The Big Lead

Huge NFL quarterback contracts won't result in Super Bowl titles

NFL teams keep paying QBs big money, but it's not yielding the success that they want to see.

By Matt Reed

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Fox sports presenter Terry Bradshaw (L) interviews Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (R) during the championship trophy presentation after the Eagles' game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Fox sports presenter Terry Bradshaw (L) interviews Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (R) during the championship trophy presentation after the Eagles' game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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Jalen Hurts just helped the Philadelphia Eagles win their second Super Bowl title in franchise history this past season, but for many NFL teams there's been a troubling theme over recent years that happens when they shell out big dollars to pay football's most important position.

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It sounds slightly counterintuitive but giving out big contracts to quarterbacks doesn't exactly mean an NFL team is going to find success. In fact, in recent years it's actually proven to have the opposite effect.

The reality is every team has to build a roster of players, and in Philadelphia's case Howie Roseman was able to construct a superstar lineup on both sides of the football. However, Hurts' large deal with the Eagles just happened to be a byproduct of Roseman being a contract wizard and keeping the core of their roster intact.

Most NFL teams don't have that kind of luxury though, and when they end up needing to pay top dollar for their quarterbacks it often signifies the end of their Super Bowl window.

Out of the top 10 current highest-paid NFL signal callers, four of them didn't make the playoffs last season. Meanwhile, only Hurts, Joe Burrow and Jared Goff have made the Super Bowl, with the Eagles star QB the only current top player with a championship ring.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes walks off the field after losing vs. the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX
Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) walks off the field after losing against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

It's not to say that this trend can't change in the future as the NFL salary cap continues to go up, but for the time being it seems as though having the highest-paid quarterbacks won't result in Super Bowl titles.

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