NFL
How much do NFL players get for playing in the playoffs?
The NFL playoffs feature some of the most exciting games of the season, but a lot of players actually get paid less during this period.
For a lot of NFL fans, the excitement builds up tremendously during playoff season. For the players though, the joy of being on the field will have to be a great motivator as this is a period where a lot of them see cuts in their usual paycheck.
During the regular season, the players receive their salary every week, depending on the rate that their contract states. Stars with big contracts get paid much more on a weekly basis than a player who makes the minimum annual salary of $660,000 in the 2021 season.
CBA-mandated pay
The playoffs level the playing field, in a way, because the players of a team get paid the same rate depending on how the franchise performs, irrespective of the individual player’s contract salary.
There is a pool of money from NFL teams which pays the postseason salaries, and there is a set amount for each player per playoff round, as provided by the NFL collective bargaining agreement. Players must be paid within 15 days after a playoff game.
The weekly salary for the playoffs doesn’t differ much from what a player earning minimum wage would make in a week (That would be $36,667 for the 2021 season).
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NFL playoffs pay rates
Here is how much a player would get in each round of the NFL playoffs in 2021.
- Division winners participating in the Wild Card round - $42,500
- Other Wild Card teams- $37,500
- Wild Card first-round byes- $37,500
- Divisional playoff game- $42,500
- Conference Championship game- $65,000
- Super Bowl champion- $150,000
- Super Bowl losing team- $75,000
Incentives raise possible payout
This salary scale however doesn’t necessarily mean big-name players will not be getting a fatter paycheck during the playoffs. NFL contracts sometimes provide bonuses or incentives for the performance of a player or a team in the playoffs.
For example, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady may earn up to $2.25 million in incentives for the Bucs winning the Super Bowl, while the contract of Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. provides incentives of up to $3 million for good performance in the playoffs.