GREEN BAY, Wis. – It sounds relatively simple as to how Aaron Rodgers can make $176 million over the next six years.
The four-year, $134 million contract extension that the Green Bay Packers quarterback signed on Wednesday was added on to the remaining two years of his old deal -- a five-year, $110 million extension -- albeit with some adjustments to those two years.
The easy answer for how someone can make $176 million is this: The deal included a $57.5 million signing bonus, $68 million in base salaries – ranging from $1.1 million this season to $25 million in 2023 -- $47.5 million in roster bonuses and $3 million in offseason workout bonuses.
The average will be talked about as $33.5 million, but it’s really $29.333 million over the entire six years. The total guaranteed money is listed at $98.2 million but for practical purposes it’s more than $100 million given that his base salaries for the first three years aren’t technically guaranteed, but it’s a virtual lock he will be on the roster.
Either way, the breakdown of how it all came together is far more complicated.
Here’s a year-by-year look at Rodgers’ deal:
2018
Total cash: $66.9 million
Salary-cap charge: $20.9 million
Signing bonus: $57.5 million (paid out three different ways: $13 million by Sept. 11, $37 million divided over 17 weeks of the regular season, $7.5 million on Dec. 26).
Roster bonus: $7.8 million
Base salary: $1.1 million (reduced from $19.8 million under old deal)
Workout bonus: $500,000
2019
Total cash: $15 million
Salary-cap charge: $26.5 million
Roster bonus: $13.4 million (due in March)
Base salary: $1.1 million
Workout bonus: $500,000
2020
Total cash: $21.1 million
Salary-cap charge: $32.6 million
Roster bonus: $19.5 million (due in March)
Base salary: $1.1 million
Workout bonus: $500,000
2021
Total cash: $22 million
Salary-cap charge: $33.5 million
Roster bonus: $6.8 million (due in March)
Base salary: $14.7 million
Workout bonus: $500,000
2022
Total cash: $25.5 million
Salary-cap charge: $37 million
Roster bonus: None
Base salary: $25 million
Workout bonus: $5 million
2023
Total cash: $25.5 million
Salary-cap charge: $25.5 million
Roster bonus: None
Base salary: $25 million
Workout bonus: $500,000
Notes: Signing bonuses can only be prorated over five years, which is why the 2023 salary-cap number is equal to only the cash for that season. … The six-year total could max out at $180 million if Rodgers reaches incentives totaling $1 million in each of the final four seasons. The incentives are tied to playing time ($100,000 for 72.5 percent of the offensive snaps each previous season), stats ($100,000 each if in the top three in QB rating, completion percentage, interception percentage, yards per attempt and touchdowns), playoffs ($120,000), NFC title game ($130,000), Super Bowl ($150,000). ... Rodgers no longer has any per-game roster bonuses tied to being active on the 46-man game-day roster. His old deal contained $37,500 bonuses for each game active or a total of $600,000 a year. Last year, he lost out on $337,500 because of the nine games he missed due to the broken collarbone.