Highest paid NFL centers
$1,120,769,967 paid to 71 centers, $15,785,492 a career, led by Frank Ragnow on $78,734,930.
Center is the 14th best paid of the 18 positions the league has enough careers to rank, $15.8m a career against $23.0m for the average NFL career on this site, so it is one of the positions the league pays least. More of a center's money is the weekly paycheque than the league average: 62.1% against 52.9%. That is the mark of a position a club can walk away from in March.
The twenty richest centers
Money paid across a whole career
Frank Ragnow has been paid $10.2m more than any other center the site holds, and the twenty here account for 70.6% of everything the position has earned.
Every center ranked by career earnings
Money paid, and what is still contracted
| # | Player | Franchise | Seasons | Signing | Contracted | Career earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Frank Ragnow Arkansas | Detroit Lions | 9 | $12.6m | $78,734,930$78.7m | |
| 002 | Mitch Morse Missouri | Jacksonville Jaguars | 11 | $25.7m | $68,558,369$68.6m | |
| 003 | Ryan Kelly Alabama | Indianapolis Colts | 9 | $5.8m | $67,998,507$68.0m | |
| 004 | Erik McCoy Texas A&M | New Orleans Saints | 9 | $10.4m | $12.0m | $55,554,463$55.6m |
| 005 | Cody Whitehair Kansas State | Las Vegas Raiders | 9 | $8.1m | $47,957,305$48.0m | |
| 006 | Creed Humphrey Oklahoma | Kansas City Chiefs | 8 | $19.4m | $36.0m | $45,036,316$45.0m |
| 007 | Lloyd Cushenberry Louisiana State | Tennessee Titans | 8 | $19.0m | $12.0m | $44,581,900$44.6m |
| 008 | David Andrews Georgia | New England Patriots | 11 | $7.6m | $39,844,500$39.8m | |
| 009 | Austin Corbett Nevada | Carolina Panthers | 7 | $13.9m | $37,909,488$37.9m | |
| 010 | Andre James California-Los Angeles | Las Vegas Raiders | 8 | $5.2m | $37,730,205$37.7m | |
| 011 | Tyler Biadasz Wisconsin | Washington Commanders | 7 | $14.0m | $34,904,986$34.9m | |
| 012 | Ted Karras Illinois | Cincinnati Bengals | 10 | $7.1m | $32,594,981$32.6m | |
| 013 | Garrett Bradbury North Carolina State | Minnesota Vikings | 7 | $11.2m | $28,530,759$28.5m | |
| 014 | Connor McGovern Penn State | Buffalo Bills | 7 | $8.9m | $27,834,868$27.8m | |
| 015 | Aaron Brewer Texas State | Miami Dolphins | 7 | $5.6m | $27,334,554$27.3m | |
| 016 | Ethan Pocic Louisiana State | Cleveland Browns | 9 | $8.4m | $26,596,530$26.6m | |
| 017 | Connor Williams Texas | Seattle Seahawks | 7 | $6.6m | $25,000,574$25.0m | |
| 018 | Wes Schweitzer San Jose State | New York Jets | 9 | $4.6m | $22,244,990$22.2m | |
| 019 | Ryan Bates Penn State | Chicago Bears | 7 | $2.0m | $22,011,849$22.0m | |
| 020 | Hjalte Froholdt Arkansas | Arizona Cardinals | 8 | $6.1m | $20,276,172$20.3m | |
| 021 | Jake Brendel California-Los Angeles | San Francisco 49ers | 10 | $3.6m | $20,167,281$20.2m | |
| 022 | Bradley Bozeman Alabama | Los Angeles Chargers | 7 | $10.0m | $18,943,687$18.9m | |
| 023 | Dan Feeney Indiana | Minnesota Vikings | 9 | $9.0m | $17,516,099$17.5m | |
| 024 | Lucas Patrick Duke | New Orleans Saints | 9 | $3.4m | $15,051,067$15.1m | |
| 025 | Tyler Linderbaum Iowa | Baltimore Ravens | 4 | $6.8m | $13,238,286$13.2m | |
| 026 | Nate Herbig Stanford | Pittsburgh Steelers | 6 | $2.9m | $12,465,500$12.5m | |
| 027 | Graham Barton Duke | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4 | $7.0m | $2.7m | $11,319,620$11.3m |
| 028 | Daniel Brunskill San Diego State | Tennessee Titans | 8 | $1000k | $10,616,354$10.6m | |
| 029 | Coleman Shelton Washington | Chicago Bears | 7 | $1.8m | $9,889,280$9.9m | |
| 030 | Liam Eichenberg Notre Dame | Miami Dolphins | 4 | $3.2m | $9,627,596$9.6m | |
| 031 | Steve Avila Texas Christian | Los Angeles Rams | 4 | $3.7m | $9,252,710$9.3m | |
| 032 | Evan Brown Southern Methodist | Arizona Cardinals | 9 | $2.5m | $8,741,463$8.7m | |
| 033 | Joe Tippmann Wisconsin | New York Jets | 4 | $3.1m | $8,359,598$8.4m | |
| 034 | Josh Myers Ohio State | Green Bay Packers | 4 | $1.4m | $7,913,249$7.9m | |
| 035 | Robert Hainsey Notre Dame | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4 | $856k | $7,315,064$7.3m | |
| 036 | Austin Schlottmann Texas Christian | New York Giants | 8 | $702k | $6,970,527$7.0m | |
| 037 | Drew Dalman Stanford | Atlanta Falcons | 4 | $777k | $6,964,810$7.0m | |
| 038 | Brady Christensen Brigham Young | Carolina Panthers | 4 | $1.1m | $6,915,192$6.9m | |
| 039 | Cam Jurgens Nebraska | Philadelphia Eagles | 4 | $2.2m | $6,903,024$6.9m | |
| 040 | John Michael Schmitz Minnesota | New York Giants | 4 | $1.6m | $6,373,334$6.4m | |
| 041 | Dillon Radunz North Dakota State | Tennessee Titans | 4 | $2.0m | $6,326,874$6.3m | |
| 042 | Luke Fortner Kentucky | Jacksonville Jaguars | 4 | $1.2m | $6,319,752$6.3m | |
| 043 | Nick Harris Washington | Cleveland Browns | 6 | $2.3m | $6,121,516$6.1m | |
| 044 | Juice Scruggs Penn State | Houston Texans | 4 | $1.4m | $6,099,104$6.1m | |
| 045 | Zach Frazier West Virginia | Pittsburgh Steelers | 4 | $2.3m | $1.8m | $5,720,457$5.7m |
| 046 | Danny Pinter Ball State | Indianapolis Colts | 5 | $516k | $4,943,450$4.9m | |
| 047 | Brock Hoffman Virginia Tech | Dallas Cowboys | 9 | $88k | $4,461,648$4.5m | |
| 048 | Jon Gaines II California-Los Angeles | Arizona Cardinals | 4 | $732k | $4,452,240$4.5m | |
| 049 | Cooper Beebe Kansas State | Dallas Cowboys | 4 | $1.1m | $1.6m | $4,334,757$4.3m |
| 050 | Jake Andrews Troy | New England Patriots | 4 | $808k | $4,228,344$4.2m | |
| 051 | Olu Oluwatimi Michigan | Seattle Seahawks | 4 | $316k | $4,156,456$4.2m | |
| 052 | Luke Wattenberg Washington | Denver Broncos | 4 | $288k | $3,947,720$3.9m | |
| 053 | Jovaughn Gwyn South Carolina | Atlanta Falcons | 4 | $106k | $3,946,620$3.9m | |
| 054 | Alex Forsyth Oregon | Denver Broncos | 4 | $78k | $3,917,776$3.9m | |
| 055 | Jarrett Patterson Notre Dame | Houston Texans | 4 | $170k | $3,843,308$3.8m | |
| 056 | Luke Wypler Ohio State | Cleveland Browns | 4 | $180k | $3,599,972$3.6m | |
| 057 | Sedrick Van Pran-Granger Georgia | Buffalo Bills | 4 | $355k | $1.2m | $3,185,252$3.2m |
| 058 | Hunter Nourzad Penn State | Kansas City Chiefs | 4 | $302k | $1.2m | $3,131,832$3.1m |
| 059 | Jacob Monk Duke | Green Bay Packers | 4 | $302k | $1.2m | $3,131,616$3.1m |
| 060 | Beaux Limmer Arkansas | Los Angeles Rams | 4 | $138k | $1.2m | $2,968,388$3.0m |
| 061 | Nick Samac Michigan State | Baltimore Ravens | 4 | $110k | $1.2m | $2,939,844$2.9m |
| 062 | Michael Jurgens Wake Forest | Minnesota Vikings | 4 | $109k | $1.2m | $2,938,740$2.9m |
| 063 | Matt Lee Miami (FL) | Cincinnati Bengals | 4 | $102k | $1.2m | $2,931,752$2.9m |
| 064 | Andrew Meyer Texas El-Paso | Miami Dolphins | 3 | $15k | $2,845,000$2.8m | |
| 065 | Andrew Raym Oklahoma | Carolina Panthers | 3 | $15k | $2,845,000$2.8m | |
| 066 | Wesley French Western Michigan | Indianapolis Colts | 3 | $10k | $2,570,000$2.6m | |
| 067 | Ryan Neuzil Appalachian State | Atlanta Falcons | 4 | $5k | $2,438,118$2.4m | |
| 068 | Doug Kramer Illinois | Chicago Bears | 5 | $158k | $2,297,145$2.3m | |
| 069 | Ryan McCollum Texas A&M | Pittsburgh Steelers | 5 | $50k | $1,977,766$2.0m | |
| 070 | Michael Niese Temple | Detroit Lions | 4 | $98k | $1,221,500 | |
| 071 | Dylan McMahon North Carolina State | Los Angeles Rams | 2 | $372k | $1,148,033 |
The table holds every one of the 71 careers at the position. The contracted column is money written into a deal for a season that has not been played, so it is not in the career figure beside it. The whole league's contracted money is ranked here.
How a center's money is paid
The seven parts of a contract, for this position and for the league
- Base salary 62.1%
- Signing bonus 24.2%
- Restructured money 4.1%
- Roster bonus 5.3%
- Option bonus 2.4%
- Workout bonus 1.0%
- Incentives 0.9%
| Part of the contract | What it is | This position | The league | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base salary | the weekly paycheque, and the part that stops the day a player is cut | 62.1% | 52.9% | $729,638,925$729.6m |
| Signing bonus | paid up front and guaranteed the moment the contract is signed | 24.2% | 27.6% | $284,765,832$284.8m |
| Restructured money | base salary converted to signing money so a deal fits under the cap | 4.1% | 6.3% | $47,814,690$47.8m |
| Roster bonus | paid for being on the roster on a named day of the year | 5.3% | 6.6% | $61,666,685$61.7m |
| Option bonus | paid to take up a season already written into the deal | 2.4% | 5.3% | $28,536,080$28.5m |
| Workout bonus | paid for turning up to the offseason programme | 1.0% | 0.7% | $11,807,406$11.8m |
| Incentives | paid for hitting a number | 0.9% | 0.5% | $10,133,140$10.1m |
More of a center's money is the weekly paycheque than the league average: 62.1% against 52.9%. That is the mark of a position a club can walk away from in March. Base salary and signing bonus money are each ranked across the whole league on their own pages.
What the league pays centers each season
Every center on a payroll that year, added together
2024 is the biggest year for center pay on record at $254,835,176 across 73 players, which is $3.5m each. The whole 2024 payroll is here.
Center money by franchise
What the centers on each roster have earned in their careers
| # | Franchise | Players | Per player | Career earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Las Vegas Raiders | 2 | $42.8m | $85,687,510$85.7m |
| 02 | Detroit Lions | 2 | $40.0m | $79,956,430$80.0m |
| 03 | Indianapolis Colts | 3 | $25.2m | $75,511,957$75.5m |
| 04 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 2 | $37.4m | $74,878,121$74.9m |
| 05 | New Orleans Saints | 2 | $35.3m | $70,605,530$70.6m |
| 06 | Tennessee Titans | 3 | $20.5m | $61,525,128$61.5m |
| 07 | Minnesota Vikings | 3 | $16.3m | $48,985,598$49.0m |
| 08 | Kansas City Chiefs | 2 | $24.1m | $48,168,148$48.2m |
| 09 | Carolina Panthers | 3 | $15.9m | $47,669,680$47.7m |
| 10 | New England Patriots | 2 | $22.0m | $44,072,844$44.1m |
| 11 | Miami Dolphins | 3 | $13.3m | $39,807,150$39.8m |
| 12 | Cleveland Browns | 3 | $12.1m | $36,318,018$36.3m |
| 13 | Cincinnati Bengals | 2 | $17.8m | $35,526,733$35.5m |
| 14 | Washington Commanders | 1 | $34.9m | $34,904,986$34.9m |
| 15 | Chicago Bears | 3 | $11.4m | $34,198,274$34.2m |
| 16 | Arizona Cardinals | 3 | $11.2m | $33,469,875$33.5m |
| 17 | Buffalo Bills | 2 | $15.5m | $31,020,120$31.0m |
| 18 | New York Jets | 2 | $15.3m | $30,604,588$30.6m |
| 19 | Seattle Seahawks | 2 | $14.6m | $29,157,030$29.2m |
| 20 | San Francisco 49ers | 1 | $20.2m | $20,167,281$20.2m |
| 21 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 3 | $6.7m | $20,163,723$20.2m |
| 22 | Los Angeles Chargers | 1 | $18.9m | $18,943,687$18.9m |
| 23 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2 | $9.3m | $18,634,684$18.6m |
| 24 | Baltimore Ravens | 2 | $8.1m | $16,178,130$16.2m |
| 25 | Los Angeles Rams | 3 | $4.5m | $13,369,131$13.4m |
| 26 | Atlanta Falcons | 3 | $4.4m | $13,349,548$13.3m |
| 27 | New York Giants | 2 | $6.7m | $13,343,861$13.3m |
| 28 | Green Bay Packers | 2 | $5.5m | $11,044,865$11.0m |
| 29 | Houston Texans | 2 | $5.0m | $9,942,412$9.9m |
| 30 | Dallas Cowboys | 2 | $4.4m | $8,796,405$8.8m |
| 31 | Denver Broncos | 2 | $3.9m | $7,865,496$7.9m |
| 32 | Philadelphia Eagles | 1 | $6.9m | $6,903,024$6.9m |
A career total lands on the franchise a player is at now, so this is a ranking of which rosters hold the expensive centers rather than of which clubs wrote the cheques. Every franchise is ranked here.
Where a center is drafted
Career earnings by the round a player was taken in
A first-round center has earned $40.0m a career against $3.4m for one taken in round 7. The whole draft is ranked here.
Which colleges produce the richest centers
Schools with three or more in the position
Arkansas has put 3 centers into the league, worth $101,979,490 between them. Every college is ranked across all positions here.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the highest paid NFL center of all time?
Frank Ragnow, $78,734,930, a first-round pick in 2018, 20th overall. Mitch Morse is second on $68,558,369.
How much does an NFL center earn over a career?
$15,785,492 on average across the 71 careers here, and 14th of 18 positions on money per career. The figure is money actually paid rather than the headline value of a contract.
Is a center's money guaranteed?
24.2% of it arrives as a signing bonus, which is the part that cannot be taken back, against 27.6% across the league. The other 62.1% is base salary and it stops the day a player is released.
Which franchise has paid the most at center?
Las Vegas Raiders, $85,687,510 across the 2 players on its books, counted as everything those careers have earned anywhere.
How many NFL centers are still playing?
32 of the 71 here were on a roster in 2026, with $74,466,554 written into contracts for seasons not yet played.
Where to next
The positions either side of this one, and the rest of the money
Right Tackle · Inside Linebacker · Tight End · Running Back · Kicker · Punter · Long Snapper · Fullback · Every position · NFL career earnings
The fifty richest centers
- Frank Ragnow
- Mitch Morse
- Ryan Kelly
- Erik McCoy
- Cody Whitehair
- Creed Humphrey
- Lloyd Cushenberry
- David Andrews
- Austin Corbett
- Andre James
- Tyler Biadasz
- Ted Karras
- Garrett Bradbury
- Connor McGovern
- Aaron Brewer
- Ethan Pocic
- Connor Williams
- Wes Schweitzer
- Ryan Bates
- Hjalte Froholdt
- Jake Brendel
- Bradley Bozeman
- Dan Feeney
- Lucas Patrick
- Tyler Linderbaum
- Nate Herbig
- Graham Barton
- Daniel Brunskill
- Coleman Shelton
- Liam Eichenberg
- Steve Avila
- Evan Brown
- Joe Tippmann
- Josh Myers
- Robert Hainsey
- Austin Schlottmann
- Drew Dalman
- Brady Christensen
- Cam Jurgens
- John Michael Schmitz
- Dillon Radunz
- Luke Fortner
- Nick Harris
- Juice Scruggs
- Zach Frazier
- Danny Pinter
- Brock Hoffman
- Jon Gaines II
- Cooper Beebe
- Jake Andrews
Every position
- Quarterback earnings
- Wide Receiver earnings
- Defensive End earnings
- Defensive Tackle earnings
- Cornerback earnings
- Outside Linebacker earnings
- Safety earnings
- Guard earnings
- Left Tackle earnings
- Right Tackle earnings
- Inside Linebacker earnings
- Tight End earnings
- Running Back earnings
- Center earnings
- Kicker earnings
- Punter earnings
- Long Snapper earnings
- Fullback earnings
By season
- The 2026 NFL payroll
- The 2025 NFL payroll
- The 2024 NFL payroll
- The 2023 NFL payroll
- The 2022 NFL payroll
- The 2021 NFL payroll
- The 2020 NFL payroll
- The 2019 NFL payroll
- The 2018 NFL payroll
- The 2017 NFL payroll
- The 2016 NFL payroll
- The 2015 NFL payroll
- The 2014 NFL payroll
- The 2013 NFL payroll
- The 2012 NFL payroll