In an unexpected turn of events, the Dallas Cowboys‘ Dak Prescott has been named the highest-paid athlete of 2024, surpassing even Japan’s baseball sensation, Shohei Ohtani. But how much does the quarterback earn? And why are fans mad?
The 31-year-old’s remarkable $100.4 million in earnings for the year at the AT&T Stadium, which includes $86.4 million in salary and $14 million in endorsements, has left many fans and critics stunned.
It’s particularly surprising considering the Cowboys‘ recent struggles and Prescott‘s injury-plagued season, as the star ended up missing all of the 2024/25 NFL campaign after Week 9 as they slumped to third in the NFC East.
But what caught fans by surprise was that Prescott‘s earnings outpaced those of Ohtani, who signed a record-setting 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of the 2024 MLB season.
Ohtani earned $70 million in salary for 2024, but his salary income was just a mere $2.5 million after deferring the vast majority of that $700m deal. But all the same, fans were quick to voice their disapproval of Prescott’s top spot on the earnings list as they headed to social media to react.
One user said via X.com, formerly Twitter, “No wonder the Cowboys can’t pay for anything else.”
A second added, “The fact that Dak is the highest paid player in the NFL says all.ypu need to know about how messed up qb contracts are rn.”
And a third concluded, “Dak the goat at being paid for mid production.”
Notably, both Ohtani and Prescott paled in comparison to the list’s highest earner, which was Cristiano Ronaldo. He made an incredible $260m through his year with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr in soccer, as well as through other sponsorships.
Ronaldo, who played for Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, has shown the global popularity of soccer compared to the American sports, which simply cannot compete with that kind of influence.
Prescott out to prove he’s worth the money
Prescott’s $100.4 million earnings put him in rare company, even surpassing even NBA stars like the Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry in annual salary.
However, the debate over his actual worth continues due to the Cowboys’ underperformance and Prescott’s inability to produce a deep NFL Playoffs run contributing to lack of a Super Bowl victory since 1996 only fuel the fire.
Now as the QB gears up for the 2025 season, the real question on everyone’s mind remains: Can he prove he’s worth the record-breaking contract by leading the Cowboys to their first Super Bowl win of the 21st century?
Fans will be watching closely, hoping for more than just a hefty paycheck in the years to come.
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