Stafford's extension puts him on track to join sports' $500M club

Matthew Stafford's new contract extension doesn't just keep him in Los Angeles through 2027 — it puts him in rare company across all of professional sports.

The Rams signed Stafford to a one-year, $55 million extension that ties him to the team through 2027 with $105 million in remaining compensation. If he plays out the deal, he will become just the third athlete in North American major sports history to earn $500 million in playing salary, per Spotrac.

The others are the NBA's LeBron James ($581 million) and Kevin Durant ($501 million). Alex Rodriguez holds the MLB record at $485 million, but never crossed the threshold, and no NHL player is close (Alexander Ovechkin holds the top spot in hockey at $171 million).

Stafford was already the NFL's career earnings leader at $408 million through the 2025 season, according to Spotrac. Behind him are Aaron Rodgers ($395 million), Tom Brady ($333 million), Kirk Cousins ($322 million) and Russell Wilson ($316 million). Rodgers recently announced 2026 will be his last season, Brady retired years ago, while Cousins and Wilson are on the tail ends of their respective careers.

The one thing to note, though, is the uncertainty around whether Stafford's 2027 salary is fully guaranteed, and if he chooses to retire after the 2026 season. That could affect the final results of his earnings.

But after Stafford had a career year in 2025, there's no reason to believe he wouldn't continue playing. He lead the league for the first time in both passing yards and touchdowns this past season, resulting in his first NFL MVP award. And then, with questions about his future, Stafford announced during his MVP acceptance speech his decision to return to the Rams for 2206.

The broader context makes the number even more striking. Sports salaries have climbed steadily for decades, but $500 million in playing earnings remains a threshold only two athletes have ever reached. Stafford would be the first to do it in football — a sport that, unlike basketball or baseball, doesn't guarantee most contracts in full.

Stafford has been known as one of the best quarterbacks of his generation. Now, with this new deal and new accolade, his contract is backing that claim up in an era of sports spending that keeps rising.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Stafford's extension puts him on track to join sports' $500M club