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Marc Raimondi
Aaron Rodgers could make more than his base salary in bonuses this season if he takes the Pittsburgh Steelers on a deep playoff run.
Rodgers is one of several NFL stars, including a few big-name quarterbacks, who could rake in millions more in bonuses if they hit key performance or statistical markers the rest of this season.
If the Steelers make the playoffs, Rodgers would make an extra $500,000. A Pittsburgh wild-card win would earn him another $600,000. A divisional round win? Rodgers gets another $750,000.
The money only grows as the stakes get higher. If the Steelers win the AFC championship, Rodgers will pull in an extra $1 million. A Super Bowl victory, which would be Rodgers’ second, would earn him $1.5 million.
Rodgers would have to play at least 50% of offensive snaps in each game for those dollars to accrue. The 21-year veteran is on a one-year, $13.65 million deal in Pittsburgh, but his base salary is technically only $3.65 million.
Baltimore Ravens by two games in the loss column. Pittsburgh has already beaten Baltimore once on the road and will host the Ravens in Week 18. The Steelers have a 93.4% shot of making the playoffs and a 44.4% chance of making the divisional round per ESPN Research projections.
Rodgers owns an 11-10 playoff record, all in games with the Green Bay Packers. He has not reached the postseason since 2021.
The NFL sorts incentives into two categories — «likely to be earned» and «not likely to be earned» — based on the player and team’s past performance. «Likely» incentives count against the current year’s cap, and if not hit, the team receives a credit the next year. «Not likely» incentives are charged to the next season’s cap if they are hit.
Here are some other incentives on the line over the next couple of weeks. All data is via Roster Management System.
Mayfield and the Bucs have struggled of late, losers of six of their past seven games. And Mayfield, who has dealt with a left shoulder injury, has not been as good down the stretch as he was earlier this season.
But the resurgent quarterback still has a shot at incentives late in the season. Mayfield can earn a $500,000 bonus for finishing in the top 10 of the NFL or top five in the NFC in each of the following: passer rating, touchdown passes, total passing yards, completion percentage and yards per pass.
Caleb Williams and the Green Bay Packers’ Jordan Love with 23, one behind the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts and Seattle Seahawks’ Sam Darnold. Mayfield is tied for sixth in the NFC with Rodgers, Williams and Love.
Mayfield is 13th in the NFL and seventh in the NFC in total passing yards. The other three categories — passer rating, completion percentage and yards per pass — he won’t reach.
With a pair of big games in Weeks 16 and 17, Mayfield has a chance to earn an extra $1 million.
In his first contract with the Seahawks, Darnold has a host of performance — and team-based — incentives.
Darnold can make an extra $500,000 with a 100.0 or higher passer rating this season, plus another $500,000 apiece with 28 or more passing touchdowns, 4,000 or more passing yards or a 67.5% or higher completion percentage.
Darnold’s bonuses are also tied to the Seahawks’ performance. If they finish in the top 10 in the NFL in total offense, Darnold gets an extra $500,000. He’ll get the same amount if they make the playoffs, which they have already clinched.
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Reaching 500 receiving yards would earn Allen a bonus of $250,000. That number would go up by $250,000 at 625 yards, 740 yards and 875 yards. If Allen hits 1,000 yards, he would make $750,000 in addition to the previous numbers.
Six touchdowns would get Allen $250,000 more. That bonus escalates by $250,000 with eight touchdowns.
The rest of Allen’s bonuses are tied to team performance. If Allen gets to 40 receptions and the Chargers make the postseason, he makes an extra $250,000. That total goes up by $250,000 at 50 receptions and 60 receptions plus the playoffs. Allen earns another $250,000 if he gets 40 receptions and the team plays in the divisional round. That goes up by $250,000 with 40 receptions and playing in the AFC Championship Game, as well as 40 receptions and playing in the Super Bowl.
Allen can make a maximum of $5.5 million and is already in line for bonuses. Allen has 73 receptions for 724 yards and four touchdowns. The Chargers have already clinched a playoff spot and have a 52.2% chance of making the divisional round, per ESPN Research.
No high-profile player stands to make more money in bonuses this holiday season than Chubb, who has $9.6 million in potential bonus earnings.
Chubb can make $1.225 million with 60% playing time. He would make $900,000 more with 65% playing time; $900,000 more with 70%, $900,000 more with 75% and another $900,000 more with 78% playing time.
He can make a $1.225 million bonus with six sacks. Additionally, Chubb would earn $900,000 extra with eight sacks, another $900,000 extra with 11 sacks and another $900,000 extra with 13 sacks.
Chubb has 6.5 sacks right now and is at 71% playing time.
