Many NFL players have notable performance bonuses in their contracts tied to incentives and playing time. It’s not unusual for a player to bet on himself and earn millions of dollars in addition to his base salary.
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is a prime example of a player who bet on himself. Gronkowski had $6.5 million at stake in bonuses this season while earning a base salary of $4.25 million.
How has Gronk fared in his bid to pocket additional cash? How about other players? Here’s a closer look:
Adrian Clayborn, DE
Salary: $3.75 million
Bonuses: Clayborn, who leads the Falcons with 9.5 sacks, has incentives in his contract that pay him $250,000 for six sacks, $750,000 for eight sacks, $1.25 million for 10 sacks and, if he finishes with 12 sacks, his maximum bonus would be $2 million. Clayborn also earns $31,250 in per-game bonuses when he’s on the active roster. So far, he has collected $437,500.
Eric Weddle, FS
Salary: $4 million
Bonus: Weddle receives $1 million if he makes the Pro Bowl on the original ballot and the Ravens make the playoffs in same season.
Julius Peppers, DE
Salary: $1 million
Bonuses: Peppers already has earned $500,000 for nine sacks and can get to $750,000 if he gets to 11.
Michael Johnson, DE
Salary: Up to $4 million
Bonuses: Johnson has a per-game roster bonus of $12,500 for each game he is on the 46-man roster, with a maximum value of $200,000. Johnson missed the second game of the season.
Vontaze Burfict, LB
Salary: Up to $8,636,000
Bonuses: For 2017, Burfict has a roster bonus of $31,250 for each game he is on the active roster, so he missed out on $93,750 in addition to three game checks when he was suspended early in the season. The value of the bonus maxes out at $500,000.
Giovani Bernard, RB
Salary: Up to $3 million
Bonuses: Bernard has a per-game roster bonus of $12,500 for each game he is on the 46-man roster, and he has played in every game this season.
Dre Kirkpatrick, CB
Salary: Up to $8 million
Bonuses: Kirkpatrick has a per-game roster bonus of $15,625 for each game he is on the 46-man roster, with a maximum value of $250,000. He has missed two games this season.
Salary: $1 million
Bonuses: Cooper needs to play 75 percent of the snaps to earn $500,000. He is at 79 percent with two games left, so as long as he’s at half the snaps or so in the final two games, he will earn $500,000. He also earns $31,250 in per-game roster bonuses (he was inactive the first three games).
Salary: $1,237,500
Bonuses: He will earn $100,000 for playing 40 percent of defensive snaps, $200,000 for 50 percent of defensive snaps and $200,000 playing 60 percent of snaps. So far this season, he has played 44.5 percent of snaps. He can also earn $250,000 for six or more sacks and another $500,000 for eight or more sacks. He has 2.5 sacks this season. His 2018 base could escalate by $500,000 by hitting the 50 percent playing-time marker in 2017 and another $750,000 with eight or more sacks.
Akeem Spence, DT
Salary: $1.25 million
Bonuses: His 2018 base salary of $2.4 million increases by $375,000 if he plays 45 percent or more of plays in 2017 and another $375,000 with 55 percent or more of plays. He has played 60.2 percent of snaps so far this season.
Tahir Whitehead, LB
Salary: $3,050,000
Bonuses: He earns an extra $250,000 for playing 60 percent or more of defensive snaps. He’s played 87.5 percent of snaps this season. He did not reach the $250,000 incentive for being an original ballot Pro Bowl selection.
Paul Worrilow, LB
Salary: $2,000,000
Bonuses: He earns an extra $250,000 for playing 50 percent or more of defensive snaps, another $250,000 for 60 percent of defensive snaps, another $250,000 for 70 percent of snaps and a final $250,000 for 80 percent of snaps. He has played 25.4 percent of snaps this season.
Darius Slay, CB
Salary: $4.1 million
Bonuses: Slay hit his $550,000 escalator in base pay for 2018 by having five or more interceptions and making the Pro Bowl. His 2018 base salary will now be $2,726,269.
D.J. Hayden, CB
Salary: $2 million
Bonuses: He gets a bonus of $250,000 by playing 50 percent of snaps, another $250,000 for 60 percent of snaps, another $250,000 for 70 percent of snaps and a final $250,000 for 80 percent of snaps. He has played 41.3 percent of snaps this season. He also can get an extra $125,000 if he has four interceptions and another $125,000 with an additional interception. Hayden has yet to intercept a pass this season.
Tavon Wilson, S
Salary: $900,000
Bonuses: He earns a bonus of $100,000 for playing 35 percent of snaps, another $150,000 for 50 percent of snaps and another $250,000 for 65 percent of snaps. Wilson, who is on injured reserve, has played 58 percent of total snaps this season, but this number will go down as the Lions play their final two games.
Davon House, CB
Salary: $1.5 million
Bonuses: House can earn up to $750,000 for playing-time incentives: $250,000 for playing in 50 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, another $250,000 if he plays in 60 percent and another $250,000 if he plays in 70 percent. Through 14 games, he has played in 63 percent of the defensive snaps.
Ahmad Brooks, OLB
Salary: $1 million
Bonuses: Brooks can earn up to $1.5 million based on sack totals: $250,000 with 6.5 sacks, $500,000 with 7.5 sacks, $750,000 with 8.5 sacks, $1 million with 9.5 sacks, $1.25 million with 10.5 sacks or $1.5 million with 11.5 sacks. Through 14 games, Brooks has 1.5 sacks.
Salary: $2.75 million
Bonuses: Vinatieri will earn a $500,000 bonus if he makes at least 90 percent of his field goal attempts. He’s currently at 88.9 percent on the season after two misses in the blizzard in Buffalo in Week 14 dropped his percentage. Vinatieri needs to go at least 3-for-3 in the final two games to reach 90 percent. Vinatieri missed out on the $500,000 bonus when he missed a field goal that kept him below 90 percent in Week 17 of last season.
Salary: $1,375,000
Bonuses: Zuerlein earned $250,000 for being selected to the Pro Bowl.
Salary: $4,847,233
Bonuses: Saffold earns $31,250 every week he’s active on game day. He has already made $437,500 with the chance for another $62,500 in the final two weeks.
Kayvon Webster, CB
Salary: $2,750,000
Bonuses: Webster earns $15,625 every week he’s active on game day. He made $171,875 for being active in 11 games before rupturing his Achilles tendon.
Lance Dunbar, RB
Salary: $1,000,000
Bonuses: Dunbar’s contract comes with a $1.5 million playoff bonus. He also makes $7,812 for every game he is active. He already has made $23,436 with the chance for another $15,624 in the final two weeks.
Derek Carrier, TE
Salary: $585,000
Bonuses: Carrier’s contract carries a $6,250 per-game bonus in 2017. He has made $75,000 with the chance for another $12,500 in the final two weeks.
Adam Thielen, WR
Salary: $3,746,000
Bonuses: Thielen earned an extra $500,000 for reaching 70 catches this season and was awarded another $250,000 when he hit 80 catches. With two games left, Thielen is seven catches away from earning another $250,000 for 90 receptions. That would have given him an extra $1 million in earned incentives this season.
Rob Gronkowski, TE
Salary: $4.25 million
Bonuses: Gronkowski had $6.5 million in bonuses at stake going into the 2017 season. He has already earned $4.5 million (by reaching 1,000 yards receiving) and can earn another $2 million in bonuses with either 90 percent playing time, 80 catches, 1,200 receiving yards or All-Pro recognition (which he has made four times). Gronkowski is at 79.3 percent playing time and has 64 catches for 1,017 yards.
Salary: Up to $2.5 million
Bonuses: Earns $300,000 if he plays 80 percent of the defensive snaps and the team wins 13 games, and he earns $500,000 if he hits 85 percent playing time. Chung has played 87.3 percent of the defensive snaps.
Matthew Slater, ST
Salary: $900,000
Bonuses: If the team wins 13 games or the Super Bowl, he earns $50,000.
Lawrence Guy, DT
Salary: $900,000
Bonuses: He earns $400,000 for playing 50 percent of the defensive snaps and $500,000 if he hits 55 percent. Guy is at 55.6 percent playing time.
James Develin, FB
Salary: $800,000
Bonuses: He can earn $100,000 if he hits 30 percent playing time, and he’s right at the edge.
Duron Harmon, S
Salary: $1.5 million
Bonuses: If he plays 60 percent of the snaps, he will earn $250,000. He gets another $250,000 if he hits 70 percent. Harmon is at 67.1 percent.
Mark Ingram RB
Salary: $5.345 million
Bonuses: Ingram’s contract will void a year early, making him a free agent after this season if he is named a first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press. The All-Pro team has one running back spot and one flex position for the entire league, regardless of conference.
Cameron Jordan, DE
Salary: $7 million
Bonuses: His 2018 salary will escalate by $250,000 if he reaches 13 sacks this year, by another $500,000 if he reaches 15 sacks and by another $500,000 if he reaches 17 sacks, for a maximum of $1.25 million. Jordan currently has 10 sacks with two games left to play.
Craig Robertson, LB
Salary: $1.105 million
Bonuses: He will earn $100,000 if he plays 40 percent or more of the defensive snaps this year, another $200,000 for 50 percent, another $400,000 for 60 percent, another $400,000 for 70 percent and another $400,000 for 80 percent, for a maximum of $1.5 million. Robertson has played 72.1 percent of the Saints’ defensive snaps so far, though his playing time should remain high over the final two weeks with starting linebacker A.J. Klein now on injured reserve.
Senio Kelemete, OL
Salary: $1.275 million
Bonuses: He will earn $200,000 if he plays 50 percent or more of the offensive snaps this year, another $200,000 for 60 percent and another $200,000 for 70 percent, for a maximum of $600,000. Kelemete has played 60 percent of the Saints’ offensive snaps so far, and his playing time could remain high if starting guard Larry Warford is sidelined this week by a concussion.
Manti Te’o, LB
Salary: $850,000
Bonuses: He will earn $200,000 if he plays 65 percent or more of the defensive snaps this year, another $300,000 for 75 percent and another $500,000 for 85 percent, for a maximum of $1 million. Te’o has played 43.6 percent of the Saints’ defensive snaps so far, so it seems impossible for him to reach those goals even with Klein now on injured reserve. Te’o also earns a bonus of $31,250 for each game on the active 46-man roster. He has played in 14 games this year.
Orleans Darkwa, RB
Salary: $900,000
Bonuses: Darkwa has already earned a $200,000 incentive for topping 500 yards rushing. He currently has 587 and averages 4.0 yards per carry. If he reaches 750 yards rushing with 4.0 YPC, it would equate to another $200,000 bonus. He also gets another $25,000 if he’s active for the final two games.
Shane Vereen, RB
Salary: $2.75 million
Bonuses: Vereen earns $31,250 every week he’s active on game day. He has already made $437,500 with the chance for another $62,500 in the final two weeks. Vereen also hit a $200,000 incentive for 40 receptions. He has 44 this season. If he catches another 11 passes over the final two weeks, Vereen would collect another $150,000 for reaching 55 catches. He would also earn a $250,000 incentive if he rushes for another 150 yards in the final two games and achieves 300 or more this season.
Geno Smith, QB
Salary: $1 million
Bonuses: He has already earned $175,000 in per-game roster bonuses. He gets another $25,000 if he’s active the final two games of the season.
Josh McCown, QB
Salary: $6 million
Bonuses: McCown earned $1.625 million ($125,000 for each start), but his season-ending hand injury landed him on IR for the final three games. That cost him $375,000.
Jermaine Kearse, WR
Salary: $2.2 million
Bonuses: With 55 catches, Kearse has reached his first incentive threshold for receptions -- $100,000. He’ll get $200,000 if he gets to 60 catches, $300,000 if he gets to 65, $400,000 if he gets to 70 and $500,000 if he reaches 75 catches. With 709 receiving yards, he’s still shy of his first yardage threshold. He gets $250,000 for 750 yards, $375,000 for 875 yards and $500,000 for 1,000 yards. With five touchdowns, it’ll be tough to reach his trigger -- nine TDs, which would mean a $100,000 bonus.
Kelvin Beachum, LT
Salary: $8 million (includes bonus)
Bonuses: The final year of his contract (2019) voids if he makes the Pro Bowl in 2017 or 2018. He didn’t make it this season.
Brandon Graham, DE, Philadelphia Eagles
Salary: $6.5 million
Bonuses: Graham (9.5 sacks) has already added $500,000 to his 2018 salary by reaching the nine-sack mark. He can earn an additional $250,000 by getting to 12 sacks in the final two games.
Michael Bennett, DL
Salary: $6 million
Bonuses: If he finishes this season with nine sacks or more, Bennett will achieve an escalator in his contract that will increase his 2018 base salary of $1.5 million by $200,000. He has already hit a $150,000 escalator by reaching seven sacks. He has 7.5 through 14 games.
Salary: $800,000
Bonuses: McDougald has a playing-time incentive that will pay him $50,000 if he plays 50 percent of Seattle’s defensive snaps or $100,000 if he reaches 60 percent. McDougald is at just under 56 percent through 14 games.
Luke Willson, TE
Salary: $1 million
Bonuses: Willson will earn a $125,000 bonus if he reaches 20 receptions. He has 13 through 14 games.
Gerald McCoy, DT
Salary: $15.9 million annually
Bonuses: If he’s named an All-Pro by the Associated Press or Pro Football Writers of America, he’ll earn an extra $100,000.