Minimum Pay for NFL Player: What Rookie Contracts Start At
Do You Know How Much the Payment Is for an NFL Rookie? Here Is The Amount!
Some Players See Huge Paychecks
When we hear of NFL contracts, most people think of the type that splash across the headlines of the sports world: $60 million a season for a star quarterback or a $188 million contract extension for a fearsome defensive player.
Those numbers have the ring of epic scale, but they don’t quite convey the full picture. The reality is that only a few players see those kinds of paychecks.
To fully appreciate what it means to play in the NFL, one must look deeper than headlines and minimum pay for an NFL player and examine how salaries are distributed across the league.
NFL League Minimum Salary
To understand the minimum pay for an NFL player, it is essential to understand how salaries are defined and negotiated within the NFL. This is where the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) comes in.
Negotiated between the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) and the team owners, this contract establishes the foundation for working conditions, revenue sharing, compensation, and safety standards.
The current CBA, signed in 2020, runs through 2030, and it outlines the NFL league minimum salary based on years of experience.
Here’s what that looks like for the 2025 season:
- Rookie: $840,000
- 1 Year: $960,000
- 2 Years: $1.03 million
- 3 Years: $1.1 million
- 4–6 Years: $1.17 million
- 7+ Years: $1.255 million
This is the absolute floor, the minimum guaranteed paycheck for being on a 53-man roster. Players can certainly earn more depending on their position, skill, and negotiating leverage, but no one earns less than this baseline if they’re on the active roster.
For rookies, things are even more structured. The NFL places strict limits on rookie contracts, tying compensation to draft position. A first-round pick will command a much larger rookie deal than someone selected in the later rounds, but both fall within league-wide guidelines.
What About the Practice Squad?
Not every player makes it to the active roster, and this is where salaries drop above the minimum pay for an NFL player. Practice squad players, especially those with fewer than two credited seasons, earn about $12,500 per week.
Over an 18-week season, that totals around $225,000 before taxes — a far cry from the millions many fans assume all NFL players make.
That number jumps if a practice squad player gets promoted to the main roster. For each week on the active roster, even a first-year player makes $44,166. But unless they stick around, the difference between squad pay and active roster pay can be massive.
How Much Do NFL Players Make on Average?
Looking beyond the minimums, how much do NFL players make overall? According to league data, the average NFL salary hovers around $3.2 million per year.
But averages can be misleading. A few superstar contracts pull that figure higher, while the bulk of the league earns closer to the minimum scale.
Think of it this way: one team may have a quarterback earning $45 million a season, while several rookies and journeymen on the same roster are making under $1 million. The average works out in the middle, but the pay distribution is far from even.
Are NFL Players Paid Weekly?
Yes. NFL players are paid on a per-week basis during the season, with their annual salary divided into 18 installments. That means a player’s paycheck depends directly on whether they’re on the active roster for that week.
Bonuses add another layer of complexity, as some are tied to performance, others to roster status, and some can even be structured in unusual ways.
In recent years, a few players — including Odell Beckham Jr. and Russell Okung — famously opted to receive bonuses in cryptocurrency. The decision sparked debate, but when Bitcoin prices spiked, those choices looked brilliant in hindsight.
The weekly pay structure in the NFL may shed light on why many former players struggle financially after retirement.
Unlike other sports, which offer guaranteed, season-long contracts, NFL players’ income closely relates to their availability and their status on the roster. Almost 80% of retired players face significant financial challenges within a few years of leaving the league.
Do NFL Players Get Paid If Injured?
Injuries are part of the game, and they impact more than just fantasy lineups or those who bet on NFL games. They also affect paychecks. Players on injured reserve (IR) can still get paid, but it depends on the structure of their contracts.
Superstars with strong negotiating power often ensure a guarantee of full salary payment regardless of injuries. Others, especially role players, may only receive portions of their deals, such as guaranteed money or roster bonuses.
And here’s the catch: the injury has to be football-related. If a player gets hurt during a sanctioned practice or game, the team covers. But if someone tears a ligament while skydiving on their own time, the team is off the hook — even for guaranteed money.
