How Much Do Professional Quarterbacks Make Per Hour?
Branson Kendall
Jan 26, 2022
We all know that many professional athletes live a life of luxury, but how much do they actually make for their time?
On average, each quarterback only plays roughly 11 minutes per game. With each team playing 17 games in a regular season, that’s often just a little over three hours per year of game time for thousands, if not millions, of dollars. Sign us up!
For the second year in a row, the All Home Connections team looked at NFL data to find out how much the top quarterbacks in the league made per minute of game time in 2020—and the results may have you wishing you threw on a set of shoulder pads at a young age.
Methodology
To find the salary breakdown, we calculated the estimated total time played for every professional first-string quarterback for each NFL football team in the 2020 season. We calculated their number of total snaps in the regular season and playoff games and multiplied that by their offense’s average seconds per play. We then divided this by their 2020 earnings to find out how much they made per hour of playing time, which was used to find the per minute rate.
Note: Our data is based on the 2020 NFL rosters. Due to the nature of NFL transactions, select quarterbacks may have switched teams since the data was pulled.
Top 25 Highest Paid NFL Quarterbacks
Additional Salary Facts, Figures, and Statistics
- Although Tom Brady is considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, he lands on our list at #21 for income per minute of playing time. He may not be pulling in the most per minute, but he still stands strong as the top NFL earner of all time with pay totaling over $291 million across 22 seasons.
- Jacoby Brissett was the highest ranked quarterback per minute of playing time—after playing only 22 minutes and 20 seconds in 2020, he averaged $956,975 per minute.
- Russell Wilson is the highest paid quarterback on our list, bringing in $31 million in 2020. For his just over eight hours of game time, he made over $3.7 million per hour.
- Last on our list is Joe Burrow at $1,848 per minute. Though he may be in last place, he still pulled in $610,000 in 2020—more than seven times the annual household income of $79,900.
Aaron Rodgers played the most of any NFL quarterback in 2020 with 8 hours and 47 minutes of game time. His 2020 annual income levels out to $41,024 per minute.
First-String NFL Quarterback Wages per Minute of Game Time in 2020
Player | Team | Total Snaps (2.0) | Total Season Play Time (HH:MM:SS) | Team Seconds per Play | 2020 Earnings | Dollars per Minute of Play Time | Dollars per Hour of Play Time | Rank (Highest Paid per Minute of Play Time) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aaron Rodgers | GB | Green Bay Packers | 1018 | 8:47:30 | 31.09 | $21,642,000 | $41,028 | $2,461,679 | 31 |
Alex Smith | WAS | Washington Football Team | 459 | 3:22:53 | 26.52 | $21,400,000 | $105,482 | $6,328,927 | 11 |
Andy Dalton | DAL | Dallas Cowboys | 619 | 4:03:22 | 23.59 | $3,000,000 | $12,327 | $739,614 | 57 |
Baker Mayfield | CLE | Cleveland Browns | 1046 | 8:15:06 | 28.4 | $9,003,540 | $18,185 | $1,091,103 | 50 |
Ben DiNucci | DAL | Dallas Cowboys | 94 | 0:36:57 | 23.59 | $633,787 | $17,149 | $1,028,940 | 52 |
Ben Roethlisberger | PIT | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1010 | 7:46:37 | 27.72 | $23,750,000 | $50,898 | $3,053,877 | 24 |
Blaine Gabbert | TB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 49 | 0:21:38 | 26.49 | $887,500 | $41,024 | $2,461,460 | 32 |
Brandon Allen | CIN | Cincinnati Bengals | 277 | 2:08:57 | 27.93 | $339,703 | $2,635 | $158,071 | 71 |
Brett Rypien | DEN | Denver Broncos | 83 | 0:36:09 | 26.13 | $595,590 | $16,477 | $988,627 | 53 |
Brian Hoyer | NE | New England Patriots | 50 | 0:24:02 | 28.83 | $750,000 | $31,217 | $1,873,049 | 38 |
C.J. Beathard | SF | San Francisco 49ers | 186 | 1:25:56 | 27.72 | $1,122,751 | $13,066 | $783,935 | 56 |
Cam Newton | NE | New England Patriots | 876 | 7:00:55 | 28.83 | $1,137,500 | $2,702 | $162,146 | 70 |
Carson Wentz | PHI | Philadelphia Eagles | 808 | 5:48:55 | 25.91 | $18,656,536 | $53,469 | $3,208,151 | 22 |
Case Keenum | CLE | Cleveland Browns | 15 | 0:07:06 | 28.4 | $2,833,333 | $399,061 | $23,943,659 | 4 |
Chad Henne | KC | Kansa City Chiefs | 75 | 0:33:49 | 27.05 | $1,625,000 | $48,059 | $2,883,549 | 28 |
Chase Daniel | DET | Detroit Lions | 65 | 0:28:31 | 26.32 | $2,000,000 | $70,143 | $4,208,557 | 16 |
Chris Streveler | ARI | Arizona Cardinals | 30 | 0:12:32 | 25.06 | $610,000 | $48,683 | $2,920,990 | 27 |
Colt McCoy | NYG | New York Giants | 145 | 1:06:22 | 27.46 | $2,250,000 | $33,905 | $2,034,307 | 37 |
Daniel Jones | NYG | New York Giants | 868 | 6:37:15 | 27.46 | $5,922,740 | $14,909 | $894,551 | 54 |
David Blough | DET | Detroit Lions | 15 | 0:06:35 | 26.32 | $476,472 | $72,412 | $4,344,729 | 14 |
Derek Carr | LV | Las Vegas Raiders | 1006 | 7:55:20 | 28.35 | $21,500,000 | $45,231 | $2,713,875 | 29 |
Deshaun Watson | HOU | Houston Texans | 978 | 7:20:06 | 27 | $9,808,207 | $22,286 | $1,337,179 | 43 |
Drew Brees | NO | New Orleans Saints | 717 | 5:31:15 | 27.72 | $23,650,000 | $71,395 | $4,283,722 | 15 |
Drew Lock | DEN | Denver Broncos | 834 | 6:03:12 | 26.13 | $1,593,368 | $4,387 | $263,217 | 68 |
Dwayne Haskins | WAS | Washington Football Team | 429 | 3:09:37 | 26.52 | $1,150,301 | $6,066 | $363,985 | 66 |
Easton Stick | LAC | Los Angeles Chargers | 2 | 0:00:53 | 26.53 | $744,391 | $841,754 | $50,505,232 | 2 |
Gardner Minshew II | JAX | Jaxsonville Jaguars | 558 | 4:03:28 | 26.18 | $897,721 | $3,687 | $221,228 | 69 |
Garrett Gilbert | DAL | Dallas Cowboys | 72 | 0:28:18 | 23.59 | $529,411 | $18,702 | $1,122,109 | 49 |
Geno Smith | SEA | Seattle Seahawks | 18 | 0:08:25 | 28.07 | $887,500 | $105,391 | $6,323,477 | 12 |
Jacoby Brissett | IND | Indianapolis Colts | 48 | 0:22:20 | 27.92 | $21,375,000 | $956,975 | $57,418,517 | 1 |
Jake Luton | JAX | Jaxsonville Jaguars | 191 | 1:23:20 | 26.18 | $655,437 | $7,865 | $471,879 | 64 |
Jalen Hurts | PHI | Philadelphia Eagles | 334 | 2:24:14 | 25.91 | $1,095,486 | $7,595 | $455,717 | 65 |
Jameis Winston | NO | New Orleans Saints | 54 | 0:24:57 | 27.72 | $2,860,000 | $114,638 | $6,878,307 | 10 |
Jared Goff | LAR | Los Angeles Rams | 1047 | 8:01:58 | 27.62 | $28,842,682 | $59,843 | $3,590,606 | 20 |
Jarrett Stidham | NE | New England Patriots | 85 | 0:40:51 | 28.83 | $834,028 | $20,421 | $1,225,235 | 47 |
Jeff Driskel | DEN | Denver Broncos | 115 | 0:50:05 | 26.13 | $1,750,000 | $34,942 | $2,096,541 | 36 |
Joe Burrow | CIN | Cincinnati Bengals | 709 | 5:30:02 | 27.93 | $610,000 | $1,848 | $110,896 | 72 |
Joe Flacco | NYJ | New York Jets | 250 | 1:56:15 | 27.9 | $1,275,000 | $10,968 | $658,065 | 61 |
John Wolford | LAR | Los Angeles Rams | 73 | 0:33:36 | 27.62 | $685,000 | $20,384 | $1,223,057 | 48 |
Josh Allen | BUF | Buffalo Bills | 1035 | 8:14:13 | 28.65 | $5,867,191 | $11,872 | $712,308 | 59 |
Joshua Dobbs | PIT | Pittsburgh Steelers | 9 | 0:04:09 | 27.72 | $825,000 | $198,413 | $11,904,762 | 8 |
Justin Herbert | LAC | Los Angeles Chargers | 1096 | 8:04:37 | 26.53 | $4,832,501 | $9,972 | $598,311 | 62 |
Kirk Cousins | MIN | Minnesota Vikings | 1082 | 8:18:48 | 27.66 | $21,000,000 | $42,101 | $2,526,052 | 30 |
Kyler Murray | ARI | Arizona Cardinals | 1103 | 7:40:41 | 25.06 | $8,080,601 | $17,540 | $1,052,421 | 51 |
Lamar Jackson | BAL | Baltimore Ravens | 917 | 7:31:56 | 29.57 | $2,583,176 | $5,716 | $342,954 | 67 |
Logan Woodside | TEN | Tennessee Titans | 21 | 0:09:06 | 25.99 | $610,000 | $67,059 | $4,023,526 | 17 |
Marcus Mariota | LV | Las Vegas Raiders | 65 | 0:30:43 | 28.35 | $9,125,000 | $297,110 | $17,826,618 | 5 |
Mason Rudolph | PIT | Pittsburgh Steelers | 79 | 0:36:30 | 27.72 | $1,069,620 | $29,306 | $1,758,376 | 41 |
Matt Barkley | BUF | Buffalo Bills | 53 | 0:25:18 | 28.65 | $2,025,000 | $80,016 | $4,800,948 | 13 |
Matt Ryan | ATL | Atlanta Falcons | 1113 | 8:08:14 | 26.32 | $18,962,500 | $38,839 | $2,330,328 | 33 |
Matt Schaub | ATL | Atlanta Falcons | 9 | 0:03:57 | 26.32 | $2,375,000 | $601,570 | $36,094,225 | 3 |
Matthew Stafford | DET | Detroit Lions | 969 | 7:05:04 | 26.32 | $21,300,000 | $50,110 | $3,006,578 | 25 |
Mike Glennon | JAX | Jaxsonville Jaguars | 288 | 2:05:40 | 26.18 | $1,161,719 | $9,245 | $554,679 | 63 |
Mitchell Trubisky | CHI | Chicago Bears | 570 | 4:18:30 | 27.21 | $9,327,591 | $36,084 | $2,165,053 | 34 |
Nate Sudfeld | PHI | Philadelphia Eagles | 18 | 0:07:46 | 25.91 | $1,690,000 | $217,419 | $13,045,156 | 7 |
Nathan Peterman | LV | Las Vegas Raiders | 11 | 0:05:12 | 28.35 | $1,000,000 | $192,400 | $11,544,012 | 9 |
Nick Foles | CHI | Chicago Bears | 496 | 3:44:56 | 27.21 | $6,666,666 | $29,638 | $1,778,283 | 40 |
P.J. Walker | CAR | Carolina Panthers | 107 | 0:51:32 | 28.9 | $685,000 | $13,291 | $797,465 | 55 |
Patrick Mahomes | KC | Kansa City Chiefs | 1027 | 7:43:00 | 27.05 | $5,346,508 | $11,547 | $692,843 | 60 |
Philip Rivers | IND | Indianapolis Colts | 1044 | 8:05:48 | 27.92 | $25,000,000 | $51,461 | $3,087,640 | 23 |
Russell Wilson | SEA | Seattle Seahawks | 1047 | 8:09:49 | 28.07 | $31,000,000 | $63,288 | $3,797,302 | 19 |
Ryan Finley | CIN | Cincinnati Bengals | 90 | 0:41:54 | 27.93 | $872,414 | $20,824 | $1,249,429 | 46 |
Ryan Fitzpatrick | MIA | Miami Dolphins | 496 | 3:48:20 | 27.62 | $8,000,000 | $35,038 | $2,102,263 | 35 |
Ryan Tannehill | TEN | Tennessee Titans | 1051 | 7:35:15 | 25.99 | $22,500,000 | $49,423 | $2,965,350 | 26 |
Sam Darnold | NYJ | New York Jets | 739 | 5:43:38 | 27.9 | $8,339,374 | $24,268 | $1,456,087 | 42 |
Taylor Heinicke | WAS | Washington Football Team | 25 | 0:11:03 | 26.52 | $132,354 | $11,978 | $718,664 | 58 |
Taysom Hill | NO | New Orleans Saints | 472 | 3:38:04 | 27.72 | $4,841,000 | $22,200 | $1,331,994 | 44 |
Teddy Bridgewater | CAR | Carolina Panthers | 929 | 7:27:28 | 28.9 | $13,953,125 | $31,182 | $1,870,942 | 39 |
Tim Boyle | GB | Green Bay Packers | 22 | 0:11:24 | 31.09 | $752,000 | $65,967 | $3,958,010 | 18 |
Tom Brady | TB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1025 | 7:32:32 | 26.49 | $25,000,000 | $55,244 | $3,314,642 | 21 |
Tua Tagovailoa | MIA | Miami Dolphins | 572 | 4:23:19 | 27.62 | $5,504,625 | $20,905 | $1,254,326 | 45 |
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