Getty Josh Gordon is one of the stars of the XFL.
The salary structure for the XFL is unique as the money players make is tied to results on the field. According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, the average XFL player is expected to earn an average of $60,000 for the entire season. The majority of deals are $5,000 per week with an opportunity to score an additional $1,000 bonus for each win.
“Whaley and executive vice president of football operations Marc Ross have pitched agents on deals that would pay players $5,000 per week with a $1,000 bonus per win,” Seifert wrote on February 21, 2023. “Including other potential bonuses, the average player would be estimated to earn about $60,000 from training camp through the end of the season. The XFL also valued its benefits package as worth an additional $20,000, in addition to paying for housing and two meals a day during the season.”
How does this compare to what a practice squad player makes in the NFL? The average salary for XFL players is much lower, but the league is aiming to provide opportunities for standout individuals to get noticed by NFL teams.
“For context, NFL practice squad players will earn a minimum of $12,000 per week in 2023,” Seifert added. “The minimum salary for NFL players on the active roster in 2023 will be $750,000.”
Josh Gordon’s Salary: How Much Money Do XFL Stars Make?
Ben DiNucci escapes and flips it to Josh Gordon for the TD 😱
The XFL has not released salary details for star players like Josh Gordon, but ESPN reported that quarterbacks are likely the only individuals earning more than the league average. This would put Gordon in the $60,000 range if the playmaker suits up the entire season for the Seattle Sea Dragons.
“Some quarterbacks are expected to receive higher salaries, although not as high as in 2020, when the XFL signed some passers to deals worth up to $500,000,” Seifert noted.
Gordon earned $6.5 million over his nine seasons in the NFL, per Spotrac. Most recently, Gordon earned $216,844 for a brief stint with the Titans in 2022.
Gordon had signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Chiefs last offseason, but Kansas City released the wideout in August as the team finalized their final 53-man roster. After being selected by the Browns in the second round of the 2012 Supplemental draft, Gordon had additional stints with the Titans, Chiefs, Seahawks and Patriots.
The Rock Praised St. Louis QB A.J. McCarron for Taking Less Money to Play in the XFL
“I want to prove that I can win at this level too.” 😤
AJ McCarron leads the BattleHawks in Ep. 2 of “Player 54: Chasing the XFL Dream” on ESPN+ 📺 t.co/KjSBxr33BC
XFL owner Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently praised St. Louis BattleHawks quarterback A.J. McCarron for choosing the XFL over pursuing more lucrative NFL offers, prioritizing playing time over money. McCarron is a longtime NFL veteran spending time with the Falcons, Texans, Bengals and Raiders.
“Takes less money signing with us over the @NFL because he wanted his little boys to see him play,” Johnson tweeted on February 24. “Now he’s 2-0 and led his team to back to back exciting last minute wins. I’d say he’s creating some memories for his boys. AJ’s decision means a helluva lot to me, personally.”
Injured XFL Players Will Be Paid
“There are 53 men on an NFL roster. I was always number 54 … That mentality of Player 54, the hunger, the drive that that creates, that permeates not only ownership, leadership, but also that’s what the entire league is.”
@therock on why the XFL “is so incredibly meaningful.”
There had been some rumors that injured XFL players would not receive their full salary, but this does not appear to be true. XFL writer Mike Mitchell reported that “injured players WILL be paid.”
“According to sources close to the XFL. Injured players WILL be paid,” Mitchell detailed on Twitter on January 7. “That document wasn’t fully distributed because the IR sentence was corrected by the league office. So whoever the source is, got a hold of the original document before it was revised and distributed it to players.”