The Super Bowl's 15 highest-paid players and coaches
Cork Gaines
- The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers are set to compete in Super Bowl LVIII.
- Both teams invested heavily in their rosters, with the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes being the highest-paid player.
The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will face off Sunday in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
Both teams have been preparing for this shot at the championship all season. However, even before that, both teams handed out enormous contracts to their top players and head coaches, aiming to build rosters that could contend for a Super Bowl.
While the Chiefs have the most expensive player in the big game, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes making $45 million annually, the 49ers have the next three highest-paid players.
San Francisco has an advantage in that they have a young starting quarterback in Brock Purdy, who is making more than $44 million less than his counterpart, with a relative bargain salary of $870,000. With the NFL's strict salary cap rules, this gives his team flexibility to spend more on non-QB players.
Below, we look at the average salaries and contracts for the 13 highest-paid players in the Super Bowl and both head coaches.
Andy Reid, Chiefs — $12 million
Position: Head coach
Salary ranking at his position: 9th
Contract details: Reid is coaching in the Super Bowl for the fifth time, fourth with the Chiefs. He has led Kansas City to the championship twice. He signed his most recent extension in 2020 worth just under $12 million per season on average, according to Sportico.
Andy Reid, Chiefs — $12 million
Position: Head coach
Salary ranking at his position: 9th
Contract details: Reid is coaching in the Super Bowl for the fifth time, fourth with the Chiefs. He has led Kansas City to the championship twice. He signed his most recent extension in 2020 worth just under $12 million per season on average, according to Sportico.
Kyle Shanahan, 49ers — $14 million
Position: Head coach
Salary ranking at his position: 5th
Contract details: This is the second Super Bowl for the 49ers under Shanahan. After the first trip following the 2019 season, Shanahan was rewarded with a new six-year extension worth $14 million annually, according to Sportico. That is fifth among all coaches and the highest salary for a coach yet to win a Super Bowl.
Kyle Shanahan, 49ers — $14 million
Position: Head coach
Salary ranking at his position: 5th
Contract details: This is the second Super Bowl for the 49ers under Shanahan. After the first trip following the 2019 season, Shanahan was rewarded with a new six-year extension worth $14 million annually, according to Sportico. That is fifth among all coaches and the highest salary for a coach yet to win a Super Bowl.
Travis Kelce, Chiefs — $14 million
Position: Tight end
Salary ranking at his position: 4th
Contract details: The 34-year-old star tight end has made $77 million in 11 NFL seasons, according to Spotrac. His most recent extension was signed before the 2020 season and has him under contract through 2025. He is expected to earn nearly $30 million total over the next two seasons.
Travis Kelce, Chiefs — $14 million
Position: Tight end
Salary ranking at his position: 4th
Contract details: The 34-year-old star tight end has made $77 million in 11 NFL seasons, according to Spotrac. His most recent extension was signed before the 2020 season and has him under contract through 2025. He is expected to earn nearly $30 million total over the next two seasons.
George Kittle, 49ers — $15 million
Position: Tight end
Salary ranking at his position: 3rd
Contract details: Kittle has made nearly $49 million in seven NFL seasons. His contract was signed in 2020 and is worth $75 million through the 2025 season.
George Kittle, 49ers — $15 million
Position: Tight end
Salary ranking at his position: 3rd
Contract details: Kittle has made nearly $49 million in seven NFL seasons. His contract was signed in 2020 and is worth $75 million through the 2025 season.
Joe Thuney, Chiefs — $16 million
Position: Offenive guard
Salary ranking at his position: 8th
Contract details: Thuney has made about $68 million in eight seasons, including the last three with the Chiefs. After five years with the New England Patriots, he signed as a free agent with the Chiefs for $80 million over five years.
Joe Thuney, Chiefs — $16 million
Position: Offenive guard
Salary ranking at his position: 8th
Contract details: Thuney has made about $68 million in eight seasons, including the last three with the Chiefs. After five years with the New England Patriots, he signed as a free agent with the Chiefs for $80 million over five years.
Christian McCaffrey, 49ers — $16 million
Position: Running back
Salary ranking at his position: 1st
Contract details: McCaffrey signed a 4-year, $64 million extension with the Carolina Panthers in 2020. He and his contract were later traded to the 49ers during the 2022 season. His career earnings are over $65 million, according to Spotrac, and he is expected to make another $24 million under his contract over the next two years combined.
Christian McCaffrey, 49ers — $16 million
Position: Running back
Salary ranking at his position: 1st
Contract details: McCaffrey signed a 4-year, $64 million extension with the Carolina Panthers in 2020. He and his contract were later traded to the 49ers during the 2022 season. His career earnings are over $65 million, according to Spotrac, and he is expected to make another $24 million under his contract over the next two years combined.
Arik Armstead, 49ers — $17 million
Position: Defensive end
Salary ranking at his position: 8th
Contract details: Armstead has made over $81 million in nine seasons. He has one year remaining on his 5-year, $85 million contract.
Arik Armstead, 49ers — $17 million
Position: Defensive end
Salary ranking at his position: 8th
Contract details: Armstead has made over $81 million in nine seasons. He has one year remaining on his 5-year, $85 million contract.
Fred Warner, 49ers — $19 million
Position: Linebacker
Salary ranking at his position: 9th
Contract details: Warner is in the third season of the 5-year, $95 million contract signed in 2021. He has made $46 million in six NFL seasons.
Fred Warner, 49ers — $19 million
Position: Linebacker
Salary ranking at his position: 9th
Contract details: Warner is in the third season of the 5-year, $95 million contract signed in 2021. He has made $46 million in six NFL seasons.
Chris Jones, Chiefs — $20 million
Position: Defensive tackle
Salary ranking at his position: 8th
Contract details: Jones has played all seven of his NFL seasons with the Chiefs and earned over $90 million. Jones signed a 1-year, $19.5 million contract before this season and is projected by some NFL insiders to be the top free agent available after the Super Bowl.
Chris Jones, Chiefs — $20 million
Position: Defensive tackle
Salary ranking at his position: 8th
Contract details: Jones has played all seven of his NFL seasons with the Chiefs and earned over $90 million. Jones signed a 1-year, $19.5 million contract before this season and is projected by some NFL insiders to be the top free agent available after the Super Bowl.
Jawaan Taylor, Chiefs — $20 million
Position: Offensive tackle
Salary ranking at his position: 6th
Contract details: Taylor is in the first season of a 4-year, $80 million contract he signed before the season as a free agent. He made over $9 million combined in his first four NFL seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jawaan Taylor, Chiefs — $20 million
Position: Offensive tackle
Salary ranking at his position: 6th
Contract details: Taylor is in the first season of a 4-year, $80 million contract he signed before the season as a free agent. He made over $9 million combined in his first four NFL seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Javon Hargrave, 49ers — $21 million
Position: Defensive tackle
Salary ranking at his position: 6th
Contract details: Hargrave was signed to a 4-year, $84 million contract as a free agent before the season. He previously played seven seasons in the NFL, split between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles. This season pushed his career earnings above $68 million.
Javon Hargrave, 49ers — $21 million
Position: Defensive tackle
Salary ranking at his position: 6th
Contract details: Hargrave was signed to a 4-year, $84 million contract as a free agent before the season. He previously played seven seasons in the NFL, split between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles. This season pushed his career earnings above $68 million.
Trent Williams, 49ers — $23 million
Position: Offensive tackle
Salary ranking at his position: 3rd
Contract details: Williams is in the fourth season of a 6-year, $138 million contract. His $169 million in career earnings over 14 seasons is eighth among all active players and tops among offensive linemen. That is an incredible feat for a player who thought his career was over five years ago when he had a potentially life-threatening cancerous growth removed from his head.
Trent Williams, 49ers — $23 million
Position: Offensive tackle
Salary ranking at his position: 3rd
Contract details: Williams is in the fourth season of a 6-year, $138 million contract. His $169 million in career earnings over 14 seasons is eighth among all active players and tops among offensive linemen. That is an incredible feat for a player who thought his career was over five years ago when he had a potentially life-threatening cancerous growth removed from his head.
Deebo Samuel, 49ers — $24 million
Position: Wide receiver
Salary ranking at his position: 7th
Contract details: The 28-year-old Samuel signed a 3-year, $72 million contract before the 2022 season. His $43 million in career earnings over five seasons is expected to nearly double over the next two years.
Deebo Samuel, 49ers — $24 million
Position: Wide receiver
Salary ranking at his position: 7th
Contract details: The 28-year-old Samuel signed a 3-year, $72 million contract before the 2022 season. His $43 million in career earnings over five seasons is expected to nearly double over the next two years.
Nick Bosa, 49ers — $34 million
Position: Edge
Salary ranking at his position: 1st
Contract details: Bosa held out before the season and eventually signed a new 5-year, $170 million contract on the eve of Week 1. It is the largest NFL contract ever for a defensive player. The 26-year-old has already earned $85 million in five seasons, with most coming from a $50 million signing bonus attached to the new contract.
Nick Bosa, 49ers — $34 million
Position: Edge
Salary ranking at his position: 1st
Contract details: Bosa held out before the season and eventually signed a new 5-year, $170 million contract on the eve of Week 1. It is the largest NFL contract ever for a defensive player. The 26-year-old has already earned $85 million in five seasons, with most coming from a $50 million signing bonus attached to the new contract.
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs — $45 million
Position: QB
Salary ranking at his position: 8th
Contact details: Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450 million contract before the 2020 season that could be worth up to $503 million. At the time, it was the largest contract in North American sports history. He has already earned $136 million in seven NFL seasons and is still considered one of the top bargains in the league.
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs — $45 million
Position: QB
Salary ranking at his position: 8th
Contact details: Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450 million contract before the 2020 season that could be worth up to $503 million. At the time, it was the largest contract in North American sports history. He has already earned $136 million in seven NFL seasons and is still considered one of the top bargains in the league.
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