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As the regular season nears its end and the NFL playoffs quickly approach, multiple players will have some major paydays on the line over the next few weeks.
ESPN’s Ben Baby detailed the contract bonuses that players will be chasing, including some notable names who will also be trying to lead their teams to a Super Bowl title.
Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are trying to achieve the first three-peat in modern NFL history, and he will be rewarded handsomely if they pull it off. If Mahomes wins his third NFL MVP and Kansas City wins the AFC Championship Game, that triggers a $1.25 million salary increase for the 2025 season. If the team wins Super Bowl LIX and he plays 50 percent of the snaps, his 2025 base salary will increase by another $1.25 million.
The player blocking Mahomes’ path to his third MVP is his longtime rival, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who is the betting favorite to win the award for the first time in his career. Allen would be rewarded $1.5 million if he is named MVP. However, he’s also motivated to exorcise some demons and get the better of Mahomes in the playoffs for the first time, and leading the Bills to their first Super Bowl would garner an additional $2.5 million if he plays at least 50 percent of the offensive snaps.
The Baltimore Ravens are also one of the top Super Bowl contenders in the AFC with reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson leading the way, and star running back Derrick Henry is already set to cash in. Henry has excelled in his first year in Baltimore and has already earned an additional $1 million each for producing 1,636 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. If the Ravens win the Super Bowl, he would earn another $500,000.
Over in the NFC, fellow running back Saquon Barkley has also made a similar impact with his new team, leading the NFL with 2,114 yards from scrimmage in his first year with the Philadelphia Eagles, which will earn him $500,000. He would get another $500,000 if he’s named All-Pro, and $250,000 for a Pro Bowl selection. If the Eagles make a deep run in the playoffs, Barkley would earn $250,000 in bonus money with an NFC championship win and $500,000 with a Super Bowl victory.
The Detroit Lions are the other favorite to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIX, and quarterback Jared Goff’s 2028 salary would increase by $1 million if they win the title and he has played in 50 percent of the offensive snaps.
Fellow quarterback Baker Mayfield is hoping to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the playoffs for the second straight year, and he would earn $500,000 with a win in the wild-card round plus higher bonuses in each subsequent round that maxes out at $2.5 million for a Super Bowl win. Mayfield’s individual success will also help his bank account, as he currently ranks in the top 10 in the NFL in passer rating, touchdown passes, passing yards, completion percentage and yards per pass and would earn $2.5 million if he maintains his ranking by the end of the regular season.
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