Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just became the richest player in NBA history by annual salary with the super max extension he signed Tuesday. But how does it compare to some of the top contracts in the NFL?
By total value, Gilgeous-Alexander’s $285 million contract would rank third of all active NFL players right now. Only Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen have signed bigger deals by total value.
However, the fact that Gilgeous-Alexander’s deal is for four years – not 10 like Mahomes’ or six like Allen’s – means the average annual value of his salary exceeds that of any NFL player.
USA TODAY Sports has compiled the top-10 NFL contracts by total value and average annual value to show how they compare to that of the NBA’s new leader in average annual value:
How SGA contract compares to NFL contract total value leaders
Here are the top NFL contracts by total value and where Gilgeous-Alexander’s new contract extension would rank if he were an NFL player:
1. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs: $450 million
2. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills: $330 million
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G, Oklahoma City Thunder: $285 million
T-4. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals: $270 million
T-4. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars: $270 million
6. Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers: $265 million
7. Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers: $262.5 million
8. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens: $260 million
9. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles: $255 million
10. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys: $240 million
SGA contract compared to NFL average annual value leaders
Here are the top NFL contracts by average annual value and where Gilgeous-Alexander would rank if he were an NFL player:
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G, Oklahoma City Thunder: $71.25 million/year
2. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys: $60 million/year
T-3. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills: $55 million/year
T-3. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals: $55 million/year
T-3. Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers: $55 million/year
T-3. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars: $55 million/year
7. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins: $53.1 million/year
T-8. Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions: $53 million/year
T-8. Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers: $53 million/year
10. Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers: $52.5 million/year