The Buffalo Bills recently signed MVP quarterback Josh Allen to a new six-year, $330 million deal and it was touted as having the “most guaranteed money in NFL history” by multiple reports.
But is it really the most guaranteed money in NFL history? It depends on your definition of “guaranteed”.
What is guaranteed money in NFL contracts?
There are multiple ways NFL teams guarantee contracts. The first is fully guaranteed money. As you can tell from the name, it’s fully guaranteed to be paid with a few exceptions. If a player retires, they don’t get paid the remaining guaranteed money. If they violate their contract with illegal activity, violating the league’s policies on drugs or personal conduct, or even if they participate in risky off-field activities and get injured, the payment can be withdrawn. It’s pretty ironclad.
The next we hear about are injury guarantees. These are only paid if a player is injured on the field or at the team facility and can’t continue their career because of the injury. The injury has to be career-ending in order to kick in the guarantee, which is why these very rarely pay out.
There is a third type of guarantee used in mega contracts and that’s rolling guarantees. A rolling guarantee is when future money is guaranteed at some point after signing but ahead of when the money would be paid.
The most famous use of these was in the Russell Wilson deal. His 2025 compensation was set to become fully guaranteed in March of 2024, so the Broncos released him. Denver still had to pay Wilson his 2024 salary because that was already fully guaranteed, but the Broncos wanted to avoid the rolling guarantee.
Most of the time in reporting these out, NFL agents give reporters the biggest number they can that includes the fully guaranteed and the injury guaranteed money combined. It makes the agents look better when that number is bigger.
In the case of these mega deals, all three types of guarantees are reported in one big number. So Wilson’s deal was reported as $161 million guaranteed, but he only made $124 million from Denver because that rolling guarantee never triggered.
How much guaranteed money is Josh Allen making in his new contract?
Josh Allen’s guaranteed money starts with a $56.745 million signing bonus and his veteran minimum salary of $1.255 million, which totals $58 million guaranteed money in Year 1. Year 2 in 2026 is also fully guaranteed to the tune of $55 million split between option bonus and base salary. $34.5 million of 2027 compensation is fully guaranteed, so right now it’s ‘only’ $147.5 million fully guaranteed.
An additional $18 million in 2027 is guaranteed for injury, but he’d have to suffer a career-ending injury to see that money. That switches to a full guarantee in March 2026. All told, that’s $165.5 million guaranteed at signing.
Beyond that, the two sides agreed to rolling guarantees. A rolling guarantee is when future money is guaranteed at some point after signing but ahead of when the money would be paid.
His 2028 compensation of $53.5 fully guarantees in March 2027.
His 2029 roster bonus ($14 million) fully guarantees in March 2028. His 2029 salary ($17 million) guarantees in March 2029 when the rest of that year’s roster bonus kicks in ($21 million plus the previously guaranteed $14 million).
All together, that means Josh Allen has $250 million guaranteed in the contract. That is everything between now and March 2029 except his offseason workout bonuses.
What is the NFL record for guaranteed money in a contract?
Deshaun Watson still holds the NFL record with $230 fully guaranteed in his contract, and Allen falls well short of that at $147.5 million. Watson had an insane amount of leverage when decided which team he wanted to play for as the Texans traded him.
If you include all the guarantees, Josh Allen’s $250 million guaranteed is the most money every guaranteed in a contract. Dak Prescott is now second at $231 million, just ahead of Watson at $230 million. Joe Burrow is fourth with $219 million guaranteed before Justin Herbert’s $218.7 million and Trevor Lawrence at an even $200 million.
The highest non-QB number for guaranteed money goes to Myles Garrett with $123 million, just ahead of Nick Bosa at $122.5 million.