While the players with the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers are competing for glory on Sunday, they won’t go home empty-handed, as even the losers get a sizable check.
The team that wins the Lombardi Trophy will not only become this year’s Super Bowl champions, but they will also take home an extra $164,000 for playing and winning in the Super Bowl.
Those who lose will earn an extra $89,000. For reference, the median household income in the United States is $74,580.
The Super Bowl bonuses are thanks to the provision in the NFL bargaining agreement with the Players Association.
Now, while some athletes are earning nine-figure contracts that tie them to their teams for the next decade, like Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is set to earn $210.6 million from the 2023 season through the 2026 season, others could make a big chunk of change.
Mahomes’ quarterback counterpart on the 49ers, Brock Purdy, or “Mr. Irrelevant,” a nickname he earned for being the last pick in the 2022 NFL draft, only made around $870,000 last year, ESPN reported.
This means a winner’s bonus would be around 20% of Purdy’s salary, while the loser’s check would be about 10%.
The checks are also on top of the $73,000 bonus that players on both teams received for being their respective conference’s champions and Super Bowl representatives.
The extra cash players will make doesn’t include individual contract bonuses that some players have, where if they can perform better, they earn additional money.
According to the agreement, the money doesn’t just go to those who suit up on Sunday, as there are stipulations.
If a player has only been on the team’s roster for less than three games leading up to the Super Bowl, they will only receive half of the full amount.
On the other side, players injured during the regular season who were dropped from their team’s active and inactive lists could also get a quarter or half of the bonus, depending on the number of games they played and years they’ve been in the league, among other stipulations.
Next year’s winner’s check will continue to grow, with the 2025 Super Bowl champs taking home $171,000.
The big game kicks off in Las Vegas at around 6:30 p.m. EST. The game is being televised by CBS and is streaming on Paramount+.