The NFL has a program that distributes additional money to those who played well above their contractual salaries
SANTA CLARA -- A huge raise for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will have to wait until next offseason, but he did earn himself a significant check Monday when the NFL announced its annual pay-for-performance distribution.
This year, the NFL compensated players with an additional $393.8 million in performance-based pay for the 2023 season. The program compensates players based on playing time and salary levels, with the intention of providing additional money to players who exceeded their contractual salaries.
For Purdy, that resulted in an additional check of $739,795, which is 75.1 percent of the $985,000 base salary he pocketed in 2023. The additional check for Purdy is his 24th compensation payment this year in terms of size.
That comes after a season in which Purdy set a franchise record for passing yards (4,280) and became the first Niners quarterback since Jeff Garcia in 2001 to throw at least 30 touchdown passes in a season (31 ), on his way to his first Pro Bowl invitation.
In his second NFL season, Purdy finished fourth in MVP voting. Since he is not yet eligible for a lucrative contract extension, pay-for-performance was the only way for him to get additional compensation for his play.
That could change next year. The Niners are already prepared to pay Purdy as their franchise quarterback, team owner Jed York made clear during last week's league meetings.
"I think it's a good problem to have when your quarterback is one of the highest-paid guys on your team and in the league," York explained. "It's not like Brock is going to ask for something that no one has ever asked for before. ... Quarterback is the most important position, not just in football, but in all sports. And those guys should be paid a lot of money."
Purdy is the only quarterback among the top 25 players rewarded through pay-for-performance, a list largely dominated by offensive linemen with seven of the top spots.
Former Baltimore Ravens guard John Simpson tops the list with a $974,613 payout that nearly doubles his salary after playing last season on the one-year, $1.01 million minimum contract. Simpson signed a two-year contract with the New York Jets in March, under which he can earn up to $18 million.
Philadelphia Eagles safety Reed Blankenship ($923,059); Buffalo Bills tackle Spencer Brown ($912,723); Cincinnati Bengals guard Cordell Volson ($905,972); and Miami Dolphins cornerback Kader Kohou ($878,167) complete the list of the five highest-paid across the program.
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