How many NFL stars are in top 100 highest paid athletes list: Travis Kelce leads just six non-QBs

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21 NFL stars made Sportico’s 2025 highest-paid athletes list, as Travis Kelce leads just six non-quarterbacks among the top earners.

The NFL remains a financial powerhouse in global sport, with 21 players featuring in Sportico’s 2025 list of the world’s 100 highest-paid athletes.

The figures reinforce the league’s earning hierarchy, where quarterbacks dominate the top positions — but a select few players outside that role have built immense value both on and off the field.

NFL players in the 2025 highest-paid athletes list

According to Sportico’s global rankings, NFL players combined to earn well over $900 million in 2025. Patrick Mahomes once again leads all NFL names, but Travis Kelce headlines the group of non-quarterbacks breaking through football’s financial ceiling.

Here’s the full list of NFL players who made Sportico’s 2025 Top 100 Highest-Paid Athletes:

• Patrick Mahomes — 17th — $80.3 million — Kansas City Chiefs
• Josh Allen — 19th — $73.2 million — Buffalo Bills
• Justin Herbert — 20th — $71.1 million — Los Angeles Chargers
• Dak Prescott — 35th — $57.8 million — Dallas Cowboys
• Tua Tagovailoa — 43rd — $54 million — Miami Dolphins
• Brock Purdy — 50th — $50.1 million — San Francisco 49ers
• Travis Kelce — 54th — $49.6 million — Kansas City Chiefs
• Micah Parsons — 55th — $49.3 million — Green Bay Packers
• Jalen Hurts — 57th — $48.9 million — Philadelphia Eagles
• Matthew Stafford — 58th — $48.1 million — Los Angeles Rams
• Trevor Lawrence — 59th — $48 million — Jacksonville Jaguars
• Deshaun Watson — 66th — $46.8 million — Cleveland Browns
• Lamar Jackson — 67th — $46.4 million — Baltimore Ravens
• T.J. Watt — 68th — $46.1 million — Pittsburgh Steelers
• Ja’Marr Chase — 71st — $44.4 million — Cincinnati Bengals
• Geno Smith — 78th — $41.5 million — Las Vegas Raiders
• Justin Jefferson — 86th (T) — $39.5 million — Minnesota Vikings
• Sam Darnold — 86th (T) — $39.5 million — Seattle Seahawks
• Baker Mayfield — 90th — $39.4 million — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Rashawn Slater — 94th — $38.1 million — Los Angeles Chargers
• Cam Ward — 96th — $38 million — Tennessee Titans

Quarterbacks dominate once again, with 15 of the 21 NFL representatives playing under center. Patrick Mahomes headlines the group with $80.3 million in earnings, followed closely by Josh Allen and Justin Herbert, both of whom surpassed $70 million for the year.

Outside of the quarterback ranks, Travis Kelce remains the highest-paid non-QB, earning $49.6 million through a mix of on-field success and commercial reach.

He leads a select group of six non-quarterbacks who made the 2025 list, proving that elite positional play can rival football’s biggest earners.

Six non-quarterbacks break into the top 100

The six non-QBs who appeared in Sportico’s Top 100 are:

• Travis Kelce — 54th — $49.6 million — Kansas City Chiefs
• Micah Parsons — 55th — $49.3 million — Green Bay Packers
• T.J. Watt — 68th — $46.1 million — Pittsburgh Steelers
• Ja’Marr Chase — 71st — $44.4 million — Cincinnati Bengals
• Justin Jefferson — 86th (T) — $39.5 million — Minnesota Vikings
• Rashawn Slater — 94th — $38.1 million — Los Angeles Chargers

Travis Kelce continues to set the standard for tight ends, while Parsons and Watt lead the defensive field through dominant play and growing endorsement value.

Wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson highlight the new commercial appeal of skill positions, while Rashawn Slater’s inclusion reflects the growing financial recognition of elite offensive linemen.

Although quarterbacks remain the sport’s most lucrative position, the presence of six non-QBs in the global top 100 proves that standout talent across positions now commands global recognition — and paydays to match.

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