In Super Bowl LIX, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs have a lot on the line. The Eagles are trying to win their second Super Bowl in the previous seven years, while the Chiefs might become the first club in NFL history to win three in a row.
Even for individual players, the stakes are great. For players like tight end Travis Kelce and lineman Lane Johnson, winning the Super Bowl—which is typically the most watched television event of the year—is not only a chance to leave a lasting legacy, but some of them also receive sizable financial bonuses and pay increases linked to the game on February 9 in New Orleans.
This is due to the fact that, in contrast to MLB or the NBA, player contracts in the NFL are not entirely guaranteed. Therefore, it’s normal for certain athletes to attempt to boost their income by incorporating incentives into their contracts. Individual accomplishments, such as reaching a 4,000-yard passing benchmark, or a team’s season-long win total might serve as these incentives.
Because they usually have more negotiating leverage than younger, less experienced athletes, veteran players are most likely to get contract incentives. Additionally, top skill-position players like quarterbacks and running backs are more likely to get team incentives.
These are the Chiefs and Eagles players’ most lucrative incentives for the upcoming weekend. Unless otherwise noted, the contractual information in this article is taken from the sports transaction website Spotrac.
Barkley, Saquon
Bonus: $500,000.
With 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, the Eagles’ standout running back has had an incredible 2024 year. Barkley has already fulfilled all of the statistical incentives that were purportedly included in his contract through his regular-season efforts.
According to NFL.com, Barkley will receive an extra $500,000 if the Eagles win the Super Bowl (half as a bonus and the other half as an enhancement to his 2025 salary). Barkley received $250,000 after the Eagles won the NFC Championship.
Barkley was expected to make $13.5 million in cash before taking these incentives into consideration, which is the fourth-highest amount for an NFL running back this season. Barkley would receive $1.5 million in bonus money for the 2024 season if the Eagles won the Super Bowl, fulfilling all of his incentives for the year.
Given that he is one of the few well-known players competing in Super Bowl LIX, Barkley will have his first opportunity to win conference-championship and Super Bowl incentives.
According to DraftKings (DKNG), Barkley had such a strong season that the only quarterbacks with a greater chance of winning the NFL MVP award are Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills and Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens. Since 2012, no running back has received the honor.
Jalen is hurt.
Bonus: An annual pay increase of $500,000.
With $42 million in cash, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was among the NFL’s best paid players in 2024.
Although it’s not really a bonus, Hurts’ future earnings are also dependent on winning the Super Bowl. If he wins Super Bowl LIX, his base compensation will rise by $500,000 annually for the next four seasons, for a total of $2 million.
Hurts would also need to play 70% of the offensive snaps in the Super Bowl in order to receive the incentive, which is a safe assumption until he sustains an injury during play.
Mahomes, Patrick
Bonus: A pay increase of $1.5 million
The renowned quarterback for the Chiefs is solidifying his reputation as a football player and an earning.
Three years ago, Mahomes signed a 10-year extension with Kansas City, which at the time was the biggest contract in American sports history. Later, Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto of baseball beat his agreement.
Mahomes will receive an extra $1.25 million for winning another NFL championship, which will be added to his pay for the upcoming campaign.
This clause has been a part of the Chiefs’ $500 million contract since 2020. Since becoming a full-time starter, Mahomes has advanced to the AFC Championship game each season and has already won three Super Bowls. In addition, Mahomes’ contracts include escalators for winning conference titles and being selected NFL MVP.
Although the bonuses have not been made public, other players with contracts that might include significant Super Bowl payouts include wideout A.J. Brown and veterans like Kelce.
According to Spotrac, fewer players officially reported Super Bowl-related bonuses for the Chiefs-49ers Super Bowl last year than this year, with the exception of Mahomes, who receives an annual Super Bowl incentive. Given that the 49ers’ skill-position group had a number of younger players on rookie contracts, such as quarterback Brock Purdy and receiver Brandon Aiyuk, some players may not have received incentives because of their age.
Players and their agents bargained with teams to include all of the aforementioned benefits in their contracts. In addition, players who qualify for the playoffs receive bonuses from the NFL itself, which increase in value based on the round in which the club is eliminated.
Each member of the winning Super Bowl squad will get $171,000 from the NFL, up from $164,000 the previous season. In accordance with the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, each player on the losing side will now receive $96,000 instead of $89,000.
