Who is the Highest Paid US Athlete?

By Lisa Spencer Senior Editor Updated: 27 January 2023

Lisa Spencer Senior Editor

As a Senior Editor at Betting.US, Lisa Spencer is a valuable member of our expert team. With a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics, Lisa is adept in gambling theory and analyzing odds. She contributes by writing online sportsbook reviews and finding competitive markets to help our readers make an informed choice.

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Highest Paid US Athlete

• Who IS The Highest Paid US Athlete?
• Our List of the Highest Earning US Athletes
• Highest Paid Worldwide Athletes
• Commonly Asked Questions

Who is the highest paid US athlete? This is actually a very tough question to answer, as there are various sources online with very different views on the subject. So, instead of providing you with a definitive list, we’ve simply gone through a few of the sports personalities in the conversation. Check out the names we’ve come up with below!

Finding the Highest Paid US Athlete

You might think that working out the highest paid American athlete is simple – just find out their salary and that’s it. But this isn’t actually the case, as sports stars have many income streams, often including scores of sponsorship deals and endorsements, as well as signing on payments and performance bonuses.

On this page, we’ve attempted to roll everything into one, taking into account salary, sponsorships, and more.

The Highest Paid American Athlete List

The list of the highest paid American athletes features some of the biggest and best names in sport. We’ll start with perhaps the best-known name on this list – LeBron James.

LeBron James

LeBron James is a professional basketball player with the National Basketball Association’s Los Angeles Lakers and is a name on every list of richest American athletes. He is widely regarded as one of the best basketball players of all time, having received countless trophies and honors during his career. Aside from his on-court accomplishments, James is well-known for his rich endorsement deals and business activities.

James agreed to a two-year, $85 million contract agreement with the Lakers in 2021. This deal, together with his endorsement earnings, is predicted to make him one of the highest-paid athletes in the United States. James has sponsorship relationships with Nike, Coca-Cola, and Beats by Dre, and he also has his own production firm and media platform. These business interests, together with his NBA salary, add to his projected net worth of $1 billion.

Patrick Mahomes

Patrick Mahomes is a football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs and is widely regarded as the best player currently in the NFL – as well as the heir to Tom Brady’s crown. He was drafted 10th in the 2017 NFL Draft and has already led his team to two Super Bowls, winning the 2020 edition.

Mahomes is the hottest property in the NFL and has a contract to reflect this status. In 2020, he signed a giant 10-year contract worth $450 million, with total guaranteed money of over $141 million. In 2022, he earned over $35.5 million, and this figure will rise. His highest paid year is scheduled to be 2027, when he’ll earn just under $60 million.

The Kansas City QB also has plenty of sponsorship deals. He has a deal with Adidas, with whom he’s put out his own line of shoes, plus works with Bose, Essentia Water, and Head & Shoulders, to name just a few. He’s also been on the front cover of Madden. He’s estimated to earn around $7 million a year via endorsements.

Mahomes also has investments. He’s a minority stakeholder in the Kansas City Royals, plus he’s invested in a tech unicorn called Whoop, alongside several other big sporting superstars.

Dak Prescott

Dak Prescott is a quarterback for the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys. He attended Mississippi State University and was drafted by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Since then, he has cemented himself as one of the league’s elite quarterbacks, leading the Cowboys to several postseason berths.

Prescott signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension with the Cowboys in 2019, making him one of the NFL’s top paid players. His contract contains a guaranteed $126 million, including a $40 million yearly compensation. This makes him the highest-paid player in Cowboys history and one of the league’s highest-paid players.

Prescott is noted for being incredibly conservative with his money, despite his outstanding earnings. He has expressed a desire to conserve and invest his wealth rather than wasting it on expensive things. He has also participated in various humanitarian endeavors, including a $1 million donation to his alma mater, Mississippi State University, to finance a new sports medical center.

Prescott’s performance on the field, along with his solid money management, has helped him become one of the highest-paid athletes in the United States.

Tom Brady

Tom Brady is an NFL quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He is widely regarded as the greatest football player of all time, having won seven Super Bowls in his career. Brady inked a two-year, $50 million contract with the Buccaneers in 2020, making him one of the league’s top paid players.

Brady’s compensation from the Buccaneers is supplemented by endorsement partnerships with Nike, Under Armour, and Aston Martin. These sponsorships, together with his NFL pay, add to his projected net worth of $200 million. Brady is well-known for his generosity and has contributed to a number of philanthropic initiatives over his career.

However, unbeknown to many, Brady also operates a successful production company called 199 Productions. This has earned him a reported $31 million in extra income, and this is in addition to exclusive partnerships with brands such as Under Armour and T-Mobile.

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant is a professional basketball player for the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets. He is a ten-time NBA All-Star who has won two NBA titles and the NBA Most Valuable Player award. Durant has also had a successful off-court career, having endorsement deals with Nike, Foot Locker, and eBay.

Durant inked a four-year, $164 million contract with the Nets in 2019, making him one of the league’s top paid players. This deal, combined with his endorsement earnings, is projected to considerably add to his total income. Durant’s net worth is reported to be approximately $200 million, and he is well-known for his generosity, particularly in the areas of education and youth development.

Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry is an NBA point guard for the Golden State Warriors. He is a six-time NBA All-Star who has won three NBA titles and the NBA Most Valuable Player award. Curry is well-known for his shooting abilities and has established multiple three-point shooting records.

Curry signed a five-year, $201 million contract agreement with the Warriors in 2021, making him the league’s highest paid player. This contract, together with endorsement partnerships with Under Armour and British American Tobacco, is projected to add considerably to his entire revenue. Curry’s net worth is reported to be in the $40 million range, and he is interested in a number of humanitarian projects, including education and healthcare.

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is a professional golfer and one of the most successful and influential athletes in the history of golf. He has won numerous major championships and has been ranked as the number one golfer in the world for over 500 weeks. Woods is known for his intense competitive drive and his ability to consistently perform at a high level.

In addition to his success on the golf course, Woods has also had a successful career off the course, with endorsement deals with companies such as Nike, Bridgestone, and Rolex. These endorsement deals, along with his prize money from golf tournaments, have contributed to his overall net worth, which is estimated to be around $800 million.

Despite his impressive net worth, Woods has faced financial challenges in recent years. In 2009, he went through a highly publicized divorce that resulted in a settlement of over $100 million. In 2017, he was involved in a car accident that led to a number of legal and financial issues. Despite these challenges, Woods has continued to be one of the highest paid athletes in the world.

Highest Paid Worldwide Athletes

While the richest American sportsman earns a very healthy income, he’s not the highest paid athlete in the world. In fact, there are some very recognizable names who earn a lot more money than Prescott – and in the table below, we’ll take a look at who the highest-paid athletes in the world are – correct as of 2022.