Unlike veteran free agents, whose agents negotiate many contractual terms from scratch, NFL rookies all receive contracts with many pre-set provisions based on a pay scale agreed upon by the NFL and NFLPA.
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Drake Maye, is no exception. Maye inked a deal with the New England Patriots that aligns with the rookie pay scale. What is the deal worth?
Drake Maye’s Net Worth and Salary
Maye’s deal with the Patriots amounts to a four-year pact worth $36,639,764 (averaging just over $9 million per year), according to Spotrac. As with other players who are selected with similar draft capital, Maye’s four-year base salary is fully guaranteed, and his signing bonus was worth $23,467,100.
All first-round pick contracts include a fifth-year team option that can be exercised or declined following the player’s third season in the NFL.
Maye’s net worth, of course, includes more than his league base salary. As a first-round quarterback selection in a high-profile media market, Maye will assuredly apprise himself of endorsement opportunities, something he was able to do as one of the top quarterbacks in college football.
For example, according to Front Office Sports, while at UNC, Maye signed an NIL endorsement deal with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s energy drink brand, ZOA.
Dwayne ‘@TheRock’ Johnson has signed the first 7 college athletes to NIL deals for his energy drink, ZOA:
▪️ Angel Reese, LSU
▪️ Brock Bowers, Georgia
▪️ Drake Maye, UNC
▪️ Hansel Enmanuel, NSU
▪️ Amaya Gainer, Florida A&M
▪️ Marvin Harrison Jr, Ohio State
▪️ Kam Kinchens, Miami pic.twitter.com/RXTPk2r11o— Front Office Sports (@FOS)
Other athletes who partnered with the brand included Angel Reese (LSU basketball), Brock Bowers (Georgia football), Hansel Enmanuel (Northwestern State basketball), Amaya Gainer (Florida A&M softball), Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State football), and Kamren Kinchens (Miami football).
During his collegiate career, Maye denied rumors proffered by Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi that Maye was offered $5 million in NIL money to transfer out of UNC. “Those rumors weren’t really reality,” Maye reportedly told ESPN.
“You have to enter the transfer portal to talk to these schools and hear these offers … There was nothing to me or my family directly offered from any of these other schools. Nothing was said or offered to the Mayes,” he explained.
ESPN also noted that Maye agreed to an NIL deal with UNC’s Heels4Life program.
Should Maye excel in the NFL, his career earnings will naturally increase substantially. The quarterback market has exploded in recent years, with franchise players earning upwards of $50 million annually in contract extensions.
With Tua Tagovailoa, Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and Jared Goff all cashing in within the last year, eight quarterbacks currently have deals averaging more than $50 million per year.
Maye had an impressive rookie season, and if he continues to shine over the next few seasons, he’ll be a part of the next generation of quarterbacks ready to cash in at similarly sky-high levels.
Preview for Commanders vs. Patriots Matchup in Preseason Week 1
The Commanders exceeded all expectations last season by reaching the NFC Championship Game in Jayden Daniels’ rookie season. They were aggressive in the offseason and brought in players like Von Miller, Deebo Samuel, and Laremy Tunsil to go all in for the Super Bowl while their star quarterback is still on his rookie deal.
The Patriots made a change at the head coach position, as Mike Vrabel is now in charge in New England. Drake Maye showed promise in his rookie season, and the franchise showed faith in him by signing Stefon Diggs.
Diggs helped Josh Allen become one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and the Patriots hope he will have the same impact on Maye.
Daniels and Maye were drafted with the second and third overall picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, and their sophomore season will begin with a matchup against each other’s teams.