Have you ever wondered how much the highest paid players in professional sports make per game? This list of 21 U.S. athletes who earn the big bucks might surprise you.
While professional baseball players like Alex Rodriguez and NBA star Kobe Bryant have contracts that pay them well over $20 million annually, the amount of money they earn per game is less than most because of the number of games they play in a season.
Therefore, a distinction has to be made between a player’s total annual salary and what they make per game, which means that baseball and basketball players earn less every time they suit up compared to NFL players.
The list was compiled using annual average salaries over the life of a player’s contract. The average annual salary was then divided by the number of games each athlete plays in their respective sport.
Endorsement income was not included and neither was the number of preseason or postseason games a player might participate in.
If you’re in the market for a new car and need a loan, these are the 21 U.S. athletes you need to call.
Incidentally, the list is in inverse order, with the highest per game salaries appearing last.
C.C. Sabathia – New York Yankees – $141,975
Joe Mauer – Minnesota Twins – $141,975
Alex Rodriguez – New York Yankees – $169,753
Rashard Lewis – Washington Wizards – $239,837
Tim Duncan – San Antonio Spurs – $243,902
Kevin Garnett – Boston Celtics – $243,902
Pau Gasol – Los Angeles Lakers – $263,008
Kobe Bryant – Los Angeles Lakers – $302,515
Adrian Petersen – Minnesota Vikings – $421,875
DeAngelo Williams – Carolina Panthers – $537,500
Kamerion Wimbley – Oakland Raiders – $600,000
Johnathan Joseph – Cincinnati Bengals – $609,375
Elvis Dumervil – Denver Broncos – $640,625
Champ Bailey – Denver Broncos – $671,875
Nnambi Asomugha – Philadelphia Eagles – $750,000
Kevin Kolb – Arizona Cardinals – $787,000
Ben Roethlisberger – Pittsburgh Steelers – $796,875
Sam Bradford – St. Louis Rams – $812,500
Ndamukong Suh – Detroit Lions – $850,000
Tom Brady – New England Patriots – $1.125 Million
Peyton Manning – Indianapolis Colts – $1.125 Million
