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Ben Baby, ESPN editor
Championship trophies are what every NFL player covets every season.
And if the Buffalo Bills can win the AFC Championship and the Super Bowl, these titles will also result in a nice salary for the quarterback Josh Allen. The Pro Bowler is one of several players who could earn additional salary through contract incentives.
If the team can win the AFC Championship and Allen plays in at least 60% of the team’s offensive snaps, he earns an additional $1 million.
If the Bills manage to win their first Super Bowl title, Allen will receive another $2.5 million, this time with at least 50 percent of the offensive snaps.
There’s also a bonus that Allen has a realistic chance of winning in the regular season. Being named the league’s Most Valuable Player pays $1.5 million, per the terms of his deal. Allen, who is the betting favorite for MVP, is in the midst of a great year for the Bills (12-3), who have already clinched the AFC East and own the second-best record in the conference.
Here are some other incentives in play over the coming weeks. All data comes from the list management system.
Tampa Bay will have a lot to play for over the final two weeks. After a loss in week 16 against the Dallas Cowboysthe Buccaneers (8-7) and Atlanta Falcons (8-7) are tied for the lead in the NFC South. The Buccaneers will need help to win the division and advance to the playoffs due to the head-to-head tiebreaker.
If Tampa makes the playoffs, Mayfield will have a chance to cash in.
A wild card win earns Mayfield $500,000, and each successful spin carries a higher bonus value that maxes out at $2.5 million for a Super Bowl win.
But team goals aren’t the only ones that could pay off for Mayfield. He can also earn $500,000 if he is in the top 10 in the league or top five in the NFC in any of the following categories: passer rating, touchdown passes, passing yards, passing percentage. completion or yards per pass.
He now qualifies in the top 10 in the league in each category; if he can stay there, he’ll reap $2.5 million in incentives.
If Smith can surpass his career-best numbers and help the Seahawks win two more games, he will fill his pockets considerably.
If the veteran quarterback passes for 346 yards or more in the final two games combined, he will earn an additional $2 million. A completion percentage of 69.75% or higher will earn him an additional $2 million. Smith is currently at 70.1%.
There is also a very significant team-based incentive that Smith could win. The Seahawks are currently 8-7 and fighting for a playoff spot. If Seattle manages to get 10 wins or make the playoffs, they will receive an additional $2 million.
The team has several reasons to keep an eye on these incentives. Not only is Seattle on the hook for these amounts, but because Smith failed to meet any of these goals last season, these incentives are considered unlikely to be earned and are currently not counted against Seattle’s salary cap.
Mahomes is eligible for two notable escalators this season. If Mahomes wins his third MVP and Kansas City wins the AFC Championship Game, it will trigger a $1.25 million salary increase for next season. If Kansas City wins the Super Bowl and he plays in 50% of the snaps, his base salary for 2025 increases by an additional $1.25 million.
Hopkins has an interesting contract structure that could be rewarding if he gets some big incentives over the next couple of weeks.
He currently has 54 catches, 603 receiving yards and five touchdowns. If he finishes with more than 65 catches, he will earn a $250,000 bonus. Over 750 receiving yards earns him an additional $250,000. With one more touchdown, he will earn $500,000. With 75+ catches or 850+ yards, he is in the running for additional bonuses of $250,000.
Hopkins also could have earned an additional $350,000 in bonus playing time if he had been on the field for at least 65 percent of the team’s offensive snaps. But it’s currently at 30.2%, according to Next Gen Stats.
This is a well-written contract structure that could reward the veteran for a big season.
If the Dolphins rank in the top 25 in average net yards gained per passing play or average net yards gained per rushing play, Armstead will receive $400,000 if he plays in 70% or more of the team’s offensive plays. ‘team. Armstead is currently at 70.6%, according to Next Gen Stats. If Armstead makes the Pro Bowl, he will receive an additional $650,000.
Henry is set to receive a multitude of bonuses. With 1,636 rushing yards, he will earn $1 million in bonus yards and an additional $1 million for surpassing 15 touchdowns.
Henry, who is in his first season with the Ravens, can earn an additional $500,000 if the Ravens win the Super Bowl. Baltimore is currently tied for first in the AFC North and is coming off an AFC Championship Game appearance last season.
After leaving the New York Giants and by signing with the rival Eagles in free agency, Barkley proved he had plenty left in the tank. He currently leads the NFL with 2,114 yards from scrimmage, which will net him $500,000. A Pro Bowl nod earns Barkley another $250,000, and an All-Pro selection earns him $500,000.
Barkley will also benefit if the Eagles go on a deep playoff run. He stands to earn a $250,000 bonus for winning the NFC Championship and $500,000 for winning the Super Bowl.
Sutton benefits financially from his first season with the rookie Bo Nix at the quarterback.
He has already earned $1 million by racking up 928 receiving yards. If he can get 137 more, he could add $500,000 to that total. Sutton will earn an additional $200,000 if the Broncos make the playoffs and he can get four more receiving touchdowns this season.
If the Lions win the Super Bowl and he played in 50% of the offensive snaps, Goff’s base salary in 2028 will increase by $1 million.
Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans
Evans is in the running for at least a six-figure bonus. If he finishes in the top 10 in the league in touchdowns, he will receive $666,000. (He’s currently tied for fifth with nine touchdowns.) If he had ranked in the same tier for receiving yards and catches, he could have earned the same amount for each category. That doesn’t seem likely given the future Hall of Fame’s current numbers (818 yards for 31st, 57 catches for 43rd).
Evans is within reach of another bonus. If the Buccaneers make the playoffs and he plays in 60% of the team’s offensive snaps for the season, he will receive $500,000 for each playoff victory. Not only are the Bucs fighting for a playoff spot, but he’s at 56.2 percent of the offensive playing time this year with two games remaining.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Josh is sweating
If he can get two more sacks to reach 10 for the season, he will earn an additional $1 million. That figure increases by $1.5 million with 11 sacks and $2 million with 12 sacks. He will also receive $500,000 if he makes the Pro Bowl.
Fowler played 51.2% of the team’s defensive snaps, according to Next Gen Stats. If this percentage remains above 45%, Fowler will earn $500,000. This figure jumps to $750,000 if it reaches 55%.
The veteran can also collect money with a few extra bags. At 9.5 currently, Fowler has already earned $1.125 million. That goes up to $1.5 million with 11 or more sacks.
Hunter will receive $1 million if he gets a Pro Bowl nod. This seems like a safe bet. In week 16, he was tied with Cleveland Browns defensive winger Myles Garrett ranked second in the league with 12 sacks.
Smith needs two more sacks to reach 10 for the season and earn $250,000. If he can get four more, the Lions will pay him a $500,000 bonus. If he manages to hit either incentive, he will receive an additional $250,000 for the Lions to secure a playoff berth.