The Seattle Seahawks lifted the Lombardi at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8 after a convincing 29-13 W against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX. Quarterback Sam Darnold’s celebration was loud but the game in Santa Clara, attention shifted to California’s tax rules and how they affect players who compete in the state.
Darnold is among the two reported high football figures for now who suddenly lost $71,000 for that tax system. More Brutal? San Francisco 49ers retired offensive lineman Jon Feliciano spent a chunk of his career getting taxed by the Golden State.
Ex-49ers OL Jon Feliciano drops bombshell on career earnings
Feliciano played 113 regular-season games and 12 postseason contests over a 10-year NFL career that spanned the Raiders, Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, and 49ers.
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Dec 17, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers guard Jon Feliciano (55) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
He was a starter in Super Bowl LVIII with the 49ers and established himself as one of the more reliable interior linemen of his era before announcing his retirement in February 2025.
According to updated contract data from Spotrac, his career earnings totaled $32,288,261, with a career average annual value of $2,389,065 and total guarantees of $15,560,652. By any measure, that’s a solid career payday but California made sure he didn’t keep all of it.
When the Darnold jock tax conversation led to endless chatter online this week, Feliciano jumped into the social media andwrote, “Unfortunately California fucked me outta half 😢.”
Unfortunately California fucked me outta half 😢 https://t.co/pk5bw8QwL2
— Jonathan Feliciano (@MongoFeliciano) February 17, 2026
That was enough for fans to recognize what Feliciano was flagging and the frustration is understandable. California’s “jock tax” requires out-of-state professional athletes to pay taxes based on “duty days” spent within state borders and here every practice, team meeting, game, and media appearance counts.
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Feliciano’s situation was years in the making. Meanwhile, Darnold’s experience was more jarring. In just eight days, the state’s tax system managed to take more from him than the NFL paid him for winning the Super Bowl.
Sam Darnold also loses big money after Super Bowl win
Darnold was the best story in football this season. He helped the Seahawks to their second championship run, but the tax bill became the talk of the town following Darnold’s biggest achievement.
Stanford Finance Professor Joshua Rauh put the absurdity in clear terms, noting that Darnold was going to take a loss in California. Hewrote, “If his team wins, Darnold will receive $178k and pay $249k to California in taxes for his time here, losing $71k.”
He added, “If his team loses, he gets $103k and still pays over $235k in taxes, losing $135k. I presume California is declaring victory, as his incentive to win is preserved.”
Tennessee, Texas, and Florida have no state income tax, making them attractive markets for NFL players. In contrast, California’s top tax rate is approximately 14.6%, which includes a 1.3% mandatory disability insurance tax implemented in 2024. Feliciano lived that reality for years as a 49er while Darnold found out in hard way in eight days.