The Cincinnati Bengals are enjoying the benefit of having Joe Burrow on his rookie contract with a $2.2 million salary for the 2021-22 season, per Spotrac. Burrow signed a four-year, $36.19 million contract after being the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
The Bengals are just the latest team to make the Super Bowl with a quarterback still on his rookie deal in what has become a cheat code around the NFL in recent years. Teams like the Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes and Seahawks led by Russell Wilson are other examples of squads who made recent Super Bowl runs with their franchise quarterbacks still on their rookie deals. Burrow’s lower salary gives the Bengals more money to spend at other positions which played a role in the team reaching the Super Bowl.
Cincinnati has been aggressive with their spending over the last two offseasons. Burrow’s contract is a big reason why the Bengals can continue to be aggressive during the upcoming free agency as the team is projected to have more than $57 million in cap space, per Over the Cap.
Burrow Has a $2.2 Million Salary Compared to Mahomes’ Averaging $45 Million Annually
There is more good news if you are a Bengals fan as Burrow is under contract for an additional two seasons through 2023, when his cap hit reaches its peak at $11.5 million. Burrow will be up for a massive raise in 2024 when his eventual new deal kicks in. The cost for a starting NFL quarterback is only rising, and Burrow will eventually land a lucrative contract that is on par with the other top signal callers around the league.
“A lot of it depends on how you want to build your team,” one NFL general manager told The Athletic’s Jeff Howe for a February 9 feature. “If you get the franchise guy like Mahomes or Burrow, it’s just part of the deal. You have to pay it, whether it’s $45 million or whatever. They’re too hard to find.”
For now, Burrow heads into the 2022 season with a $3.9 million salary and just a $9.87 million cap hit. For context, Mahomes along with Josh Allen have the most lucrative NFL deals with the Chiefs quarterback averaging a $45 million salary annually with the Bills QB1 just behind at $43 million, per Over the Cap.
Burrow Has a $10 Million Net Worth: Report
Despite his below market value contract for an NFL quarterback, Burrow still has an estimated net worth of $10 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. The future earnings are coming Burrow’s way, but the Bengals quarterback is planning on living off his endorsements rather than the money he earns from his Cincinnati deal.
“I don’t plan on spending any contract money,” Burrow said in 2020, via The Athletic’s Bill Shea. “I’m just gonna live off the marketing money and let that accrue in my bank account.”
Burrow Is Headed for More Lucrative Endorsement Deals
Regardless of how the Super Bowl plays out, Burrow is heading towards a lot more endorsement opportunities. Quarterbacks like Mahomes, Russell Wilson and Baker Mayfield have become regulars on commercials during a typical NFL Sunday, but Burrow has been noticeably absent in his first two years as a pro.
According to Shea, Burrow has already done endorsement deals for Buffalo Wild Wings, Lowe’s, Nerf, Bose, Nike, CashApp and Lordstown Motors. There is likely many more opportunities on the way heading into the 2022 season.
“There’s a ton of potential for him, particularly if they win, but even if they don’t, he’s proven himself at different levels of his career,” The Marketing Arm’s Matt Fleming told Shea. “He’s going to have plenty of national opportunities coming this offseason. He’s put himself in a great position if he wants to pursue those things.”
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Joe Burrow’s Contract: How Much Money Is Bengals QB’s Salary?