Brock Purdy signed a four-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers in 2022 that turned out to be one of the biggest deals in the league today.
Because Purdy, 24, was drafted with the last pick in the seventh round of the NFL draft in 2022, he earned a lower annual salary during his first four years in the league. Seventh-round picks typically struggle to stay in the NFL for multiple seasons, and rarely become an MVP candidate like Purdy. In the preseason, Purdy outplayed Trey Lance, who was drafted No. 3 in the 2022 draft, and Purdy has been the starter all year.
That makes Purdy the starting quarterback for the NFC's No. 1 seed in the NFL playoffs. He's third among all NFL quarterbacks this season in touchdowns thrown – 31 – and fifth in yards thrown – 4,280.
But he will receive a salary of only $870,000 from his team this season, which is much less than his playoff competitors on other teams. For example, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes will make $44.5 million this season, Bills QB Josh Allen will make $28 million, and even rookie CJ Stroud will make $24 million. And his colleague Lance, who is his replacement? He is on a four-year, $34 million contract with the team.
More surprising? Purdy's salary pays him less than 16 college football players earned this season, according to On3's NIL algorithm, which is based on NIL trades, performance, impact and exposure data.
The top five on this list include the University of Colorado's Shyder Sanders ($4.7 million), Texas' Arch Manning ($2.8 million), Colorado's Travis Hunter ($2.3 million), Texas' Quinn Ewers ($1.7 million), and Jalen Milroe. From Alabama ($1.5 million). ).
The NCAA began allowing college athletes to earn name, image and likeness (NIL) money in 2021, when student-athletes won a decades-long debate over the fairness of receiving no pay even though the games they played generated millions of dollars for them. The institutions they joined.
See also: These college athletes make over $1 million a year from the NIL
NIL deals for college athletes can come from collegiate pools to attract prospective students to come to the university, but they can also come from off-the-field endorsement deals.
In addition to his salary, Purdy makes money through off-field endorsements with brands including Alaska Airlines, Toyota and Buffalo Wild Wings, but the terms of those deals have not been announced.
His average annual contract value is $934,253, which ranks 89th among all NFL quarterbacks, according to Spotrac.
In October 2023, Purdy told TODAY that he still had a roommate, “an offensive lineman,” and “I still drive my Toyota Sequoia,” while living in one of the highest-tax states in the country in California.
The 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers in the NFL playoffs on Saturday, 24-21.
Continue reading: Did the NIL play a role in Alabama coach Nick Saban's sudden retirement?
