Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Eli Manning top the list of the highest-paid players of all time.
In the NFL, lots of players sign big contracts. But unlike other sports, NFL deals are rarely guaranteed and few players see all of the money in those large deals.
But a select few have gone on to make big money in their careers as there are now 26 players who have made at least $100 million.
The list of the 25 players with the most career earnings includes 17 active players, 17 quarterbacks, 1 Tom Brady, and 2 Mannings.
Using contract data obtained by Spotrac.com, here are the 25 highest-paid players in NFL history.
25. Champ Bailey, CB — $102.8 million
Seasons: 15
Highest single-season earnings: $16.5 million (2010; included $3 million roster bonus)
Championships: 0
Pro Bowls: 12
First-team All-Pro: 3
One thing to know: Bailey's largest contract came after the 2003 season, when he signed a seven-year, $63 million deal.
24. Alex Smith, QB — $106.5 million
Seasons: 12
Highest single-season earnings: $19.0 million (2014; included $18 million signing bonus)
Championships: 0
Pro Bowls: 2
First-team All-Pro: 0
One thing to know: Often referred to by the pejorative "game manager," Smith has his team to the playoffs for the fifth time in the last seven years.
23. Calvin Johnson, WR — $113.8 million
Seasons: 9
Highest single-season earnings: $25 million (2013; includes $20 million option bonus)
Championships: 0
Pro Bowls: 6
First-team All-Pro: 3
One thing to know: Johnson retired after the 2015 season because he was "in pain." He walked away from the final four years and $67.7 million on his contract.
22. Sam Bradford, QB — $114.1 million
Seasons: 7
Highest single-season earnings: $26.8 million (2011; included $18 million signing bonus)
Championships: 0
Pro Bowls: 0
First-team All-Pro: 0
One thing to know: Bradford has already eclipsed the $100 million mark due in large part to luck and timing. He was the first pick in the 2010 draft, the last draft class before the NFL put restrictions on how much rookies could be paid.
21. Joe Thomas, LT — $119.9 million
Seasons: 11
Highest single-season earnings: $19.1 million (2011; includes $6 million signing bonus)
Championships: 0
Pro Bowls: 10
First-team All-Pro: 6
One thing to know: Thomas had missed a game in his career and had never missed a single snap until suffering an injury earlier this season.
20. Mario Williams, DE — $120.4 million
Seasons: 11
Highest single-season earnings: $25 million (2012; includes $19 million signing bonus)
Championships:0
Pro Bowls: 4
First-team All-Pro: 1
One thing to know: Mario Williams was another No. 1 overall draft pick back when No. 1 overall draft picks received gigantic rookie contracts. Williams' first deal with the Texans was for six years and $54 million.
19. Jay Cutler, QB — $122.2 million
Seasons: 11
Highest single-season earnings: $20.5 million (2015; includes $5 million restructure bonus)
Championships: 0
Pro Bowls: 1
First-team All-Pro: 0
One thing to know: Cutler retired after the 2016 season, but later stepped away from an upcoming TV job to sign a 1-year, $10 million contract to replace the Miami Dolphins' injured quarterback, Ryan Tannehill.
18. Darrelle Revis, CB — $124.2 million
Seasons: 10
Highest single-season earnings: $25 million (2011; includes $18 million option bonus)
Championships: 1
Pro Bowls: 7
First-team All-Pro: 4
One thing to know: In a league where most players are forced to take safe contracts, Revis continually bet on himself and won, often forgoing long-term deals and instead taking repeated chances in free agency.
17. Ndamukong Suh, DT — $124.2 million
Seasons: 8
Highest single-season earnings: $26.5 million (2015; included $25.5 million signing bonus)
Championships: 0
Pro Bowls: 4
First-team All-Pro: 3
One thing to know: If Suh stays with the Dolphins until the end of his 6-year, $114.4 million contract his career earnings will rise to $178.6 million.
16. Michael Vick, QB — $124.8 million
Seasons: 13
Highest single-season earnings: $27.5 million (2005)
Championships: 0
Pro Bowls: 4
First-team All-Pro: 0
One thing to know: Vick missed two seasons in the prime of his career following his dog-fighting conviction.
15. Tony Romo, QB — $127.4 million
Seasons: 13
Highest single-season earnings: $26.5 million (2013; includes $25 million signing bonus)
Championships: 0
Pro Bowls: 4
First-team All-Pro: 0
One thing to know: Romo chose retirement following the 2016 season over playing for another team. He is now earning a lot of praise for his work in the TV booth.
14. Joe Flacco, QB — $135.8 million
Seasons: 10
Highest single-season earnings: $30.0 million (2013; included $29.0 million signing bonus)
Championships: 1
Pro Bowls: 0
First-team All-Pro: 0
One thing to know: Joe Flacco has elite career earnings.
13. Aaron Rodgers, QB — $137.5 million
Seasons: 13
Highest single-season earnings: $38.3 million (2013; includes $33.3 million signing bonus)
Championships: 1
Pro Bowls: 6
First-team All-Pro: 2
One thing to know: The Packers have Rodgers under contract through the 2019 season which would push his career earnings to $179.5 million.
12. Brett Favre, QB — $137.8 million
Seasons: 20 (retired in 2010)
Highest single-season earnings: $16 million (2010; includes $4.4 million signing bonus)
Championships: 1
Pro Bowls: 11
First-team All-Pro: 3
One thing to know: Favre only made more than $12 million once while with the Packers, but made more than that in each of his three seasons with the Jets and Vikings.
11. Matt Ryan, QB — $149.5 million
Seasons: 10
Highest single-season earnings: $36.5 million (2014; included $15 million signing bonus)
Championships: 0
Pro Bowls: 4
First-team All-Pro: 1
One thing to know: Ryan's five-year, $103.8 million extension is up after the 2018 season and presumably he will be in line for a big raise. A signing bonus in the neighborhood of Matthew Stafford's recent $50 million bonus would push him near the top of this list.
10. Larry Fitzgerald, WR — $151.3 million
Seasons: 13
Highest single-season earnings: $26.3 million (2012; includes $15 million option bonus)
Championships: 0
Pro Bowls: 10
First-team All-Pro: 1
One thing to know: There were reports that Fitzgerald would retire after the 2016 season. That did not happen, however, his contract is up after this season, which could be his last.
9. Julius Peppers, LB — $159.5 million
Seasons: 16
Highest single-season earnings: $20.2 million (2010; includes $6.5 million signing bonus)
Championships: 0
Pro Bowls: 9
First-team All-Pro: 3
One thing to know: After several seasons with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, Peppers returned this season to his original club, signing a $3.5 million deal to play with the Carolina Panthers. At 37, he seemingly still has a lot of gas in the tank as he was recently named NFC Defensive Player of the Week.
8. Matthew Stafford, QB — $161.8 million
Seasons: 9
Highest single-season earnings: $51.1 million (2017, includes $50.0 million signing bonus)
Championships: 0
Pro Bowls: 1
First-team All-Pro: 0
One thing to know: Stafford agreed to a new five-year, $135 million contract this offseason, with a whopping $50 million signing bonus. The $27 million average annual salary is tops in the NFL
7. Ben Roethlisberger, QB — $170.3 million
Seasons: 14
Highest single-season earnings: $35.3 million (2015; includes $31 million signing bonus)
Championships: 2
Pro Bowls: 5
First-team All-Pro: 0
One thing to know: At $87.4 million, the contract signed prior to the 2015 season by Big Ben didn't sound as sexy as the other deals signed by quarterbacks. But it was better than most, as he got more than $35 million in Year 1 and a whopping $53 million over the first two seasons.
6. Carson Palmer, QB — $174.1 million
Seasons: 14
Highest single-season earnings: $19.0 million (2014; includes $10 million signing bonus)
Championships: 0
Pro Bowls: 3
First-team All-Pro: 0
One thing to know: Palmer's $24.1 million cap hit this season is second only to Joe Flacco ($24.6 million).
5. Philip Rivers, QB — $187.9 million
Seasons: 14
Highest single-season earnings: $32 million (2015; includes $17 million signing bonus)
Championships: 0
Pro Bowls: 6
First-team All-Pro: 0
One thing to know: Rivers got one of the surprise monster contracts in recent memory, which will likely push his career earnings close to $220 million when all's said and done. Of that, he spent $200,000 on a luxury SUV that has a film room in back for his new commutes to Los Angeles.
4. Drew Brees, QB — $194.7 million
Seasons: 17
Highest single-season earnings: $40 million (2012; includes $37 million signing bonus)
Championships: 1
Pro Bowls: 10
First-team All-Pro: 1
One thing to know: While much has been made of Tom Brady still playing well into his late 30s and early 40s, Brees is now 38 and doesn't seem ready to retire. However, his contract is up after the season and he may have to continue his career elsewhere in 2018.
3. Tom Brady, QB — $197.2 million
Seasons: 18
Highest single-season earnings: $28.8 million (2016; includes $28.0 million signing bonus)
Championships: 5
Pro Bowls: 12
First-team All-Pro: 2
One thing to know: Brady has consistently sacrificed money during his career for the sake of the team. However, he is starting to cash in now, signing a $41 million extension prior to the 2016 season that included a $28 million signing bonus.
2. Eli Manning, QB — $219.3 million
Seasons: 14
Highest single-season earnings: $37 million (2015; included $31 million signing bonus)
Championships: 2
Pro Bowls: 4
First-team All-Pro: 0
One thing to know: Manning made $37 million during the 2015 season alone as part of his new $84 million contract, which included a $31 million signing bonus. If he plays out the final two years of his current contract, his career earnings will grow to $252.3 million.
1. Peyton Manning, QB — $248.7 million
Seasons: 18
Highest single-season earnings: $35 million (2004; includes $34.5 million signing bonus)
Championships: 2
Pro Bowls: 14
First-team All-Pro: 7
One thing to know: Manning's final paycheck in the NFL was a $4 million bonus for winning the Super Bowl in 2015. He had one year and $19 million remaining on his Broncos contract when he retired.