Of the 16 contracts signed by NFL players with a maximum value of at least $100 million, no one has ever earned $70 million in those non-guaranteed deals. That will change this year with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, according to ESPN Stats & Information's John Parolin.
Roethlisberger is scheduled to receive $11.6 million this year ($9 million in a bonus as part of a restructured contract), which will give him $76.5 million from an eight-year, $102 million deal that he signed in March 2008. The most any NFL player had received from a $100 million contract was $69 million (Donovan McNabb).
This will likely be all that Roethlisberger will get from his current deal. Roethlisberger is in line for an extension after this season because his salary-cap number will be around $18 million and restructuring his contract this time won't free up much cap room. Plus, an extension would probably guarantee the 31-year-old Roethlisberger finishing his career with the Steelers.
Of the eight completed $100 million contracts in the NFL, only McNabb and Brett Favre earned over 50 percent of the maximum value of the contract. Daunte Culpepper only received $19 million from his $102 million deal signed in 2003 and is now facing foreclosure on his South Florida home.
Of the eight active $100 million contracts, Drew Brees is second behind Roethlisberger, receiving $40 million.