For all his accolades, Tom Brady has never been the NFL's highest-paid quarterback.
That still will be the case in 2019.
Brady and the New England Patriots reportedly have agreed to a two-year, $70 million contract that will pay the quarterback $23 million this season. That's an $8 million raise, but the new deal still makes Brady just the seventh-highest-paid QB in the NFL in 2019, tied with New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees.
Here are the six quarterbacks ahead of Brady and Brees in expected total cash earnings for 2019, according to Spotrac:
1. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers: $45 million
2. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons: $44.75 million
3. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks: $35 million
4. Nick Foles, Jacksonville Jaguars: $30.75 million
5. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings: $28 million
6. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals: $24.08 million
T-7. Tom Brady, New England Patriots: $23 million
T-7. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints: $23 million
That's right: By the cash earnings measurement, Brady will make less money than Nick Foles. Kirk Cousins and rookie Kyler Murray.
That said, this is still a record deal by Brady's standards. The 42-year-old quarterback has never earned more than $20 million cash in a season (he topped out at $19.75 in 2011) and in 2018 ranked tied for 19th in cash earnings ($15 million) behind the likes of Ryan Tannehill and Tyrod Taylor.
In fact, Brady's new contract puts him in the top 10 among NFL quarterbacks in cash earnings for the first time since 2014, per Spotrac, which has cash earnings data dating to 2011.
New England Patriots
2018: 19th ($15 million)
2017: 12th ($15 million)
2016: 16th ($14.77 million)
2015: 11th ($13.01 million)
2014: T-3rd ($19 million)
2013: 8th ($13 million)
2012: T-8th ($12 million)
2011: 4th ($19.75 million)
Brady's average salary of $35 million also is tied with Wilson for the richest in the NFL, although the expectation is that he'll be renegotiating his deal next offseason.
The bottom line: Brady got a much-deserved pay raise, but the six-time Super Bowl champion still didn't break the Patriots' bank by demanding to be paid top dollar at his position.
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