NFL players who valued cash over championships – ranked

There is no ‘right way’ to go about an NFL career, with some players focusing solely on winning championships, while others go out of their way to ensure they get the bag. It’s never a bad idea to maximize your earnings, but for some, it came at a cost. All contract numbers are sourced from Spotrac.

Nnamdi Asomugha became the poster child of the Philadelphia Eagles ‘Dream Team’ in 2011 after leaving the Oakland Raiders. Asomugha was elite in Oakland but struggled in Philly as the Eagles’ attempt to build a super team failed spectacularly. The move netted Asomugha $60 million, but in almost every other aspect was a flop.

Ndamukong Suh was able to find a balance in his career, constantly moving teams while also competing for Super Bowls. He moved from Detroit to Miami to the Rams, where he lost a Super Bowl, to Tampa Bay, where he won one. His final stop came in Philly as a mid-season reinforcement and ended with another Super Bowl loss.

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This is more of an indictment on the Houston Texans, who decided to pay Brock Osweiler $72 million over four years after he backed up Peyton Manning in Super Bowl 50. Osweiler cashed in despite never showing much in the NFL. The move failed for all involved, with Osweiler getting benched in Houston for Tom Savage…

Sam Bradford holds the record for the highest rookie contract in NFL history after signing a six-year, $78 million deal after being selected number one overall. Bradford was mediocre in St. Louis before signing with the Chip Kelly-led Eagles, who hoped to turn his career around. Neither move worked, but Bradford is very rich, so good for him!

On January 1st 2012, the Green Bay Packers beat the Detroit Lions 45-41. Lions’ QB Matthew Stafford threw for 520 yards and five TDs. On the other side, Matt Flynn passed for 480 yards and six touchdowns, per ESPN. A few months later, the Seattle Seahawks, besotted by this performance, gave Flynn $26 million. Fortunately for them, they also drafted Russell Wilson that year…

At one point in 2006, Adam Archuleta was the highest-paid safety in the NFL, per CNN. Given he moved from the Rams, whose Super Bowl window had slammed shut by this point, to Washington, it’s possible Archuleta thought he was moving to a possible contender. We can only assume the $30 million helped, though.

Javon Walker made the Pro Bowl in 2004 as a member of the Green Bay Packers. He swiftly demanded a trade after the season was completed, telling ESPN, “They [Green Bay] want players to come up there and play hard and work hard, but when it comes time to be compensated, it's like, 'We forgot what you've done.'” At least he was honest.

It’s hard to argue Deion Sanders’ greatness, so we can excuse him attempting to cash in with some of his late-career moves. Especially his decision to sign with Washington in 2000, who gave him a seven-year, $56 million contract. Sanders promptly retired after the season, before being dragged out of retirement aged 37 to play for the Ravens a few years later.

Adalius Thomas’ career was certainly a success, with the linebacker winning a Super Bowl with the Ravens and appearing in another as a Patriot. But it’s tough to argue his move from Baltimore to New England wasn’t money-motivated. Thomas never re-found his production after the move, or won another ring.

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Once you win a Super Bowl, it’s often a good time to cash in and get your big payday. That’s exactly what Alvin Harper did after winning two rings with the Cowboys in the early-90s. Harper moved to Tampa Bay, where his play fell off a cliff. Still, the millions of dollars he earned probably ease the pain.

2015 was a bizarre offseason for the Philadelphia Eagles, who traded away LeSean McCoy and then signed Ryan Mathews and DeMarco Murray to huge contracts. Murray had just won the rushing title as a Cowboy, but moved within the division to a bitter rival, signing for $42 million. Murray stunk in Philly, and the Eagles traded him after just one year.

Few players have been better at maximizing their career earnings than Kirk Cousins, who has earned well over a quarter of a billion dollars to this point. Cousins was a free agent in 2024 and was expected to re-sign in Minnesota as the Vikings were set to be a true contender. Instead, he signed a huge contract with the Falcons and now looks to be the most expensive backup in NFL history.

Mike Wallace moved from the ever-contending Pittsburgh Steelers to the Dolphins in 2013. There is only one reason why a wide receiver would do that: money. And good for him, as Wallace signed a five-year deal worth $12 million a year. He never reached the heights again, bouncing around the league for another few years before retirement.

For a few years in the early 2010s, there was a good argument Le’Veon Bell was the best all-round running back in football. His unique, patient running style was nearly impossible to stop, and he was a weapon in the passing game too. Still, he will be remembered for sitting out the 2018 season due to a contract dispute before signing with the hapless Jets for $52.5 million.

Perhaps the poster child for ‘cashing in’. Albert Haynesworth was a forcing during his time as a Tennessee Titan, earning a huge payday with Washington. Almost immediately, his motives were made obvious, as the defensive tackle showed no signs that he especially cared about the results of games and regularly took plays off. He got that bag, though.

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