Highest-Paid Non-QBs in NFL After T.J. Watt's Massive New Contract

Karl Rasmussen | Jul 17, 2025

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt is the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

T.J. Watt ended his contract dispute with the Pittsburgh Steelers by agreeing to a record-setting extension Thursday, one which ties him to the organization for three more years at a cost of $123 million.

The deal includes $108 million in fully guaranteed money and averages $41 million per season, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. It's now the second time in his career he's achieved that financial feat.

We'll take a look at the top 10 highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the NFL, in terms of average annual value, following Watt's historic extension in Pittsburgh.

Player	Team	Contract Length	Contract Value	Average Annual Value
T.J. Watt	Pittsburgh Steelers	Three Years	$123 million	$41 million
Ja'Marr Chase	Cincinnati Bengals	Four Years	$161 million	$40.25 million
Myles Garrett	Cleveland Browns	Four Years	$160 million	$40 million
Danielle Hunter	Houston Texans	One Year	$36.5 million	$36.5 million
Maxx Crosby	Las Vegas Raiders	Three Years	$106.5 million	$35.5 million
Justin Jefferson	Minnesota Vikings	Four Years	$140 million	$35 million
CeeDee Lamb	Dallas Cowboys	Four Years	$136 million	$34 million
Nick Bosa	San Francisco 49ers	Five Years	$170 million	$34 million
DK Metcalf	Pittsburgh Steelers	Four Years	$132 million	$33 million
Garrett Wilson	New York Jets	Four Years	$130 million	$32.5 million

Watt gets the edge over Ja'Marr Chase, who re-upped with the Bengals this offseason on a deal with an average annual value of $40 million.

Watt's deal comes in the wake of the Jets getting a couple of key deals done, making Garrett Wilson the 10th highest-paid non-QB in the league with a four-year, $130 million deal and rewarding Sauce Gardner as the top earning cornerback in the league with a four-year, $120.2 million extension.

Of course, in terms of the NFL's highest earning players, quarterbacks dominate the list, with Cowboys star Dak Prescott leading the charge with an average annual value of $60 million on his deal.

Watt is now tied to the Steelers for a few seasons longer, and he'll be competing to win his second Defensive Player of the Year, an award he's been in the mix for virtually every year since 2019.

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