This New York Jets player can buy a can of Coke with his 2023 performance-based pay
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has made quite a bit of money in his NFL career.
He’s probably never earned this little in one shot, though.
The NFL awards performance-based pay to players based on their playing time and performance compared to their base salary. It’s primarily a way for low-paid players to earn significantly more than their salaries. This pay does not count against the salary cap.
Hilariously, Rodgers earned $81.14 in performance-based pay for his four snaps in 2023, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It was the lowest amount the NFL doled out to any player.
Jets QB Aaron Rodgers earned $81.14 through the NFL’s performance-based pay system, the lowest amount among all NFL players last season.
The system rewards all NFL players based on their play time and base salary. If a player has a low base salary but plays a significant number… pic.twitter.com/dldDmr338f
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 2, 2024
That leads to an amusing thought experiment.
What can Aaron Rodgers buy in New Jersey with his performance-based pay? https://t.co/ZeApQvulgv
— Rivka Boord (@rivka_boord) April 3, 2024
Unlike Rodgers, other Jets players earned significant salary boosts with performance-based pay. Former Ravens left guard John Simpson, who signed a two-year deal with the Jets this offseason, earned nearly $1 million, the most given to any player by more than $50,000. Safety Tony Adams ranked 16th with nearly $778,000. These two players far exceeded their minimum salaries as starters for their respective teams.
The Jets can only hope that Rodgers earns significantly more in this category in 2024. They’ve done their best to ensure it, bringing in Tyron Smith, Simpson, and Morgan Moses to anchor the offensive line.
The Jets also hope to continue their run of success in developing unheralded players, especially waiver-wire pickups (John Franklin-Myers and Quincy Williams) and undrafted free agents (Bryce Huff and Adams).
Jets fans, what would you buy with Rodgers’ performance-based pay of $81.14?
Aaron should ask them to get one of those giant lottery winner checks, and have a a photo shoot of them awarding him his giant $81 check. That would be funny.