value of postseason earnings, especially for visiting players.
It also highlights a deeper issue in the NFL’s pay structure. While the league generates billions from the Super Bowl, players receive a relatively small share of that revenue through bonuses. For stars like Darnold, the $178,000 payout is tiny compared to their normal game checks. For lower-paid players, it matters much more, and losing a large chunk to taxes can hurt significantly.
