NFL Kickers Salary: How Much Do They Make and How Do They Compare to Punters?

If you are a fan of American football, you probably know that kickers are one of the most important players on the field. They can score points with field goals and extra points, and they can also help their team gain field position with kickoffs. But how much do NFL kickers make, and how do they compare to punters, who also play a vital role in special teams?

In this article, we will explore the salary range of NFL kickers, the highest and lowest paid kickers in the league, how much they make per game, and how their pay varies by state. We will also compare their salaries to those of NFL punters, who have similar skills and responsibilities. Finally, we will answer some of the most frequently asked questions about NFL kickers and punters.

NFL Kickers Salary Range

According to NFLupdate, a website that tracks sports contracts and salaries, the average NFL kicker’s salary as of 2023 is $1.5 million per year. However, this number can vary significantly depending on the kicker’s experience, performance, and contract terms. The maximum salary an NFL kicker can earn is $3.75 million per year, while the minimum salary is $580,000 per year.

The highest paid kicker in the NFL as of 2023 is Younghoe Koo of the Atlanta Falcons, who signed a five-year contract worth $24.25 million in 2022. Koo has an average annual salary of $4.85 million, a signing bonus of $6.25 million, and a guaranteed amount of $11.5 million. Koo was named to the Pro Bowl in 2020 and 2021, and he led the league in field goals made (37) and points scored (144) in 2020.

The lowest paid kicker in the NFL as of 2023 is Blake Grupe of the Los Angeles Chargers, who signed a three-year contract worth $2.7 million in 2023. Grupe has an average annual salary of $899,167, a signing bonus of $2,500, and a guaranteed amount of $2,500. Grupe is a rookie who was undrafted out of Arkansas State University.

NFL Kickers Salary Per Game

Another way to look at NFL kickers’ salary is to calculate how much they make per game. Assuming that each kicker plays all 17 regular season games in 2023, we can divide their annual salary by 17 to get their per game pay.

Using this method, we can see that Younghoe Koo makes $285,294 per game, while Blake Grupe makes $52,895 per game. The average NFL kicker makes $88,235 per game.

NFL Kickers Salary By State

NFL kickers’ salary can also vary by state, depending on the income tax rates and cost of living in each location. For example, California has the highest income tax rate in the country at 13.3%, while Texas has no income tax at all. This means that a kicker who plays for a California-based team will have to pay more taxes than a kicker who plays for a Texas-based team.

To illustrate this point, let’s compare two kickers who have similar salaries but play for different teams: Matt Gay of the Los Angeles Rams and Jason Sanders of the Miami Dolphins. Both kickers signed four-year contracts worth $22 million in 2021, with an average annual salary of $5.5 million.

According to SmartAsset, a financial website that provides tax calculators and other tools, Matt Gay will have to pay $1.8 million in federal income tax and $731,500 in state income tax in 2023, leaving him with a net income of $2.97 million.

On the other hand, Jason Sanders will have to pay $1.8 million in federal income tax but no state income tax in 2023, leaving him with a net income of $3.7 million.

This means that Jason Sanders will take home $730,000 more than Matt Gay in 2023, despite having the same salary.

NFL Kickers Salary vs Punters Salary

How do NFL kickers’ salary compare to NFL punters’ salary? Punters are another type of special teams player who can affect the outcome of a game with their ability to pin the opponent deep in their own territory or flip the field position with a long punt.

The average NFL punter’s salary as of 2023 is $1.9 million per year, slightly higher than the average NFL kicker’s salary of $1.5 million per year. The maximum salary an NFL punter can earn is $3.67 million per year, while the minimum salary is $580,000 per year.

The highest paid punter in the NFL as of 2023 is Michael Dickson of the Seattle Seahawks, who signed a four-year contract worth $14.7 million in 2021. Dickson has an average annual salary of $3.67 million, a signing bonus of $6.5 million, and a guaranteed amount of $7.5 million. Dickson was named to the Pro Bowl in 2018 and 2020, and he led the league in punting average (49.6 yards) in 2018.

The lowest paid punter in the NFL as of 2023 is Lou Hedley of the New York Jets, who signed a three-year contract worth $2.7 million in 2023. Hedley has an average annual salary of $900,000, a signing bonus of $5,000, and a guaranteed amount of $10,000. Hedley is a rookie who was undrafted out of the University of Miami.

FAQs

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about NFL kickers and punters:

• Q: How many kickers and punters are there in the NFL?
• A: There are 32 teams in the NFL, and each team has one kicker and one punter on their active roster. Therefore, there are 64 kickers and punters in the NFL.
• Q: How long is the average career of an NFL kicker and punter?
• A: According to [Statista], a website that provides statistics and data analysis, the average career length of an NFL player as of 2020 was 3.3 years. However, this number can vary by position, and kickers and punters tend to have longer careers than other players. According to [FiveThirtyEight], a website that covers sports, politics, and other topics with data-driven analysis, the average career length of an NFL kicker as of 2014 was 4.87 years, while the average career length of an NFL punter was 4.41 years.
• Q: Who is the oldest kicker and punter in the NFL?
• A: The oldest kicker in the NFL as of 2023 is Nick Folk of the New England Patriots, who is 37 years old. Folk signed a two-year contract worth $5 million in 2022, with an average annual salary of $2.5 million. Folk has played for four teams in his 15-year career, and he has made 86.9% of his field goals and 98% of his extra points.

The oldest punter in the NFL as of 2023 is Andy Lee of the Arizona Cardinals, who is also 37 years old. Lee signed a one-year contract worth $1.5 million in 2022, with an average annual salary of $1.5 million. Lee has played for four teams in his 18-year career, and he has averaged 46.8 yards per punt.

• Q: Who is the best kicker and punter in the NFL?
• A: The best kicker and punter in the NFL can be subjective, depending on various criteria such as accuracy, distance, consistency, clutch performance, etc. However, one way to measure their performance is to look at their awards and honors.

According to [Pro-Football-Reference], a website that provides historical and current statistics for professional football, the most decorated kicker in NFL history is Adam Vinatieri, who played for 24 seasons from 1996 to 2019. Vinatieri was named to three Pro Bowls, three All-Pro teams, and four Super Bowl championships. He holds the NFL records for most points scored (2,673), most field goals made (599), most consecutive field goals made (44), and most postseason points scored (238).

The most decorated punter in NFL history is Shane Lechler, who played for 18 seasons from 2000 to 2017. Lechler was named to seven Pro Bowls, six All-Pro teams, and one Super Bowl championship. He holds the NFL records for highest career punting average (47.6 yards) and most punts inside the 20-yard line (469).

• Q: How much do NFL kickers and punters make compared to other players?
• A: Compared to other players in the NFL, kickers and punters make relatively low salaries. The average NFL player’s salary as of 2023 is $4 million per year, more than twice as much as the average kicker’s salary ($1.5 million) or punter’s salary ($1.9 million). The highest paid player in the NFL as of 2023 is **