Terry Bradshaw believes NFL quarterback salaries have gone too far, even as the league's biggest stars continue to command annual earnings well above $50 million.

The former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, who won four Super Bowls during his playing career, made just $25,000 as a rookie. By the end of his career, his salary had risen to around $1 million, which would be worth roughly $3 million in today's money.

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The contrast with today's quarterback market is significant. According to the figures provided, Patrick Mahomes leads the NFL's highest-paid quarterbacks in 2026 at $64 million per year, followed by Dak Prescott at $60 million.

Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Jordan Love, Baker Mayfield and Trevor Lawrence are each listed at $55 million annually.

Mahomes Leads 2026 Quarterback Salary List

The top of the 2026 quarterback salary rankings is dominated by established stars.

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After Mahomes and Prescott, the list includes:

  • Joe Burrow — Bengals: $55 million

  • Josh Allen — Bills: $55 million

  • Jordan Love — Packers: $55 million

  • Baker Mayfield — Buccaneers: $55 million

  • Trevor Lawrence — Jaguars: $55 million

  • Matthew Stafford — Rams: $55 million

  • Jared Goff — Lions: $53 million

  • Brock Purdy — 49ers: $53 million

Justin Herbert is listed at $52.5 million, while Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts are listed at $52 million and $51 million, respectively.

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Deshaun Watson ranks 14th at $46 million, with Daniel Jones listed 15th at $44 million.

Bradshaw Questions $50 Million Quarterback Salaries

Bradshaw made his position clear during a Sunday morning appearance, arguing that most NFL quarterbacks should not be earning $50 million or more.

He pointed to the large gap between the salaries of highly paid starters and quarterbacks such as Jameis Winston, Case Keenum and Drew Lock, who are earning considerably less.

NFL analyst Michael Strahan pushed back on Bradshaw's argument, reminding him that player salaries have risen alongside the growth of the league.

Bradshaw, however, remained unconvinced.

"I don't care about the economics," Bradshaw said.

The NFL's Quarterback Market Continues to Grow

The salary figures illustrate how dramatically the economics of the quarterback position have changed since Bradshaw's playing days.

While Bradshaw's own earnings eventually reached around $1 million, today's highest-paid quarterbacks are making more than $50 million annually.

For Bradshaw, however, the growth of the league does not justify the current level of quarterback compensation. The figures provided show that, regardless of the debate surrounding those salaries, the modern NFL quarterback market has moved well beyond the financial levels of Bradshaw's era.