Overall, the NFL is close to a $20 billion per year business, so naturally, its players will make a lot of money.
In 2022, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was the highest-paid player in the league at $61.5 million in total cash.
Stafford is not the leader in all-time career earnings, nor is he the leader in all-time career earnings among active players. But the top-7 players in active career earnings are all quarterbacks, including Stafford.
Below are the active players with the most career earnings and the career money earnings leaders of all time (as of the 2022 season).
NFL Career Earnings: Active Players With Most Career Earnings
| Rank | Player | Position | Career Earnings |
| 1 | Aaron Rodgers | QB | $305,608,010 |
| 2 | Matthew Stafford | QB | $300,806,037 |
| 3 | Matt Ryan | QB | $291,713,631 |
| 4 | Russell Wilson | QB | $238,362,520 |
| 5 | Kirk Cousins | QB | $201,669,486 |
| 6 | Joe Flacco | QB | $174,383,819 |
| 7 | Ryan Tannehill | QB | $168,975,979 |
| 8 | Ndamukong Suh | DL | $168,165,157 |
| 9 | Von Miller | DE | $164,385,534 |
| 10 | Trent Williams | LT | $148,540,970 |
| 11 | Julio Jones | WR | $148,125,821 |
| 12 | Jared Goff | QB | $135,041,068 |
| Calais Campbell | DL | $134,591,393 | |
| 14 | Dak Prescott | QB | $131,317,825 |
| 15 | Carson Wentz | QB | $128,659,340 |
| 16 | Aaron Donald | DL | $128,614,238 |
| 17 | Khalil Mack | DL | $127,445,498 |
| 18 | Jimmy Garoppolo | QB | $125,317,439 |
| 19 | Jason Peters | DL | $119,174,582 |
| 20 | Chandler Jones | DE | $115,907,510 |
| 21 | Fletcher Cox | DL | $115,890,246 |
| 22 | Robert Quinn | DL | $112,630,637 |
| 23 | Tyron Smith | LT | $111,797,504 |
| 24 | DeAndre Hopkins | WR | $111,577,890 |
| 25 | David Bakhtiari | LT | $109,946,517 |
NFL Career Earnings: Players With Most Career Earnings All Time
| Rank | Player | Position | Career Earnings |
| 1 | Tom Brady | QB | $332,962,392 |
| 2 | Aaron Rodgers | QB | $305,608,010 |
| 3 | Matthew Stafford | QB | $300,806,037 |
| 4 | Matt Ryan | QB | $291,713,631 |
| 5 | Drew Brees | QB | $269,710,422 |
| 6 | Ben Roethlisberger | QB | $267,286,864 |
| 7 | Eli Manning | QB | $252,280,004 |
| 8 | Peyton Manning | QB | $248,732,000 |
| 9 | Philip Rivers | QB | $243,944,322 |
| 10 | Russell Wilson | QB | $238,362,520 |
| 11 | Kirk Cousins | QB | $201,669,486 |
| 12 | Alex Smith | QB | $189,725,000 | 13 | Larry Fitzgerald | WR | $180,757,239 |
| 14 | Joe Flacco | QB | $174,383,819 |
| 15 | Carson Palmer | QB | $174,148,722 |
| 16 | Ryan Tannehill | QB | $168,975,979 |
| 17 | Ndamukong Suh | DL | $168,165,157 |
| 18 | Julius Peppers | DE | $164,973,786 |
| 19 | Von Miller | DE | $164,385,534 |
| 20 | Trent Williams | LT | $148,540,970 |
| 21 | Julio Jones | WR | $148,125,821 |
| 22 | Brett Favre | QB | $137,829,000 |
| 23 | Derek Carr | QB | $135,666,395 |
| 24 | Jared Goff | QB | $135,041,068 |
| 25 | Calais Campbell | DE | $134,591,393 |