It is a well-known fact that international athletes such as soccer players Cristiano Ronaldo,Lionel Messi, Neymar, as well as Conor McGregor, Roger Federer, Lewis Hamilton continue to top the list of highest-paid athletes, but there are plenty of wealthy athletes who come from theUnited States.
Many NFL and NBA superstars have made Forbes‘list of the 25 highest paid US sportsmen, with some of the most well-known personalities in the industry earning multi-million dollar endorsement agreements in addition to their salary. As a result, options, buyouts, bonuses, and endorsement deals have also beenincluded in these calculations.
Meanwhile, individual athletes in sports like golf, tennis, table tennis, boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts (MMA) are not paid by a team and rely on event victories to supplement their income. Every personality on the listearned at least $38.5 million in 2021, as perForbes’ figures. Take a look at the top 25 highest American earners in sports.
25. Jimmy Butler -$38.5 million
Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Jimmy Butler, who was born on September 14, 1989, in Houston, Texas,is anNBA basketball player for the Miami Heat. His total earnings in 2021, according to Forbes are$38.5 million, $27.5m of which hegotfrom basketball, while the remaining $11 million were off-field earnings. The 32-year-old small forward has also featured forChicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Philadelphia 76ers in his career.
24.Leonard Williams -$39million
Leonard Williams of the New York Giants. (Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
Leonard Williams, a football playerof the New York Giants of the NFL, was born on June 20, 1994.Williams, who was previously also part of theNew York Jets for four years from 2015 to 2019, has earned $39million last year. His off-field earnings were very low, at$500,000 while hereceived an incredible sum of$38.5 million just from playing.
23. DeAndre Hopkins -$38million
DeAndre Hopkins of the Arizona Cardinals. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
DeAndreHopkins , who was born June 6, 1992,is an Arizona Cardinals wide receiver in the NFL. Just likeLeonard Williams, in 2021, the 29-year-oldfootball player earned$39million. He grossed $38million from featuring for the National Football League side, while he collected$1 million in other off-the-field efforts such as endorsement deals and other business ventures.
22. Chris Paul -$40million
Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Born on May 6, 1985, Chris Paul is a professional basketball player in the NBA who currently plays for the Phoenix Suns. His CV consists of previousNational Basketball Association experience atNew Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, and Oklahoma City Thunder. The 36-year-oldpoint guard veteran earned a total of$40million the previous year, with $7 million of them obtained off-court.
21.Damian Lillard -$40.5 million
Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Basketball player Damian Lillard represents the NBA team Portland Trail Blazers, where he has spent his entire professional career since 2012. Throughout 2021,Lillard, who was born onJuly 15, 1990, pocketed a sum of$25.5 million on the field, and an additional $15million off the field, reaching an overall amount of$40.5million in earnings.
20. Phil Mickelson -$41million
Phil Mickelson of the United States. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Phil Mickelson, sometimes known as “Lefty”,is a well-knowngolfer. Born onJune 16, 1970,Mickelsonbecame a professional golfer in 1992 and has since become one of the sport’s wealthiest players in the United States. What is interesting is that the 51-year-old veteranobtainedonly$1million by playing in 2021, while the remaining$40 million came via lucrative endorsements.
19. Serena Williams -$41.5million
Serena Williams of the United States. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Born onSeptember 26, 1981, Serena Williams is atennis player who is widely regarded as one of the best female tennis players of all time. In spite of missing half of the 2021 season, she did earn$1.5 million. However, thanks to her off-the-field earnings worth $40 million,the 40-year-old has entered the top 20 highest-paid American sportsmen as the only female athlete.
18.Myles Garrett -$43million
Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Myles Garrett is a defensive end who plays for the Cleveland Browns in the NFL. The US football player has been a member of the Ohio-based team since 2017. For the previous 2021 year, the 26-year-oldhas banked$43million, with only$500,000 coming from off-field activities.
17.Trent Williams – $43.5million
Trent Williams of the San Francisco 49ers. (Michael Zagaris/Getty Images)
Trent Williams plays offensive lineman for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers , which he joined in 2020. With the signing of his49ers’ contract extension inMarch 2021, hebecame the highest-paid player in his position of all time.Williams, who spent nine seasons playing forWashington Redskins/Commanders, bagged$42.5million last year, in addition to another$1million fromsponsorship deals.
16.Jalen Ramsey -$43.5million
Jalen Ramsey of the Los Angeles Rams. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Jalen Ramsey is a cornerback player associated with the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL. It took the27-year-old footballplayer threeseasons at theRams to becomethe 2022Super Bowlchampion in February. He had previously featured for theJacksonville Jaguars from 2016 to 2019. He can boast of making$43.5million in 2021, with only$1.5 million obtained in off-the-field earnings.
15.Kyrie Irving – $44million
Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Kyrie Irving is an NBA basketball player who currently plays for the Brooklyn Nets. The 29-year-oldpoint guard, is one of the league’s greatest stars, with a slew of lucrative sponsorships to go along with his huge contract. As a result, he bagged$44million last year, in spite of not being allowed to feature in the NBA for a great part of the previous season. His total earnings have been split with $27million on-the-field payment, and$17million coming off-field.
14.Joey Bosa – $44million
Joey Bosa of the Los Angeles Chargers. (Harry How/Getty Images)
Joey Bosa is a football player who acts as an outside linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers in the NFL. He has been representing the Chargers since 2016, as they were called theSan Diego Chargers at the time. In2021, he managed to make a total of$44million. Like many other football players, he gained just $1millionfrom endorsementdeals, while the other$43million had comefrom his on-field activities.
13. Klay Thompson – $44.5million
Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors. (Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
Klay Thompson is a professional basketball player from the United States who is best known for his time with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. The 32-year-old has been playing for the Warriors since 2011.Despite missing the previous two seasons due to injuries, his base club pay has grown during his absence. After Steph Curry, Thompson is the Warriors’ second-highest-paid player and the NBA’s sixth-highest paid shooting guard. As a result, he raked in$28.5million from basketball, while another $16 million came in 2021 from off-field activities.
12.Dustin Johnson -$44.5million
Dustin Johnson of the United States. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Dustin Johnson is a well-known American golfer and a professional golfer who sits on the top level of the golf business.He now competes on the PGA Tour. Starting in 2017, he was the world’s number one golfer. For any golfer who is currently in the first place, this is one of the longest streaks they haveever had. The next year, as well as in 2019, 2020, and 2021, he returned at the top, and he has spent more than 130 weeks there. Thereby, the 37-year-old has seen his net worthgo up by $44.5 million last year, with$20.5 million in on-the-field earnings.
11.Ronnie Stanley -$47.5million
Ronnie Stanley of the Baltimore Ravens. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Ronnie Stanley is recognized as one of the best professional football players in the National Football League. The 27-year-old has beena member of theBaltimore Ravens as an offensive tackle for six years now,since 2016. Hemanaged to bring in a total of $47.5 million in earnings last year. Forbes estimated hison-field earnings at$47million, while his off-field ones were standingat$500,000.
10.David Bakhtiari -$48.5million
David Bakhtiari of the Green Bay Packers. (Larry Radloff/Getty Images)
David Bakhtiari is an American football player for the Green Bay Packers , who is of Iranian and Icelandic origin. He has been defending the Packers’ colors since 2013. Last year, he brought in$48.5million overall, with the majority of it originating from his on-field activity, collecting only$500,000 inan estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees, and licensingincome.
9. James Harden -$51million
James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
James Harden is a professional basketball player from the United States who is now affiliated with the Philadelphia 76ers. Prior to his move to the 76ers in 2022,he was amember of theBrooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets, and Oklahoma City Thunder. The 32-year-old shooting guard bagged a total of$51 million in 2021, with $18million being off-the-field earnings.
8.Patrick Mahomes -$54.5million
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Patrick Mahomes, the 2019-20 NFL season’sMVP and best offensive player, is a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He has been defending the Chiefs’ colors since 2017. During the last year, he netted an overall sum of $54.5million, as $32.5million were on-the-field earnings and the remaining$22million were off-the-field earnings.
7.Russell Westbrook -$59 million
Russell Westbrook of the Los Angeles Lakers. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Russell Westbrook, an NBA player with the Los Angeles Lakers, is a renowned American basketball player. The 33-year-old has been featuring for the Lakers since 2021, and he haspast experience atWashington Wizards,Houston Rockets, and Oklahoma City Thunder. As per Forbes’ records, he got$33 million in clubsalary last year, and$26million from otherfigures that are an estimate of various sponsorship deals, totaling$59 million.
6. Tiger Woods -$60million
Tiger Woods of the United States. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Tiger Woods, who is a professional golfer that represents the United States,is one of the all-time great professional golfers. Woods is also one of the most successful golfers of all time. The 46-year-oldhas done a great deal in his remarkable golf career thus far, and he continues to challenge his peers. He is now ranked second in men’s major championships and tied for No.1on the PGA Tour. Last year, he managed to make around$60million. What is interesting is that only$200,000 came from playing golf, while he got the remaining sum from off-the-field sponsorship deals.
5. Stephen Curry -$74.5 million
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Stephen Curry is a well-known professional basketball player from the United States. He is now signed bythe NBA’s Golden State Warriors. The 33-year-oldplays asa point guard and is widely recognized as one of the best shooters in NBA history. During the past season, he was paid$74.5 million. More than a half, or$40million, he received off the field, while he earned$34.5 million from basketball.
4. Kevin Durant -$75 million
Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Kevin Durant is an NBA basketball player who represents the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA. He has previously played for the Golden State Warriors and the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder. The 33-year-old obtained$75 million in 2021. Out of the complete quantity, he took home on-the-field earnings of$31million, in addition to the $44million in off-the-field activities.
3. Tom Brady -$76million
Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Tom Brady is a retiredfootball player who last played forthe New England Patriots of the NFL. He is most remembered for his time as a quarterback with the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2019-2021). The 44-year-old veteranhas risen to high heights in the game and is regarded as one of the best quarterbacks of all time. From 2001 to 2019, he spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, where he was a key part of the team’s success. During thefinal year of his career, he raked in$76million in earnings. To the$45m from playing, he added another$31m from sponsorship deals.
2. LeBron James -$96.5million
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers. (Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
LeBron James is a basketball player with the Los Angeles Lakers, who plays as a small forward. Heis generally recognized as one of the most commercialized, as well as one of the finest in the world and, by some, the greatest player of all time.He has won four NBA championships with three different teams (Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat), making him the first player in NBA history to do so. In each of the championships, he was also named MVP. For the previous 2021 year, he made a total of$96.5million. He earned $31.5million via his club, while his off-the-field ventures brought him an incredible sum of$65million.
1. Dak Prescott -$107.5million
Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Dak Prescott is a well-known American football player who is most recognized for his remarkable performance with the ‘Dallas Cowboys’ of the National Football League. Since 2016, he has been a part of the Cowboys’ lineup. The 28-year-old quarterback was the top US earner in 2021, amassing total earnings of$107.5million. He can boastof taking home$97.5million from playing football in the NFL, while the remaining$10million were off-the-field earnings.
