NFL Player Salaries: Do the Best Players Really Earn the Most?

Imagine this scenario. You’re the most skilled and best-paid football player in your position. NFL player salaries tend to be big but yours in super-big. Your millions are the most millions. You diamonds shine the brightest. Then, suddenly, everything changes and now another player who isn’t necessarily better than you is earning way more than you. Are you going to stand for that?

This is the situation facing New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. Revis is an excellent cornerback. He’s generally considered to be the best in the entire NFL. He is salary for the 2010 season is supposed to be $1 million. Other cornerbacks in the league who are also great players, but perhaps not as good as him, such as Nate Clements of the 49ers and Asante Samuel of the Philadelphia Eagles, each earn about $10 million per season.

But, now another cornerback, Nnamdi Asomugha of the Oakland Raiders, is going to earn about $15.1 million per season. His salary will top Darrelle Revis’s salary by multi-millions, though his play on the field may not. Revis is demanding that his current team, the Jets, pony up and to respect his abilities and keep him on the roster. What are his chances of getting the goods?

One big issue at play here is the NFL salary cap. The author of the Gang Green Nation blog explains it well in his post, “Why the Jets Should Make Darrelle Revis the Highest Paid Cornerback in the NFL” stating, “Let’s put $3.2 million into perspective for an NFL team. The salary cap in 2009 was worth around $127 million. That extra $3.2 million would count for 2.5% of the team’s cap space.“ Is a great defender worth that much to the team?

We’ll find out eventually what is decided with Revis. What do you think the Jets should do with Revis? Also, how does this story remind you of your workplace? This NFL player salaries scenario provides an interesting parallel to the decisions companies are facing these days when rewarding their employees. Managers must decide which workers will receive precious human resources dollars. Feel free to weigh in.

More coverage of the Darrelle Revis story:

Maybe Darrelle Revis Should Just Trade Places with Nnamdi Asomugha

Sources: Nick Mangold Deal Close

Has Darrelle Revis Overplayed His Hand?

See related Salary Reporter post:

NFL Player Salaries: Tom Brady Keeps His High Earnings