Alright, let’s talk about something that’s been on my mind lately: how much do those guys kicking field goals in the NFL actually make? I mean, they’re the ones who often decide whether a team wins or loses, right? So, I got curious and started digging around.
First thing I did was hit up the usual spots online to see what the general consensus was. And what do you know? Turns out, the average NFL kicker is pulling in somewhere around $860,000 a year. Not too shabby, huh? But get this, for the 2023 season, the minimum salary for most players, including kickers, was set at $750,000. That’s according to the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, so it’s legit. But I wanted to see how the average was actually calculated. So, I found the average salary is around $1,375,000 a year. But, if you see the median, you will know it is just $865. It is not so high!
Now, I wasn’t satisfied with just averages. I wanted to know who the big shots were, the guys making bank. So, I went hunting for the top earners. And guess who I stumbled upon? Harrison Butker, Chiefs, age 30, signed $25,600,000. And, each year, he could get $6,400,000. I can’t believe that! Also, I found that Harrison Butker’ 57-yard field goal in Super Bowl 58 is the longest in Super Bowl history.
But here’s where it gets interesting. I started comparing kickers’ salaries to other positions, like quarterbacks. And let me tell you, it’s a whole different ball game. Quarterbacks are raking in upwards of $30 million a year, while kickers are usually in the $1 million to $5 million range. And I found an interesting fact, this season, kickers are hitting nearly 72% of field goal attempts from at least 50 yards out. That’s a record for the league. It’s crazy, right?
But then I thought, what about those guys who punt the ball? Are they making as much as the kickers? So, I did some more digging and found out that the highest-paid punter in the NFL is Michael Dickson from the Seattle Seahawks. He’s making $3.67 million a year. Still a good chunk of change, but not quite at the level of the top kickers.
And to add another layer to my research, I looked into how these salaries are determined. It’s not just about how far they can kick the ball. There are all sorts of factors like the team’s budget, the player’s experience, and how well they perform under pressure. There are 32 placekickers and 32 punters around the league, plus guys on the practice squads, many of whom earn the league minimum, bringing the average salary for an NFL kicker to $860,000.
So, there you have it. That’s my deep dive into the world of NFL kicker salaries. It’s a wild ride of numbers and comparisons, but hey, someone’s gotta do it, right?
