All eyes are on the Super Bowl as the big game approaches! And if you think the players are feeling the pressure, imagine how us fans are holding up. Between planning the ultimate Super Bowl party, whipping up endless Super Bowl snacks, and practicing our reactions for this year's Super Bowl commercials, it's safe to say the stakes feel high for everyone.
Of course, the players have a *bit* more on the line. While we'll be balancing our favorite game day foods in one hand and our excitement for the halftime show in the other, they'll be battling it out for the Vince Lombardi Trophy—and a pretty impressive cash prize to go with it. But don't worry about the losing team; they'll still walk away with something for their efforts.
So, how much do Super Bowl winners get paid? And what about the runners-up? Read on to find out exactly what’s at stake. (Besides bragging rights, of course!)
How much do players get paid for winning the Super Bowl?
The Super Bowl LIV Winners can take home a whopping $178,000, according to Article 37 in the NFL collective bargaining agreement.
This is a bit more than last year, when eligible players on the winning team received $171,000. The 2023 Super Bowl winners earned $164,000, while members of the winning team in 2022 received $157,000—so you can see it goes up a bit each year. This year's cash bonus is up more than $40,000 from 2020, when the winners of the Super Bowl each took home $130,000. (Is it too late to start a career in football?! 😂)
How much does the losing Super Bowl team get paid?
You don't really have to feel too bad for the losers here. The Super Bowl LIX losing team can take home up to $103,000 each, according to the same agreement.
Last year, the losing team earned $96,000 for each eligible player. The year before that, members of the losing team received $89,000, which is less than half the amount that the champions earned. This year's cash bonus was still up $38,000 from 2020, when the losers of the Super Bowl each took home $65,000. Not bad!
Does every player on each team get paid the full amount?
Nope! Certain players on both the winning and losing teams could see their Super Bowl pay-out cut in half, depending on their eligibility.
Players who will get the full bonus:
- Players on the team's active or inactive list when the Super Bowl is played that have been on the roster for at least three previous games (regular season or playoffs).
- Players who are not on the team's active or inactive list when the Super Bowl is played, but have been on the roster for at least eight previous games (regular season or playoffs).
- Veteran players who were injured during the regular season and removed from the team's active or inactive list, provided they are still under contract when the Super Bowl is played.
Players who will get half of the bonus:
- Players on the team's active or inactive list when the Super Bowl is played that have been on the roster for less than three previous games (regular season or playoffs).
- Players who are not on the team's active or inactive list when the Super Bowl is played, but have been on the roster for at least three and not more than seven previous games (regular season or playoffs).
- First-year players who were injured during the regular season and removed from the team's active or inactive list, provided they are still under contract when the Super Bowl is played.
That's some serious change!
How much do NFL players make in the playoffs?
Like the Super Bowl, the playoffs can see the players earning a sizable amount of money. When it comes to the money earned during the NFL playoffs, the cash is earned via a league pool. There is also a set amount rewarded after each playoff round.
For example, players and winners in the wild card round earned the following in the 2024 season:
- Division winners: $54,500
- Other wild card teams: $45,500
- Wild card byes: $45,500
Meanwhile, each of the conference champs earned $77,000.
We can see why things become so competitive now!
