Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) watches from the sideline during an NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 21, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) watches from the sideline during an NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 21, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
The highest-paid NFL player with Alabama football roots in the 2025 got benched with three games remaining in the season.
The Miami Dolphins paid quarterback Tua Tagovailoa $50,913,647 this season. But with a 6-8 record and the former Alabama All-American leading the league in interceptions, the Dolphins benched the NFL’s third-highest-paid player in favor of seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers, who got paid $971,576 in 2025.
The only players paid more than Tagovailoa this season were quarterbacks Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers and Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills.
Twenty-seven players from Alabama high schools and colleges were paid at least $10 million by their teams during the 2025 NFL season, which ended on Sunday night when the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX.
Three of the $10 million players reached the Super Bowl – all on the Patriots. In all, 10 of the 27 players reached the postseason.
Three of the players went to the Pro Bowl Games, and three missed at least eight games.
NFL teams paid 269 players at least $10 million during the league’s 2025 business year. The 27 with Alabama football roots ranked in the top 225.
Tagovailoa’s 2025 payday was the biggest in one season for a player from an Alabama high school or college in NFL history.
The players with Alabama football roots who were paid at least $10 million by an NFL team in 2025 include (with figures from the sports financial website spotrac.com):
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama): $50,913,647
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (Alabama): $42,507,560
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (Abbeville): $33,000,000
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama): $26,273,529
New England Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis (Auburn): $25,001,890
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (Alabama): $23,007,560
Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II (Alabama): $22,171,260
Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne (Shades Valley, Alabama): $20,570,000
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (Alabama): $18,001,890
Pittsburgh Steelers/Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama): $17,500,000
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (Alabama): $17,093,399
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Jonathan Allen (Alabama): $16,955,000
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (Alabama): $16,154,834
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (Alabama): $16,004,725
Houston Texans offensive lineman Tytus Howard (Monroe County, Alabama State): $15,977,518
New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (Auburn): $15,010,080
Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown (Auburn): $14,540,000
Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (Alabama): $14,500,000
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (Clay-Chalkville): $14,310,295
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (Alabama): $14,000,000
Dallas Cowboys guard Tyler Booker (Alabama): $13,887,534
New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (Auburn): $13,000,005
Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Jonah Williams (Alabama): $12,890,000
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (Alabama): $12,593,520
Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (Alabama): $12,088,235
New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones (Enterprise, Troy): $11,649,768
New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore (Alabama): $11,509,450
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