By Sunday 
In today’s NFL, franchise quarterbacks are like rare gemstones—scarce, highly valued, and very expensive. So when a deal like Brock Purdy’s $265 million contract hits the newswire, fans and analysts alike scramble to see where the dominoes fall. One name that popped up fast? Jared Goff.
Let’s break it down—and yes, Goff fans, there’s plenty to smile about.
A Deal to Remember: Brock Purdy Cashes In
On Friday, May 16, the San Francisco 49ers made a major move by signing quarterback Brock Purdy to a five-year, $265 million extension. That’s a lot of cash for a guy once nicknamed “Mr. Irrelevant” after being the last pick in the draft just a few years ago. But Purdy has made a name for himself fast—two playoff runs in three seasons, a Super Bowl appearance, and a fourth-place MVP finish in 2023 will do that.
Still, it wasn’t just about the money. According to Niners Nation’s Patrick Holloway, “Purdy gets above $50 million. He could have held out for Dak Prescott or Trevor Lawrence money, but he didn’t.” Instead, the young QB left some wiggle room for his team to keep stacking talent.
Jared Goff: Still in Elite Company
So where does this leave Jared Goff? Glad you asked.
When Goff signed his four-year, $212 million extension with the Detroit Lions in the 2024 offseason, it made him the highest-paid player in team history and the sixth-highest paid quarterback by average annual value (AAV). Flash forward to today: Goff is now tied with Brock Purdy for 7th in quarterback pay, with both earning $53 million per year.
Here’s how the current top-tier QB earnings stack up:
- Dak Prescott – $60M
- Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence – $55M
- Tua Tagovailoa – $53.1M
- Jared Goff & Brock Purdy – $53M
Yes, even Tua sneaks just ahead of Goff. Strange? Maybe. But that’s the market.
Recency Bias or Just Right?
Purdy’s deal naturally stirred debate. One online commenter compared him to Goff, saying, “Contract looks absolutely fair realistically factoring in his bad 2024 season and physical disadvantages (some of which cannot be hidden). ‘Around Jared Goff’ is about right.”
That’s the keyword here: “around.” Because whether you think Purdy’s ceiling is higher or Goff’s experience is more valuable, the NFL market says they’re currently neck and neck.
And for Detroit fans still haunted by that NFC Championship loss to Purdy’s 49ers? Well, at least they can say their guy is getting paid just the same.
The Takeaway
Jared Goff may have dropped a notch on the quarterback salary leaderboard, but make no mistake—he’s still in elite financial company. More importantly, the Lions have their guy locked in, confident that Goff can continue leading them deep into the playoffs.
And now that both he and Purdy share a salary bracket, maybe we’re watching the start of a new QB rivalry—not just on the field, but in the finance books too.
Stay tuned. The NFL’s top-paid quarterback race is far from over.