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The Atlanta Falcons had the highest average annual player salary in the 2019/20 season – each of their players took home an average of 4.71 million U.S. dollars. In comparison, the team with the lowest wage bill, the Miami Dolphins with an average annual revenue of 2.05 million U.S. dollars per player in 2019/20 . The New England Patriots, who have dominated the NFL in recent years, had a surprisingly average wage bill coming in at an average of 3.21 million U.S. dollars per player, 16th on the list.

New England Patriots

Despite the franchise’s modest wage bill, the Patriots’ success in recent years is anything but modest. The team took home the Vince Lombardi Trophy in 2019, having beaten the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in the Super Bowl. This marked the Patriots’ third success in five years and their sixth Super Bowl victory overall. Their latest title drew them level with the Pittsburgh Steelers with six total Super Bowl wins. However, with the Steelers’ last title coming back in 2009, it seems only a matter of time before the Patriots claim the outright lead. No doubt helped by the team’s recent success, the franchise value of the New England Patriots has soared from 1.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2013 to 3.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2018. The franchise’s revenue has also increased in recent years, with the latest estimates reaching almost 600 million U.S. dollars.

High and lows of NFL salaries

In order to ensure that the athletes are fairly compensated for their work, the NFL has a minimum annual player salary in place. This wage stood at 375 thousand U.S. dollars in 2011, but has since risen to almost 500 thousand U.S. dollars in 2019. At the other end of the spectrum, a hard salary cap is also in place to ensure teams do not overspend on players. This cap was at 188.2 million U.S. dollars in 2019 and breaches of this cap include fines of up to five million U.S. dollars, loss of draft picks, or cancellation of contracts.