Dak Prescott inked a historic four-year, $240 million extension with the Cowboys just days before the 2024 NFL season kicked off. The extension included an $80 million signing bonus. With this deal, Prescott became the NFL’s first-ever member of the $60 million club.
Now that the ink is dry, how does the deal stack up with earnings in other sports in 2025? According to a recent ranking, Prescott has landed among the top 10 highest-paid athletes on the planet.
Dak Prescott Beats Lionel Messi in Highest-Paid Athletes Ranking
In a May 15 article by Forbes, Prescott was ranked as the fourth highest-paid athlete on the planet, beating out soccer star Lionel Messi by $2 million. The breakdown claims that out of his $137 million total earnings, he made the majority from his $127 million salary with the Cowboys, while $10 million came from off-field income.
Prescott’s earnings were boosted by a “quirk on the calendar,” allowing him to restructure his deal and receive much of his pay as a bonus rather than salary, getting the money into his account faster. As a result, his salary effectively doubled for the season. While the contract’s total value remains unchanged, the payment schedule was adjusted.
Meanwhile, Forbes reports that Messi’s 2025 earnings total $135 million, with $60 million coming from on-field play and $75 million from off-field ventures. That figure is just $2 million short of Prescott’s earnings.
Prescott’s Salary Trails Three Other Athletes
While still an enormous, unconventionally high haul for the Cowboys quarterback, Prescott still trailed three other athletes in the ranking. Boxing star Tyson Fury beat Prescott by almost $20 million, earning $146 million.
Ahead of the boxing star is none other than Warriors point guard Steph Curry. Forbes reports that Curry’s earnings are less from the Golden State Warriors than Prescott’s from the Dallas Cowboys, but Curry more than makes up for it with his off-court ventures. Curry brings in $156 million in total earnings, nearly $30 million more than Prescott’s $127 million.
The highest-paid athlete in the world, edging out everyone, including Prescott, is 40-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo. His total earnings of $275 million more than double Prescott’s $127 million and quadruple his league-leading $60 million salary on average.
Prescott’s placement on a list alongside Ronaldo, Curry, and other top-paid athletes offers a counterpoint to those who say NFL athletes are not paid as much as in other sports.
However, getting placed on a top earnings list puts pressure on Prescott to elevate from his 30th-best rating in QB+ metrics by PFSN. Will Prescott follow through in 2025?