Two Ex-Cal Players Among 50 Highest-Paid Athletes
Two former Cal stars are among the 50 highest-paid athletes of 2020, according to a Forbes story.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff, who played at Cal from 2013 to 2015, is the 15th-highest-paid athlete in Forbes' list of the top 100 money-making athletes. Meanwhile, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who played for the Golden Bears in 2003 and 2004, comes in at No. 45
Both left Cal after their junior seasons, but it certainly did not hurt their earning power.
Goff is the third-highest-paid football player on the list, behind quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Carson Wentz, and overall is placed right behind golfer Rory McIlroy and just ahead of MMA athlete Conor McGregor.
According to Forbes' 2020 rankings, Goff earns $49 million, with $2 million coming from endorsements and $47 million from salary.
Goff signed a four-year, $134 million extension in September of 2019, with $110 million of that guaranteed, the most guaranteed money in NFL history. His contract reportedly was restructured this spring to free up $7 million of cap space for the Rams.
Goff was selected with the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. He signed a four-year, $27.9 million deal in June 2016 and would have become a free agent in 2021 if he had not signed an extension.
He is making more than Rodgers, a two-time NFL MVP.
Rodgers is earning $31.1 million, according to Forbes, but is making more in endorsements than Goff, with Rodgers raking in $9 million in sponsorships, according to Forbes. He is the ninth-highest-paid football player.
Rodgers was not taken until the 24th overall pick of the 2005 NFL draft. Unlike Goff, who became a starter as a rookie, Rodgers did not become a starter until his fourth NFL season.
Rodgers, 36, signed an extension with Green Bay in August 2018 and his contract runs through the 2023 season. The four-year deal reportedly has a total value of $133 million, with a total guarantee of $98.7 million, according to Spotrac.
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