NFL playoffs pay: What players will earn this postseason
Though not all 12 teams that earned a spot in this year’s NFL playoffs have played a down of football, their players’ paychecks have already been determined, thanks to the league’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
The NFL’s CBA stipulates that all players, from star quarterbacks to long-snappers, earn the same paycheck come playoff time. Paychecks become more valuable as teams advance deeper into the playoffs, culminating in an $118,000 share for members of the team that wins the Super Bowl in February.
For the NFL’s wild-card round this weekend, players on teams that won their divisions during the regular season, such as the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears, are guaranteed a $29,000 paycheck, win or lose. Wild-card teams, such as the Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks, will earn a $27,000 paycheck.
The stakes rise for teams that advance to the divisional round. Players on every team will receive an equal share of $29,000.
Players on teams that earn a conference championship are guaranteed another $54,000 payday. In the Super Bowl, players on the winning team will take home a double share of $118,000, while members of the losing team will earn $59,000.
The maximum pay any player can earn in this year’s playoffs is $230,000, for a member of a division-winning team that plays in all three preliminary rounds and wins the Super Bowl.
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A full breakdown of the postseason pay structure for this season’s NFL playoffs can be viewed below.
Wild Card Round (Division Winners): $29,000
Wild Card Round (Other Teams): $27,000
Divisional Playoff Game: $29,000
Conference Championship Game: $54,000
Super Bowl (Winning Team): $118,000
Super Bowl (Losing Team): $59,000